Gulls v Rovers

[Boz]

After last weekend's debacle, a difficult trip to the Devon riviera to take on Torquay. The hosts looked nailed on for relegation a few months back, but are in decent form and out of the drop zone. Former Rovers loanee Nathan Blissett didn't impress in the reverse fixture, but has been getting his name onto the scoresheet recently.

Minimal information about the injury list at PP on the o/s. Mekki hasn't featured at all in the last couple of games and it would be good if he was available for selection, likewise Hughes, who'd taken a knock in the Welling game. It will be interesting to see if GTF features after his spat with Brabin on being substituted last weekend, given the manager's form for freezing out players. I'd hope that we pick our strongest side, which currently would include GTF.

Prediction: A few SWA might make a weekend of it and there should be a reasonable travelling support, my guess 300-400. Fear this may be a game which ends up in a stalemate, marginally better for the Gulls, but not much use for either side.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I agree with Boz that Hughes, GTF and Mekki should all feature if available, at Harris's expense if necessary. I think we will take about 300 fans, slightly lower than for games in the South East as we don't have many exiles in the West Country. It will be a first visit to Plainmoor for me: away fans were banned when we played there in the late eighties and I missed our last visit in 2004-5.

Torquay are one of the form teams in the division, but we simply have to win. I think the game will be quite open and I can't see us keeping a clean sheet, with Blissett a likely scorer for The Gulls.

I still believe that if we win the next two games we have a great chance of making the play-offs. It is do or die for Rovers now.

 

[Ian]

I think this will be difficult and if we roll up thinking we've already won, that would be a big mistake. The lads need to go out, heads up and put in a really good performance. Like you say RLC, it's do or die now.

 

[Sparky]

Yes after that awful performance last week the lads have to come up with the goods on Saturday.

Hopefully braintrees defeat in midweek will have reignited some of our players optimism of us making the play offs, as I reckon some of them had given up after the welling farce.

Haven't looked at other fixtures but it is likely one of Wrexham, Eastleigh or Braintree will pick up 3 points so we need to do the same.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Haven't looked at other fixtures but it is likely one of Wrexham, Eastleigh or Braintree will pick up 3 points so we need to do the same.

Interestingly, all three have really tough games: Eastleigh away to Grimsby, Braintree at home to FGR and Wrexham at home to Dover. We really need Wrexham and Eastleigh to lose, as after Saturday their run-ins are a lot easier than Rovers'.

 

[Ian]

Some great games there, id say the toughest for Eastleigh. Will be interesting if Braintree lose again.

 

[Cowshed Kid]

As disappointing as this season has thus far been, isn't it nice to still be in the mix with four games to go.
Braintree are spent in my view.
If I'm right, it's ours to lose. But to be honest I see a draw tomorrow.
If Wrexham win it will make next weekend very uncomfortable.
Sick of hosting other teams promotion/playoff parties in last few seasons.
Sharing one with Grimsby (and we have a bit of history with them!) would be very welcome.
Great that Jay has signed again. It suggests that discussions with players are ongoing behind the scenes.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Sick of hosting other teams promotion/playoff parties in last few seasons.
Sharing one with Grimsby (and we have a bit of history with them!) would be very welcome.

Agreed.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Very strange starting line up. No gtf or kirby and higdon and Maynard back in . hmmm..

 

[Sparky]

I had a sneaky feeling higdon might play as we need to win and perhaps GB wants to be as positive as possible. Although Norwood may be shunted out wide which wouldn't make sense given his goal threat.

Higdon of course relies on crosses in the box... Who will supply them?

 

[Sparky]

A vital win for rovers - a great result!

Credit to GB for starting Higdon who has shown again if you give him service he'll score goals. I was worried who would provide the service today for him and credit to Vaughan for coming up with the goods.

With none of our 5th place play off rivals winning it's a massive win ahead of next week.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

It sounds harsh, but I can't give too much credit to GB today as it was a scratchy performance and the tactics were far from convincing. However, credit to the players for grinding it out. Higdon was not great but the goal was a peach of a header. A massive result and if we win next Saturday I think we will make the play offs.

 

[drwhoman]

Pleased with the win and the Eastleigh and Wrexham results did not go against us. Let us hope that Guiseley to do the business against the latter on Tuesday. With Higdon they just need to keep putting it on his head!

 

[Ian]

Fantastic day of results. Couldn't have gone much better really. Sounded like we had to scrap that result out but at this stage, who cares.

Three to go, can we do it?

 

[Boz]

Will await RLCs comments on return, but it doesn't sound like the most comfortable of wins and Maynard didn't seem to impress on recall.

According to the stats Guiseley had one shot (off target) all game today, so I wouldn't expect them to take anything off Wrexham, which means next Saturday's game will be pivotal in determining the final play-off place. Not decisive, as Eastleigh and Braintree remain in the mix.

 

[Ian]

We could do with Eastleigh losing a few now as I'm more worried with their 2 games in hand. I still think we need another 3 wins out of 3 to be sure.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

A huge victory for Rovers, but not a great performance. When I saw the starting line up I feared it would be a scrappy, disjointed display and so it proved in large parts.

We played our best football in the first twenty minutes. We started the game brightly and put together several nice passing moves which resulted in chances for Maynard and McNulty which we should have scored. However, Torquay gradually came into the game and for the next 45 minutes were the better side, more hungry and energetic and carrying a greater attacking threat. Our starting line up and formation was the problem. Playing a 4-5-1 with Higdon on his own up front and Norwood out wide we had no genuine width, little pace and not enough creativity in midfield. As a result, when Torquay got up to speed and denied us space in midfield we had no out ball. We spent the last thirty minutes of the first half faffing round in midfield to no avail or hoofing long balls in the direction of Higdon. The only way we were going to create anything was through the full backs, but they were pegged back for long periods as Torquay played with two wide men.

This pattern continued in the second half until the goal, a rare moment of quality. Vaughan set up Higdon with a superb cross, and although his overall performance was patchy and lazy, he produced a sublime, controlled header into the bottom corner which gave their keeper no chance. Shortly afterwards Brabin brought Mekki on, and we finished the game the stronger of the two sides, playing some decent football, while still surviving a couple of scares.

Although we won the game, I still found the tactics and performance underwhelming and the decision to drop GTF somewhat baffling. However, I suppose victories are all that counts at this stage, and as has been said above, in terms of results going our way the day could not have been much better for us. I just hope we don't play the same team against Wrexham next week.

Individually, I thought man of the match was probably Scott Davies. He did not have that much to do but made two brilliant saves, the first from Blissett just before we scored, the second in stoppage time. Of the outfield players, Lee Vaughan was probably the best, working tirelessly all game and setting up the goal, although both centre halves were also good again. Full marks also to the travelling SWA for another superb turnout of 300 at a venue that is a long, long way away.

 

[Tartantranmere64]

Thanks for the report and well done for going. It's all about the final score now, performances are almost irrelevant. Whichever team holds their nerve will get 5th. Brabin gets very little praise on this site, but I'm sure you'd agree that if he picks a player and that player scores the winner then he's made the right selection. Good to have Mekki back.

With Edinburgh City winning the Lowland League the weekend of 14th/15th May looks like this: Saturday, Scottish League play-off final, Sunday National League play-off final. Might need a pacemaker fitted!

 

[Ian]

Thanks RLC. It's almost pointless playing Norwood when he's pushed out wide and having a big target man upfront invites the long ball. With Higdon scoring he'll be a definite inclusion against Wrexham but like RLC says, let's hope it's not the same formation as Wrexham will punish us.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Brabin gets very little praise on this site, but I'm sure you'd agree that if he picks a player and that player scores the winner then he's made the right selection.

I understand what you are saying, but it is not so much the inclusion of higdon as the way we set up tactically that was the issue. If higdon plays next week hopefully it will be in a 442. As Ian says, if we start with yesterday's formation against Wrexham we will lose. I hope you are celebrating a double promotion in may. If brabin gets us in the play offs, by whatever means, he will have done what was asked of him and this is the first time in months I have really believed we will finish in the top five.