• Nigel Adkins has been given the Tranmere job on a permanent basis signing until the end of the 25/26 season. Continue the discussion here.

League Two Bantams v Rovers

Match result

  • Bradford

    Votes: 3 37.5%
  • Draw

    Votes: 3 37.5%
  • Tranmere

    Votes: 2 25.0%

  • Total voters
    8
  • Poll closed .
Bantams v Rovers
Posted by Ian
Valley Parade
Tuesday, April 20, 2021 - 07:00 PM
Until: Tuesday, April 20, 2021 - 09:00 PM
(Adjusted for timezone: Europe/London)
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Sparky

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Well a fairly poor spectacle and once again the opposition keeper had very little to do, but the win was all that matters. Could that bit of luck with the own goal be the spark we need ahead of a winnable game at home to barrow on Saturday? If so, we could build up some momentum to take into the play offs.

Good to keep another clean sheet and Clarke handled cookie very well second half. MOM for me was their defender who got the all important goal!! Although thought spearing had a very good game and the whole back 4 second half. Onwards and upwards! Hopefully one of our own players can score soon
 

Sparky

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7 shots, zero on target. Typical rovers of late!
 

bigmart

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Important win which goes a long way to ensuring we make the play offs
 
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aldo
ok we won, we so needed that but we need someone who is going to hog the box we have nobody scoring goals great we have got the backline now sorted but we need more up top
 

Ian

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7 shots, zero on target. Typical rovers of late!
Bradford 12 shots, 0 on target. NO shots from either team on target. Wow, anyway, very important 3 points. Hope that pushes us on for the last 3 games.
 
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Too many of them after over 50 years!
How about praising the defensive capability? and the pressing? yes, not many shots but Bradford were limited to next to no shots on target.. So a not so typical performance of late. it was a step upward rather than backward.
 
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A vital victory, which I think we deserved overall.

The first half was patchy, but we did look more of a threat on the break through Woolery and Lewis. However, I thought in the second half we managed the game very well and restricted Bradford to scraps, while having the best chance through Woolery's breakaway.

I thought both centre halves did well against Cook after a shaky opening fifteen minutes, while O'Connor was also solid defensively. Morris had a decent game, and the biggest positive was probably the performance of Woolery who looked threatening when he moved to a central position, and seemed to have recovered some confidence. Feeney was below par again, however.

Hopefully we can score a couple of goals from open play on Saturday, and confidence will return.
 
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How about praising the defensive capability? and the pressing? yes, not many shots but Bradford were limited to next to no shots on target.. So a not so typical performance of late. it was a step upward rather than backward.
The defence has been playing pretty well for a while, in fairness. The problems have all been in the attacking areas.

I think a few people above have praised the defence tonight.
 
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Automatic promotion is still not completely out of the question if we win the three remaining games, as Morecambe play Bolton on Saturday (I can dream).

Good news for us is that two of our final three opponents are now effectively safe, which should (in theory) make those matches easier to negotiate.
 
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Too many of them after over 50 years!
The defence has been playing pretty well for a while, in fairness. The problems have all been in the attacking areas.

I think a few people above have praised the defence tonight.
I think the team has been generally conceding when ahead recently, and there was more of a tendency not to sit back when ahead today. We are all clear on the attacking shortfall - stats don't lie -but I still think today was a step in the right direction confidence-wise.

And my response was to Sparky's two posts but I misused the quote method - I thought it resulted in the original post being included.

Onto future games . I think it is unlikely Tranmere will be in the automatic spots now so have to consolidate the playoff position. I think three points should do that but need five to be certain.
Salford, Exeter, FGR and Newport won't win all their games. , Given their difficult run ins. I hope Vaughan, assuming not now totally crocked, will be kept for the playoffs and that they do get enough points to get there.

If they do get to Wembley, I will have to watch it in Birkenhead on my visit...in any case, I assume it will be only season ticket holders who would get tickets for available seats. Tranmere never seem to do promotion efforts the easy way!
 
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Ian

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Yes should just go for it now and see what happens. While the autos are still in sight, there is always a chance. It will be interesting to see how we react after that win. Hill lives to fight another day!
 
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Apart from generally conceding when ahead recently, and there was more of a tendency not to sit back when ahead today.

And my response was to Sparky's two posts but I misused the quote method .

Onto future games . I think it is unlikely Tranmere will be in the automatic spots now so have to consolidate the playoff position. I think three points should do that but need five to be certain.
Salford, Exeter, FGR and Newport won't win all their games. , Given their difficult run ins.
I am not sure we have sat back in previous games, and we were quite deep for a lot of the second half this evening. I would say we have been defending well generally, but it is impossible to keep a clean sheet in every game.

The problem was, and remains, a lack of goals.
 

Sparky

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Apart from generally conceding when ahead recently, and there was more of a tendency not to sit back when ahead today.

And my response was to Sparky's two posts but I misused the quote method .

Onto future games . I think it is unlikely Tranmere will be in the automatic spots now so have to consolidate the playoff position. I think three points should do that but need five to be certain.
Salford, Exeter, FGR and Newport won't win all their games. , Given their difficult run ins.
To be fair I did mention keeping another clean sheet was good and Clarke and the back 4 playing well.
It was far from vintage but an improvement on some recent showings. Need to build on it though
 

Ian

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We looked a lot better when we scored. The pressure was eased slightly and we were then able to manage the game in the second half which I thought we did very well. We didn't attack much but we didn't need too, and Woolery should have made it 2-0 at the end. We soaked up whatever Bradford threw at us which wasn't that much in all honesty. I thought Spearing made a difference too.
 

Boz

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It's hard to know what to think about that game. A stroke of good fortune to put us in front although much credit to Danny Lloyd with making it happen, then a fairly comfortable second half with a lot of solid defending as mentioned. One great challenge in particular from Jay Spearing in the box, slightly either way and they get a penalty. A difficult chance for Woolery to clinch it at the end, he was under a lot of pressure. I still had reservations about some of our changes; Khan didn't look comfy on the left when brought on, maybe better switching with Morris or pushing Macdonald up and bringing Rides on earlier than KH did. Set pieces weren't the best again. Whether this is a turning point remains to be seen, although the confidence of a few players was well up as the game progressed.

Bradford went for the Dawes/Parky approach to replace Bowyer, sticking with the caretakers who'd turned things around. While they were going well initially, have lost the last 3 games and probably won't break into the play-offs after this result. Wonder how their fans are thinking now. Never easy being in charge of a football club, whether you try the experienced boss approach like Mark or stick with the rookies like the Bantams.
 
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