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Rovers v Crawley

Boz

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Iain Hume
When we attack, seem to have Cole behind a front three including Jennings. Glad Connor’s broken his duck. As Ian says, we’ve started to take a grip, but not sure it’s all over yet.
 
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1 Oct 2005
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Alan King, Barry Dyson
Fair play to Micky for freshening up the team and tweaking the formation. It would have been tempting to stick with 451, but he's really gone for an attacking lineup and given Mullin and Cole a chance.
 
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1 Oct 2005
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Alan King, Barry Dyson
What's going on? ;) We struggle to score more than one goal at home then hit five! The goal difference now looks a lot better. Although we are still in 7th place, we are in a much stronger position as the results above us generally went well. We are now just six points away from Lincoln and a couple from an automatic promotion place.
 
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Boz

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Iain Hume
Very comfortable win in the end, after an even opening twenty minutes. Mullin’s volley the pick of the goals. That result will have given Micky a few things of the positive kind to think about...
 
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aldo
what a game only annoying thing is wye did nors not take the pan he should have had a hat full . so happy for mullin and cole was superb . realy happy for connor he deserved that . positive as always im chuffin buzzsin
 
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ian goodison
never saw that coming drab first 20mins then conor gets of the mark then a great chest down for nors mullin was excellent great goal not a dud performance from anyone monthe was my mom stood up well to their big no9 apparently the penno taker was decided some weeks ago from what I was told
 
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Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
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John King
Today's performance emphasises why Mellon is a great manager for this club. In response to Tuesday's defeat, we played a formation we have never used before during his tenure (4231) with a fringe player in the pivotal position (Cole) and it worked to a tee. We probably only worked on that system for a couple of days in training, so all credit to the players and manager for such a superb display.

I thought Cole was man of the match. For that formation to work he had to play well in the key role behind the striker, and he was excellent, involved in all of our best moves. He has shown promise played out wide, but looked a completely different player today in his preferred position. I thought there were good performances throughout the team, but Caprice was excellent at right back and seems to be improving defensively as the weeks pass. We looked much stronger defensively with Manny at centre back and Buxton back in the side, while McCullough did his usual unselfish job of sweeping up in front of the back four. Ollie Banks was quiet for the first half an hour, but once we took the lead we saw his full array of passes; some of the football we played today was brilliant, in the second half in particular. He also provided assists for two set-piece goals, which has been an area where we needed to improve.

I thought Crawley were actually one of the better footballing sides we have played and knocked it round well at times. However, they were a typical powder-puff away team and were pretty woeful defensively. They played an incredibly high line which Norwood kept exploiting and it was inevitable that James would punish them in the end.

When you consider the players we were able to bring off the bench today (Gilmour, Smith) the squad seems stronger than perhaps we had appreciated. If we can stay clear of major injuries, I think we are definitely capable of challenging this season.

A very interesting game against Exeter up next.
 
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AM, I would rather Buxton scored the penalty than Norwood missed it.
If you have a designated penalty taker, I think he should always step forward. There have been numerous instances in the past of players squabbling over a penalty which is then missed.
 

Charlton1975

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Jason Koumas
If you have a designated penalty taker, I think he should always step forward. There have been numerous instances in the past of players squabbling over a penalty which is then missed.
Not when you are coasting, always give it to the man on a hattrick! I played for over 30 years and took pens, and that was the philosophy. That said, Adam scored so happy days!
 

Cowshed Kid

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Bobby Hutchinson
Not when you are coasting, always give it to the man on a hattrick! I played for over 30 years and took pens, and that was the philosophy. That said, Adam scored so happy days!
Sorry, disagree.
No room for sentiment, just make sure it's in back of net. Best player to do that is your regular.
Agree with RLC about our manager.
He came back to us with a decent track record but he's showing he can still think and work on his feet and continue to learn. I'm always confident that if it's going wrong he won't just sit on his hands.
Tremendous result today.
After three wins on bounce, without a win today it would be three on bounce without a win. Then the doubt sets in.
It's terrific being were we are in league but if it all goes tits up I don't give the proverbial provided we avoid the bin.
Having said that, a bit surprised at how well we are holding our own and more.
Back where we belong.
 
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aldo
my only moan today was that when they got the goal back . we turned off . for 10 to 15 mins . but if the orient fans think caprice is shocking . crap piss poor . and more . they have lost a class player . fair to mm he does have a nack of getting the best of some players . am so happy for mullin and connor they needed them goals and also im very happy the whole team went with connor to celerbrate . its realy good that others are starting to chip in with the goals . also did have a little giggle when scottie was stretching flat out . loved it today shame we did not score a few more . all in all a superb result and a few others went are way . only 6 off top spot and we have doubled are home scoring record . . also think cole was superb today and hope he now kicks on and plays more . to think if you can take two players off who played so well and bring the quality of smith and gilly on then we are not in a bad place . and last for me steve and mamma where superb at the back . howe steve keeps doing it is amazing as with noors other fans hate them and we love it .
 

drwhoman

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Good win. Good managers often get the best out of players not loved elsewhere like Caprice or Klopp with Shaqiri. And goals as well. When did we last score 5 in L1 or L2?
 

frenchrover

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4 Feb 2012
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aldo
Great team performance with some sublime individual play as well. Credit to Crawley who came to play an open attacking game which together with our attacking line up made for a great game to watch but left them open to the pace of our counter-attacks. MoM by a distance was Larnell Cole but goal of the match went to Mullin with a superb strike for our fifth.
 

ONIGP

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Eddie Bishop
A fantastic result! For me mom Larnell Cole with excellent performances by most others. I'm glad Connor scored but he is still currently performing below his massive potential. How bizarre being game over in our favour after an hour, a strange feeling indeed! A wonderful day! Feeling really sorry for my nephew who has attended nearly all games this season but missed this one; at least it will have been warmer in Beni!
 

Boz

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Iain Hume
When I saw the starting xi, wasn't sure how it was going to line up. Even if I'd been told the formation, would have thought Cole out wide and Jennings in the number 10 position. Full credit to Micky for deploying the players as he did and with such a successful outcome. Whether it would work as well against an opponent setting up more defensively or with a stronger defence than Crawley would make an interesting debate.

In terms of MoM, I thought the players ranged from good to excellent. Was a little surprised at the sponsor's picks tbh. McNulty, aside from being part of the defence that went to sleep for the Crawley goal was near flawless, but as KTF highlights, Monthe was tasked with marking their main striker and the same error aside did it really well. Norwood seemed to be frustrated initially, getting caught offiside quite a bit, but got more into the game after his goal and proved a real handful in the second half. For me, a toss up between Larnell Cole, best game in a Rovers shirt and demonstrating his undoubted talent and Jake Caprice, whose defensive work was impressive yesterday, but given the nature of the game, Cole edges it.

Ollie Banks name-checked Connor Jennings in his post-match tweet and hopefully his first league goal, along with another assist will see Connor's confidence grow.

While I still don't understand how Ryan Williams falls into the home-grown player category, thought yeserday might have been a good chance to give him a Rovers league debut.
 
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Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
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I sometimes wonder if the sponsors have attended the same game. Macca did nothing wrong yesterday, but to give a defender man of the match when there were so many scintillating attacking performances was bizarre.
 

bigmart

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Ian Muir
I couldn't believe the scoreline in the end, a fantastic result and by the sounds of it thoroughly deserved. Gutted to have missed the game due to a prior engagement, maybe I should miss a few more
 
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24 Jul 2017
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aldo
you wonder what williams and the lad from italy are hear for they dont get games or even on the bench . the last time we scored 5 in the lg was 2013
 
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ian goodison
AM the same could be said of waring who despite being signed by MM and given a 2yr contract and is a striker what he does to earn his wages is a mystery to me,
 
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