A dominant performance and an emphatic scoreline which I certainly did not anticipate. After a few early wobbles, we took control of the game and completely outplayed a team that caused us no end of problems last season. In the final twenty minutes we ran Dover ragged. Great credit goes to the manager for starting with such a positive line-up, featuring several youngsters, and for some subtle tactical changes during the game that had a big influence on the outcome.
The first half was fairly even. The play was end to end and quite entertaining without a great number of chances being created, but Dover certainly deserved their lead when it came. We initially set up (it seemed to me) in a 4-3-1-2 with Tollitt playing just behind Cook and Stephenson. However, Ben did not look comfortable in this role and our play was quite disjointed in the early stages of the game. Crucially, Mellon noticed this and moved Tollitt out wide in a 4-3-3 to give us better balance. Tollitt was man-to-man marked, as were all of our players, but gradually worked his way into the game, notably when he brilliantly set up Cook for the equaliser. In general, I thought our play was a bit ragged at times in the first period, with the ball given away too cheaply in midfield. In addition, Darren Stephenson showed why he has not been starting many games. He got into some great areas and showed plenty of pace, but his decision making really let him down at times. We did, however, finish the half the stronger of the two teams.
In the early minutes of the second half we retained the ball much better in midfield, preventing Dover from getting any momentum, and I think our control of the middle of the pitch was key to what followed. We gradually upped the tempo, with the movement of both midfield and front players very impressive, and Cook and Tollitt began to find space and cause real damage. Our second goal was richly deserved and was a fantastic left-footed finish by Cook, from an awkward angle. As we began to pile pressure on, the Dover keeper punched the ball into his own net from a Hughes corner for the third, before Tollitt completed the scoring with a fantastic bit of individual skill and a great finish from eighteen yards. As at Solihull, we created chances at will in the second half and the scoreline could really have been anything: Cook in particular was unlucky not to get a hat trick with a couple of great efforts.
Individually, I thought Andy Cook was superb and gave one of the best all round centre forward performances I have seen from a Rovers player for a long time. His hold up play was brilliant in addition to the two goals. Similarly, Ben Tollitt grew in stature as the game progressed and tormented the Dover back four in the second half, who could not cope at all with his pace. However, I think the performance of the midfield was key to the victory: both Maynard and Harris had much better games than in recent weeks and Hughes was as reliable as ever, and I thought we really dominated the middle third of the pitch. Defensively, we did superbly to deal with Miller. Ridehalgh stayed tight to him all game, and funnelled him into bodies when he tried to run at the back four, and I don't remember him having a chance all afternoon. Steve McNulty was an absolute rock and won everything in the air, as we have come to expect. One of the best moments of the game came in the second half when Miller ran at Big Mac on the edge of the eighteen yard box, only to be shepherded to the touchline and brushed aside like a rag doll by the big man !
Tactically, I think Mellon got it spot on. By starting with such a positive line up we were able to exploit Dover's obvious weakness - their defence - and it was great to see the manager put faith in younger players, when many managers would have adopted a cautious approach, sat back and invited pressure. The victory was all the more impressive when you consider the players that were unavailable.
There were great scenes at the final whistle with the manager and all of the playing squad celebrating wholeheartedly with the Rovers fans, something we have not seen for many years.
Man of the match Andy Cook.