Dover v Rovers

[Ian]

Hope he doesn't get the dreaded MOTM award!

 

[Cowshed Kid]

He should do a John Lennon and refuse it!

 

[Mal]

what I like about micky is the " forget last game, next game is the focus" approach. I also think he is motivating the players. No Norwood and we still scored 4. It IS early days but hey, there is certainly room for optimism.

 

[Ian]

I like his almost simple approach. Working at getting quality balls into the front men. He knows there is a lot of goals between them and we have some quality forwards. Like I say seems simple, its not rocket science but its proving to be very effective. I think he's a good motivator too. Not bad when you consider we are missing Norwood and the two Jennings.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

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.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Thanks,RLC. It must have made the journey home very pleasant. Matches like that are great to watch when you come back from a goal down to overcome the opposition. Although Rovers won comfortably in the end, at what point did you actually believe the game was in the bag?

 

[Cowshed Kid]

I've posted before that Cook could become a real cult player for us.
He's not proving me wrong.
A real old fashioned centre forward that we've been missing.
And, fair do's, a GB signing.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Although Rovers won comfortably in the end, at what point did you actually believe the game was in the bag?

First ten minutes of the second half. Not 'in the bag' exactly, but we really began to control the midfield and I thought at that stage we would go on and win.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I've posted before that Cook could become a real cult player for us.
He's not proving me wrong.
A real old fashioned centre forward that we've been missing.
And, fair do's, a GB signing.

My favourite player in our current squad, and we have got a few good ones. He is the best natural finisher at the club.

 

[Ian]

Thanks RLC. I think he's in double figures now so could go on and get quite a tally this season. For quite a big man he's also quite good on the floor, but as has been said can hold the lineup brilliantly. I hope we get to keep Tollitt for the season.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Just out of interest, we apparently had Tollitt on trial from Skelmersdale in the summer of 2015 but Brabin did not want him ! Portsmouth then stepped in to sign him.

In fairness to GB, his recruitment was generally pretty good and he has left a decent group of players for Mellon to work with.

 

[bigmart]

Just out of interest, we apparently had Tollitt on trial from Skelmersdale in the summer of 2015 but Brabin did not want him ! Portsmouth then stepped in to sign him.

In fairness to GB, his recruitment was generally pretty good and he has left a decent group of players for Mellon to work with.

just a pity he did not know how to use the group of players correctly, far too negative. Look what a positive manager can do.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

just a pity he did not know how to use the group of players correctly, far too negative. Look what a positive manager can do.

I don't disagree with any of that, just saying that the one thing he can do is spot a good player. Tactically Mellon is light years ahead of him.

 

[Boz]

I'm unsure Brabin's recruiting was that good, given nearly all those he brought to the club were well-established players. Tollit doesn't fit the profile of an obvious Brabin recruit. While the camera view of the goals wasn't great, Ben seemed to have an influential role in our comfortable win at the end.

Was a little surprised Duggan didn't make the bench yesterday, with the absentees.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I'm unsure Brabin's recruiting was that good, given nearly all those he brought to the club were well-established players.

Yes, I agree. Although it is still easy to waste a reasonable budget, for example, if you compare the contrasting fortunes of Wrexham and Lincoln this season.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

I think we've seen since we've been in the NL that it's not so much the available budget or even the quality of the squad that matters most. First and foremost it's the manager. John Still showed that last season by getting Cheltenham up on a relatively modest budget. Danny Cowley showed what he could do with peanuts at Braintree and has now made Lincoln into genuine contenders.

 

[Mal]

There is also the luck element. Tollit may not have played if S Jennings and Kirby had been fit

 

[drwhoman]

Good win. Just seen the highlights. Great stuff even if the sun made some of the coverage hard to see. My, did Tollit give the ball some tap for the fourth! Clearly any team that gives him any space is going to be chasing! I see he was saying after the game that while he is at Tranmere until January he hopes that he will get back into the Portsmouth team. Let us hope that Pompey are well served at the time and do not need him! A nice enough place but a long way to go!

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

There is also the luck element. Tollit may not have played if S Jennings and Kirby had been fit

Yes, of course. Luck plays an important part in any sport. However, in the National League, I think the best managed team will usually rise to the top. But who goes up with them through the play-offs has always been largely down to luck.

 

[drwhoman]

Agree BBTC. With the right tactician our squad is as good as any in the league. No sign of MM rushing out for new recruits. GB built a decent squad. As many have said in the past he struggled tactically. MM is a level above.