League Two Rovers v Crewe

[Ian]

Friday night football returns to Prenton Park with Rovers entertaining The Railwaymen under the Prenton Park floodlights. Although only two points seperate the two teams, Rovers are in top form, winning their last four league games. In contrast Crewe have only one once in their last four games and as one of last seasons relegated teams are struggling to find form in League Two.

Rovers have a great chance to make this five wins in five and reach the dizzy heights of 6th!

 

[Goody Two Shoes]

Hoping we can be the Wrecking Crewe and not fluff our lines. Heady heights of 6th would feel good and worth a celebratory ale or two come Friday night. Can our home form match our away form (now who’d have thought we’d be saying that!)?
Got to go for another win, 2-1; another clean sheet is surely asking too much .
Also, hoping for a decent crowd, about 7500 would do, but not so sure we’ll get there these days despite our good run; hopefully I’ll be pleasantly surprised. Anybody any idea how many Crewe have sold? Surely they can muster 800+

 

[bigmart]

I would think the only change will be Nevitt for Lewis unless there are any injuries, im going for home win 2 0

 

[bigmart]

Hoping we can be the Wrecking Crewe and not fluff our lines. Heady heights of 6th would feel good and worth a celebratory ale or two come Friday night. Can our home form match our away form (now who’d have thought we’d be saying that!)?
Got to go for another win, 2-1; another clean sheet is surely asking too much .
Also, hoping for a decent crowd, about 7500 would do, but not so sure we’ll get there these days despite our good run; hopefully I’ll be pleasantly surprised. Anybody any idea how many Crewe have sold? Surely they can muster 800+

They had sold 324 as of a couple of hours ago

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

What could possibly go wrong?

Seriously, it's a home banker on current form - but we need that form to continue. The attitude, performance and team spirit on Saturday was magnificent. Let's stay disciplined, get our fair share of luck and hopefully another three points. But it's never easy.

 

[Sparky]

I think if we start well and get the first goal then we’re capable of another victory.

As bigmart suggests it’ll be interesting if Nevitt comes back in. Without shining last Tuesday Lewis scored against Leeds, and then backed that up winning a penalty and scoring at sutton on Saturday. Surely he can’t be dropped some might say. Players need rewarding arguably.
Apart from that possible change I’m expecting the same starting eleven. My gut tells me Lewis will start alongside Hemmings but Nevitt will be off the bench at some point

 

[Ian]

My gut tells me Lewis will start alongside Hemmings but Nevitt will be off the bench at some point

Yes, I agree. I don't think MM would drop him to the bench after a decent showing on Saturday.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

None of the players from Saturday deserve to be dropped and I can't think of any others who deserve to start. Unless Micky changes his formation, I expect the same team to start. However, win, lose or draw, I expect to see to or three tactical subs. These provide extra legs and remove complacency.

 

[Boz]

I was quite surprised that Nevitt was dropped for the Sutton game. It seemed that he’d had a good game v Barrow and the Hemmings-Lewis combo failed to work at Walsall. Yet things seemed to click for them last weekend. Unsure who Micky will pick for Friday and agree that changes elsewhere than up front are very unlikely.

This will be my first live Rovers game since Colchester. Crewe have a relatively inexperienced manager Baker-Richardson probably their best player and expected to struggle, but made a decent start to the season. They’re the type of opponent we need to be beating if Rovers are to be promotion contenders. Think we’ll win a tight game. It will be interesting to see the crowd size, not expecting more than 6k

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

We got 6,000 against Barrow, so I think the crowd will be significantly bigger than that.

 

[Ian]

Fri nights usually come with a decent atmosphere.

 

[Goody Two Shoes]

They had sold 324 as of a couple of hours ago

Over 500 now as of about 3 hours ago so creeping up. Thought 800 was unrealistic when I saw your figures, but looks possible now.

 

[ALDO MUSSY]

with Rovers in ok to good form, it would be great if we could score more goals, we need the front two to start scoring more i am going for 4-0 rovers with hemming's and Nevitt both getting 2

 

[Ian]

with Rovers in ok to good form

I'd say pretty excellent form AM!

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I think this game will be tighter than some people are imaging. Crewe are not in great form, but they have drawn a lot of matches and I think they will be more resilient than Sutton were last Saturday. However, I would still expect us to pick up three points.

Crewe have had a strange couple of years. They were promoted in quite spectacular fashion a couple of years ago, with a lot of exciting young talents in their side, and comfortably held their own in League One the following season. However, they then seemed to have a fire sale of their best young players and slumped back to League Two last year.

I think we will be unchanged and will win the game narrowly, in front of a crowd of 7,000 - 7,500, with just under a thousand from Crewe.

A victory would move us into sixth position and only four points behind third placed Northampton on the same number of games. Quite the turnaround if it happens.

 

[Goody Two Shoes]

If it wasn’t tight and a bit nerve-jangling, it wouldn’t be Rovers RLC (With the caveat of rare exceptions!)
I don’t know about expecting a win, it’s always more in hope with me.
Five in a row would be some achievement.
It’s sad in some ways how us lower league sides have to be developmental, selling sides and can’t realistically strive to reach the pinnacle without endless riches.
Those crowd numbers are in the vicinity of what I’m hoping for to ensure it’s a decent atmosphere.
Can’t believe there’s only 24 hours to go until we cement our place in the play-off spots (hopefully!).

 

[ALDO MUSSY]

keeping my feet on the ground

 

[bigmart]

Unchanged team, come on rovers let's have another win

 

[bigmart]

I don't recognise any names in their team or the manager

 

[Boz]

Don’t know much more than you, bigmart. Mellor and McDonald both played for Carlisle in last seasons 2-2, with the former’s theatrics helping to get Calum Macdonald sent off. Baker-Richardson their main danger.

With 20 minutes to ko it feels a little quieter in the ground than expected given the crowd predictions.