• 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.

Bradford City v Rovers

Boz

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Iain Hume
This game has been shifted a couple of times and now falls on Sunday 13th, my birthday. Haven't had much luck with fixtures around my birthday in recent years, though the 3-2 fight-back against Yeovil last year was a pleasing exception.

If OFW isn't released by Wales for the game, wonder what happens, given Mooney's injury and Ramsbottom being far from ready for a debut. Otherwise it seems all our injury problems remain, save Akpa Akpro's ankle may allow him to start. For me, Lowe should be the lone striker if we're adopting a Swindon-game formation again. It makes some sense to pack the midfield again and hope we can blunt the Bantams strike force. They're on as good a run as ours is poor, but with no rational explanation for it, my gut feeling is we may sneak a point
 
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Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
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It's a novelty to have a game played on a Sunday, but I would rather we had not been forced to switch by a bunch of racists who want to parade around Bradford intimidating the locals.

I agree that Lowe should be played up front. For some reason, I also have a feeling we will take something from this game; defensively we do seem to have got our act together in the last couple of matches and we can't go on losing for ever.
 

WildRover

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Kevin Gray (ha!)
unfortunately i cant share your optimism, think its gonna be a loss for us, simply due to no midfield, though i think it will be a better performance, and im thinking that the Orient game at home will be our turning point to be honest
 

bigmart

bigmart
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cant see us getting anything from this 2 0 to them
 

Ian

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Aldo
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We'll lose... again.
 
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Alan King, Barry Dyson
For some reason, I also have a feeling we will take something from this game; defensively we do seem to have got our act together in the last couple of matches and we can't go on losing for ever.
I too have a strange feeling about this game and have predicted a 1-0 win. We have lost so many games 1-0 recently, it's about time we reversed the trend. Seriously, Ronnie has at last begun to address our defensive weaknesses in both quantity and quality. It's bound to pay off soon.
 
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Alan King, Barry Dyson
Nearing the end of the first half, it's been a good start for Rovers. The stats are as good as for any away match in a long time. Sounds like a very physical game with three bookings already. Let's hope we can keep it up, keep all 11 on the pitch and get at least on shot into the net.
 

bigmart

bigmart
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1 up come on rovers lets get 3 vital points, saw the goal on tv decent finish
 
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Alan King, Barry Dyson
Goal! And for once it's from a striker, Ryan Lowe. Sounds like it's no more than we deserve, but can we hold out?
 

bigmart

bigmart
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great save from fon keeps us in front come on ref blow up, this will make my weekend
 
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Alan King, Barry Dyson
Three points for Rovers - and three for me in the prediction league! I don't often get Rovers results right. Look forward to the reports.
 
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Fantastic performance and a thoroughly deserved victory. We played the better football, particuarly in the first half, and had several decent chances in addition to the goal; Atkinson should have put us ahead before half time. Our tactics were spot on, playing Lowe as the lone striker (as requested by me and others) and he was superb in the role. Considering their league position, Bradford were deeply unimpressive, their sole tactic seeming to be to hack it up to Hanson, their big donkey up front, for a knock down. Hateley ran the game in midfield for long periods and was always available for the ball when we played out of defence; his contribution was what we have been lacking in the middle all season. That said, I could not single out a player who did not perform: Goodison was immense, Lowe, Kirby and Fon Williams (when called on towards the end) superb. The game became niggly and physical because of Bradford's roughhouse approach and the antics of their management team, of which more later.

The three recent additions - Hateley, Ridelhalgh and McNulty - have given us more experience, composure and quality and we really need to keep hold of them longer term. In turn, their performances are helping to lift the form of other players who have struggled previously, such as Danny Holmes.

Phil Parkinson is a complete tool and should be put before the FA for his behaviour today. He and his coaching staff charged on to the pitch to complain about a supposed elbow by Goody; in fact, Goodison had not touched their player who had dived and stayed down holding his face in agony as if shot by a sniper. A melee then ensued after which Goodison was booked but Parkinson, inexplicably, was not sent to the stands.

Fortunately his gamesmanship did not affect Goody' s performance in the remainder of the game; he was magnificent and put in a fitting display for his 400th game.

Joint man of the match to Hateley and Goody.

With the changes to the side of the past few weeks we have nothing to fear in this division, and will hopefully now begin to climb the table.
 

andrewesq

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Billy Woods
When you are 24th the only way is up!
Fantastic result so hopefully the belief will come back
In the words of Frenchrover
now let's ruin Orient's season
 

Ian

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What a superb result also considering Bradford had not lost at home this season. Sounding very bitter on their official site:
  • Clear elbow by Ian Goodison
  • Barely deserved three points by Tranmere
  • Three penalty shouts turned down in the first half
  • Constant time wasting by Fon Williams
Really hope we can build on this. Did Lowe spend most of the time in their penalty area where he should be?
 
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What a superb result also considering Bradford had not lost at home this season. Sounding very bitter on their official site:
  • Clear elbow by Ian Goodison
  • Barely deserved three points by Tranmere
  • Three penalty shouts turned down in the first half
  • Constant time wasting by Fon Williams
Really hope we can build on this. Did Lowe spend most of the time in their penalty area where he should be?

All I can say is sour, sour grapes. None of the three claims was a penalty. Their fans were pretty pathetic throughout, appealing for a pen every time they got into our 18 yard box: just shows how desperate they were and how well we defended. Apparently we wasted so much time they had no opportunity in the 90 minutes to score a goal ? LOL.

Lowe was in the box more often than in previous games He also led the line and linked the play really well, much better than Akpro / Sodje / Stockton when played up front on their own.
 

lonerover

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Johnny Morrissey
What a brilliant result!!! Even more so given the start both teams have had this season. Sounds like a much more solid defensive performance, building on the last two weeks, and sounds like we actually posed a threat going forward, which is a welcome change. Have seen the goal on TV and it was a quality finish!!

Can't believe how bitter Bradford City, their manager and fans were after the game. Seems like they are thinking a little above their station. My twitter feed was hilarious last night with cries of the death of football, how TRFC cheat, time wasters (even though there was 5 mins added time???). Really brightened my Sunday.

Hope this is a corner turned and we get a positive result against Orient on Saturday.
 
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Alan King, Barry Dyson
Just seen the highlights, which admittedly can't really tell the full picture. The Goody incident was disgraceful. Yes, he had his arm in the air to protect himself from the challenge, but the other player ran into him and fell like a sack of potatoes. Disgraceful simulation. Jake Kirby was flattened after heading on to Ryan Lowe for his goal, which was superbly taken.

You couldn't fault the team for effort this season, but with the latest three recruits we are a better balanced team and this result has been overdue. Yesterday we needed a bit of luck and for once we got it.
 
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