rovers v gateshead

[Boz]

Back to unbalanced benches. I always feel uneasy when we don’t have any defensive cover, even in games like this where not expecting we’ll do that much defending.

 

[Ian]

Terrible terrible 45 minutes. Saved only by the late Cook goal. Need to do a lot better 2nd half.

 

[Boz]

That’s a really bad score, what’s going wrong?

 

[Ian]

We haven’t turned up. Huffing and puffing getting nowhere. Too much fannying around at the back too. Also Tollitt has his iron boots on. Terrible half for him.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

A crazy game of football. The first half tonight was the worst we have played at Prenton Park since Mellon took over: utterly woeful. We were slow-paced, disjointed and could not string two passes together. There was a very subdued atmosphere in the ground and that seemed to transmit to the players who never got going, Harris, McNulty and Norwood in particular having a terrible 45 minutes, and Tollitt taking a backward step. Even in the first five minutes of the second period there was sloppiness at the back and we were lucky not to concede again. Only Buxton and Sutton came out of the first half with any credit.

Then it was the Andy Cook show. I don't think it would be true to say he turned the game round single-handed, as there were two or three great moves in the build-up to his goals, and a couple of good assists for the maligned Liam Ridehalgh. However, his finishing tonight was emphatic and sublime. Each goal was different: a tap-in, a great strike from the edge of the box, a back post header and a slightly fortunate poacher's effort. Having gained the lead we regained our composure and played some good stuff for the remainder of the game.

I think tonight's game emphasises just how important the goal threat of our two strikers is: mediocre performances can become very good ones in the blink of an eye. The title is gone, but the way the other top seven sides are performing at the moment, you would have to fancy our chances in the play-offs if we can secure second place.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I should add that Fylde do look quite menacing. We are the two form teams at the moment.

 

[Ian]

Yes, that was an excellent second half and like you say, Cook was fantastic. Took his goals with ease. After that point, Gateshead heads went down and they tired quite a bit in the second half making for a comfortable victory in the end but give them some credit for a decent first half when they were 2-0 up. The turning point of the game was the Cook goal just before half time.

Up to second but we have to perform much better than that against Aldershot on Saturday.

Fylde have scored a crazy amount of goals and are certainly a threat in that mix.

 

[aldoes mustache]

well what a game cook 18 goals in 19 games was at work so just got in fab . keep up the good work

 

[Sparky]

What a game. We were so poor first half I said to my mate it was game over at 0-2. The goal just before half time was so important and a great cross from Buxton who did more good work on the right than a woeful Tollit in the first half.

We saw both sides of ridehalgh tonight. Like against Durrell of Macc, up against a quick winger his lack of pace is exposed and as I mentioned pre match, Wes York is decent and scored a good goal and was a threat.

But second half his delivery was excellent as whilst Tollit improved and CJ worked hard, Liam was our most creative option from out wide.

Cookie showed tonight what a top front man he is. He can power headers in and score goals like his second which was a great strike on his weaker foot which arrowed into a small gap inside the post. Our outside chance of keeping him will be if we go up and offer him a bumper 3 year deal. Even L1 clubs will be sniffing round a potential free transfer who at 27 is at his peak.

Second or third place is now in our hands. We have the 8th best away record but the best home record in the league so a home tie is so important.

Just on subs, larnell cole looked fairly fresh but when Tollit was so poor I couldn’t help wondering where Ginnelly is. You do wonder with Micky that if you have one bad game then your dropped. I guess that’s the price you pay for being in such a large and competitive squad.

Roll on to Saturday with a tougher assignment agains the shots.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I was wondering who was the last Tranmere player to score four in a game ? I am not sure if Aldridge ever did, in which case it would probably be Ian Muir v Peterborough in 1985 (7-0 win) ?

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I was wondering who was the last Tranmere player to score four in a game ? I am not sure if Aldridge ever did, in which case it would probably be Ian Muir v Peterborough in 1985 (7-0 win) ?

The club have confirmed that Aldo scored four against Barnsley in 1994 (6-1).

 

[Boz]

The club have confirmed that Aldo scored four against Barnsley in 1994 (6-1).

I was at that one, though didn't recollect Aldo getting four.

Good win in the end, but we do depend a lot on Cook and Norwood and an injury/ban to either could be fatal to our play-off prospects.

Interesting seeing how fellow play-off rivals are doing. Sutton, Wrexham and Boreham Wood all going through bad patches, but Fylde doing well and Ebbsfleet keep their outside chance of a place going.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Hope te team take the positives and don't dwell on the negatives. Macc's win means just four points from three games, even if we win all five of ours. But BW's defeat means Aldershot is no longer a must win game so takes a bit of pressure off us.

 

[drwhoman]

A great twitter quote from Gateshead FC . ‘Our second goal against Tranmere has been awarded to Harry Kane’! How big is that guy’s ego with all the whinging about the Eriksen goal against Stoke? A penny for Christian’s thoughts as well.

 

[drwhoman]

Having just seen the ‘goal’ I can only agree with Salah’s comment - Wow............ or as Shearer said, can I now have the other 91 goals I was never awarded!? If he touched it the contact was slight and did not change the trajectory of the ball.

 

[Cowshed Kid]

Poor Gateshead had to play again tonight.
Scored a winning goal at 90 min only for it to be equalised!