Shaymen v Rovers

[Sparky]

Well I'm not going to say this is must win for GB as I've been saying it a lot recently, we lose, and he's still in a job.

The hosts lie 2nd from bottom and are currently 7 points from safety due in part to the recent up turn in form of Southport who have improved since GBs ex assistant Paul Carden was fired and Dino Maamria has taken over (amazing what a new manager can do with the same players). Halifax for some odd reason appointed Darren Kelly who was fired from Oldham during the season, who then left Halifax 47 days into the job after some awful results. Ex Rover Jimmy Harvey is in temporary charge and has seen them unbeaten in 3 games with decent wins over Dover & Gateshead scoring 4 in both matches. In Jordan Burrow they have a striker with 13 league goals this season.

Given their decent form then and our awful run this may well see rovers extend our run of defeats and heap more pressure on GB. Much will depend on how much the rovers players can dig themselves out of this rut we are in and go and put on a battling display where hopefully our better ability will come through. Hopefully Maynard will get his act together against his old club.

As for the team, GB has mentioned 'good news' that GTF may return. Lets hope he stays out of the side and doesn't walk back in (he can't really run can he). Harris & Riley may be back too. I'm struggling to know what team to pick really given recent performances but this would be mine (4-4-2):

Davies
Vaughan Sutton Riley Hill
Mekki Maynard Harris Kirby
Norwood Mangan

McNulty & jenno deserve to be dropped but will they? No doubt they have been doing well in training! Also I think he'll play mekki off Norwood again in a sort of 4-4-1-1 set up which may see GTF wide or Tomlinson/Ridehalgh feature.

Prediction: More xmas gloom for rovers.

 

[Ian]

Lose 2-1

 

[Boz]

It's really hard to feel enthusiastic about this game. Can't say I'm inspired by the thought of GTF or Riley returning, though Harris will provide another option in midfield. Brabin doesn't seem to have any idea of how to turn the season around and doubtless we'll see another hard to fathom line-up with players out of position and under-performers in the starting xi.

Halifax have been in excellent form, since Rovers hero Jimmy Harvey took over the caretaker role. They didn't look that bad when we beat them 1-0 early in the season, but things have got much better recently.

In terms of line-ups, think I'd still stick with McNulty, but otherwise Sparky's suggestion is as good as any.

The weather forecast for Saturday is poor, heavy rain most of the day. Their game against Tamworth was washed out last weekend, though they did play the re-scheduled game midweek without any trouble. Postponement a distinct possibility.

Prediction: Lose again, possibly heavily.

 

[bigmart]

draw 1 1 norwood equalising in the last ten minutes

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I agree with most of what has been said above. Of the players returning from injury, only Harris would have a positive impact and has been sorely missed in the last couple of games. When the fixtures came out I was looking forward to this match in the build up to Christmas, but I have little enthusiasm for it now. There is not much point in speculating on personnel and formations as Brabin does not seem to have any idea of how to improve things, and tactics and starting line ups have been selected by the roulette wheel in recent weeks.

Boz makes an interesting point about a possible postponement, but if the game does go ahead Halifax will certainly have higher confidence levels than Rovers, having thrashed a decent Tamworth side 5-0 in midweek.

It will be good to see Jimmy Harvey again, one of the greatest midfielders in our history and one of the nicest people in football. I bet Gentleman Jim will get a better reception from the Rovers supporters on Saturday than our own manager (some Rovers fans claim he would make a decent replacement for Brabin, at least in the short term).

Despite the air of depression around the club I think we will still take a good following of 6-800. I would love to think that a victory would trigger a transformation in our fortunes, but I just can't see it.

 

[drwhoman]

I agree that Harvey would make a good choice. I recall his name being floated around a few years ago but nothing eventuated.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

I have happy memories of The Shay from our Fourth Division days. We always did well against them. Perhaps they will get revenge at last tomorrow. However, if we are to turn the season around, this month offers the best chance in terms of opposition. I've given up predicting scores, but now believe if we don't show signs of improvement BEFORE the window opens, the owners will have to change their strategy.

 

[Ian]

Frustratingly, I still believe the nucleus of the squad is good. I don't believe the current manager can improve this but let's just hope for some better results over the xmas period.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I have happy memories of The Shay from our Fourth Division days. We always did well against them.

When I started supporting Rovers in the early-to-mid eighties Halifax were viewed as one of the poor relations of the Football League, Crewe, Rochdale and Rovers being some of the others. We always seemed to be battling against those clubs either to avoid re-election, or to stay off the bottom of the League attendance charts.

For that reason I have always had a soft spot for them and was glad when they re-formed. Incredible to think of the journey we have been on in the last thirty years, whereas for Halifax fans little has changed in that period.

 

[Sparky]

Half time its 1-1 but stats say we've had 11 shots and 7 on target. Probably more than our last few home games put together!

Halifax haven't kept a clean sheet for about 25 games so surely more goals in it for us 2nd half.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Even when we score, we seem to concede soon after. But let's hope Sparky's right.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Three strikers now on. At least GB is going for it.

 

[frenchrover]

"Three strikers now on. At least GB is going for it"........................I just wish he'd GO.

 

[Sparky]

Sounds like a performance similar to others on the road this season. We create plenty of chances but only take one. Hit the woodwork twice but for once it sounds like their goal wasn't from bad defending, just a wonder strike.

A much tougher away game in store next at Macclesfield.

Footnote: Local rivals Chester and southport scored 4 and 5 respectively with the latter winning again under their new manager.

 

[Ian]

Well, looking to the positives we got a point. The reason why our decent players are playing in this league is because they are just too inconsistent. Should have scored a few today. Sound familiar? Is this acceptable against a bunch of part timers ?

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

An improved performance from Rovers, in the first half at least, but ultimately disappointing again. This was a game we should have won.

We completely dominated the first period, carving Halifax open and creating numerous chances but again failing to find a finish. In fairness to Brabin, his starting line up and formation were effective and we played as a genuine team in the first forty five minutes, squeezing up the pitch and winning second balls to get a grip on midfield and playing some decent football. In particular, the trio of GTF, Maynard and Norwood linked up really well and caused all sorts of problems. After squandering several good opportunities, including an effort against the post from Mekki, we finally took the lead with a great run and finish by Norwood. With Rovers dominant, it seemed this might finally be a turning point for Rovers. However, true to recent form we conceded almost immediately, completely against the run of play. The defending in the build up to the goal was not great, but there was an element of bad luck on our part as it was a great strike from distance by Wroe. However, with the chances we had created and squandered we should have been out of sight by half time.

In the second period our game deteriorated, becoming scrappy. We did not build through midfield as we had in the first period, lost composure and hit too many hopeful long balls. This allowed Halifax to move up the pitch and come into the game, without really threatening our goal. Although the game became disjointed, Rovers again had the best opportunities, a great chance missed by Norwood and a blistering effort by Tomlinson coming off the post five minutes from time. Brabin's decision to replace Mekki with Tomlinson was met with (understandable) derision by the Rovers fans, but in fairness to Ben he had his best minutes in a Rovers shirt today, which is not saying much admittedly.

In summary, I came away from the game convinced that we have a good group of players - we were streets ahead of a poor Halifax side in the first half - but we simply are not getting enough out of them. This is the sort of game we should be winning comfortably and there is always a deficiency of one sort or another in our performances. Today, we again squandered opportunities in the first half and did not produce a ninety minute performance, fading in the second period when the game was there to be won.

Man of the match was the outstanding James Norwood, who was virtually a one man team at times today. The SWA gave good vocal support throughout, but the disappointing numbers (450) are perhaps understandable given our dreadful form and the general opinion of the manager's performance.

 

[Cowshed Kid]

A good read here- especially the rumours about our Jimmy!

http://m.halifaxcourier.co.uk/news/fc-halifax-town-1-1-tranmere-1-7634430

 

[Boz]

The forecast downpour didn't materialise until the game was well underway. Rovers started with what looked like a 4321 line-up, with GTF and Maynard behind Norwood and Jay Harris returning to midfield. We started the game strongly, the players seemed up for it, even Brabin did a little coaching from the touchline. There was some good passing movement, with Lee Vaughan involved in an attacking sense from right-back and an effort from Mekki against the post, as Rovers were well on top. Approaching 40 minutes, Norwood finally gave us the lead we deserved and Adam Mekki brought a decent save out of the home keeper shortly after. However luck was against us, as a cross was only partially cleared and fell to Nicky Wroe, who hit a worldie from the edge of the box, which bounced off the bar and into the net. H/t a couple of minutes later with the hosts undeservedly level.

Second half started with Sutton replacing Ridehalgh and Vaughan moving to left-back. I'm assuming this was an enforced move although the match report on the o/s doesn't mention anything about an injury to Liam. Matt Hill wasn't on the bench. Whatever the reason, it did have a negative impact as Vaughan had to concentrate on defensive duties in an unfamiliar position. The play was patchy, Halifax probably in the ascendancy, though their midfield was even worse that ours. Mekki and Norwood were probably our best players at that point, so it was a surprise that Brabin chose to replace Adam with Ben Tomlinson and a decision that didn't go down well with the SWA. My preference would have been to hook GTF or Maynard. Tomlinson started poorly, but gradually came into the game, setting up a chance for Norwood and hitting a post after Halifax had been reduced, perhaps a little harshly to ten men. Andy Mangan was also brought on to minimal effect.

Would agree with RLC about Norwood as MoM, bust a gut over 90 minutes, while some of his team-mates were strolling. Mekki, Vaughan and GTF also had decent games.

While it's damning with faint praise, the Rovers of the first half were the best I've seen us for some time and if we were able to maintain performances of that ilk for the full ninety, we would start climbing the table. However our failure to get a grip of the game second half cost us.

RLC mentions the disappointing crowd 448. While the poor weather forecast and time of year may have kept some away, the Brabin factor must have been significant. Chester took more on a Tuesday night in August for a game which will hardly have had any novelty for them.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

RLC mentions the disappointing crowd 448. While the poor weather forecast and time of year may have kept some away, the Brabin factor must have been significant. Chester took more on a Tuesday night in August for a game which will hardly have had any novelty for them.

It was Chester's first away game of the season, but yes, I agree. We took 800 to York last season, forty miles further up the road.

 

[drwhoman]

Thanks for the great reports guys. This is not the first time that Rovers have not played for ninety minutes. Do they seem fit to you? Or is it more that they lose concentration, confidence or whatever? I imagine the late Halifax goal in the first half did not help (the Wroe who played for Shrewsbury when they were promoted?), but whatever message Gary gave them at half time (if any!) clearly did not inspire them!