League Two Newport v Rovers

[Sparky]

Hawkes for Apter and Dennis for Luke Norris. Hopefully we can see this out

 

[ONIGP]

Unexpected but fine result.

 

[Sparky]

A deserved win against a poor Newport side. The youngsters at the back overall did well but Apter with his class was the difference

 

[Keith Hill (Bolton)]

Didn't get on!
I wouldn't mind but I would have smashed a third!

 

[Ian]

A deserved win against a poor Newport side. The youngsters at the back overall did well but Apter with his class was the difference

Yes that was the difference, a bit of quality to win the game. Let’s be honest, without him, we’d have probably lost.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I thought we were by far the better side and deserved the win. Some of the football was excellent and Apter ran riot against a poor defence.

However, I thought we actually defended really poorly at times. Newport were pretty awful but we handed them several chances, and every time the ball came into the box we looked vulnerable. James Norris did ok going forward, but the centre halves were poor and none of the players deputising really impressed.

Still, a deserved win and the established players showed good character in difficult circumstances.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

As an aside, with Luke Norris limping off injured again, surely his chances of a contract have gone now.

 

[Sparky]

As an aside, with Luke Norris limping off injured again, surely his chances of a contract have gone now.

Yes I thought this. Nigel has been giving him plenty of minutes despite not impressing since Wrexham but not sure we can afford the risk

 

[Boz]

As an aside, with Luke Norris limping off injured again, surely his chances of a contract have gone now.

What was the nature of the injury, did it look bad? I felt that with the amount of game time NA was giving him that the manager hadn’t finally made up his mind on Luke Norris.

An unexpected win given the absences, have we managed a win at Newport’s new ground before?

 

[Keith Hill (Bolton)]

There was some good play but the standard overall of both teams was pretty poor.

And I think that we will not see Norris again this season.
And of course we will sign an injured forward.
Don't we always? Ha!

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

What was the nature of the injury, did it look bad? I felt that with the amount of game time NA was giving him that the manager hadn’t finally made up his mind on Luke Norris.

An unexpected win given the absences, have we managed a win at Newport’s new ground before?

No, it was our first victory there. Prior to today, our most recent victory at Newport was actually the second to last league game played at the old Somerton Park in 1988.

It looked like Norris had a thigh strain.

 

[Sparky]

What was the nature of the injury, did it look bad? I felt that with the amount of game time NA was giving him that the manager hadn’t finally made up his mind on Luke Norris.

An unexpected win given the absences, have we managed a win at Newport’s new ground before?

I thought calf maybe as he was stretching it before he went off. Didn’t look too serious but not long of the season left of course. You would think Nigel must rate him as he’s been playing so often

 

[Ian]

Should have put this guy on considering his market value!

 

[drwhoman]

Good win thanks to Apter. I doubt if Luke Norris at 30, and with his recent injury history, is unlikely to be injury free for any period of time in the future. A big call to keep him.

 

[Ian]

 

[ADD]

Typical end of season game where but for Apter we would have at best drawn.Some decent play yes but at other times distinctly average. CB's not as bad as expected albeit against a Newport side who were awful. That said both hacked at balls and sent them miles away from the intended target on several occasions.
Apter of course excellent when they unfathomably decided not to double mark him. Best not to think about the fact that without him we would likely have gone down.
Finally for me at least (and I know I go on about him) but nice to see that finally Adkins played Taylor more through the middle and he looked so much better. Somethings didn't come off but he looked so much better in that role, set up Norris for a chance he should have buried and looked just so more purposeful to me at least than Saunders ever does. Maybe he will finally get starts under Adkins next season.

 

[Ian]

If we do not keep Apter or replace with similar quality, we will be talking about all the missed chances in games. Saunders for all his work rate will just continue to frustrate as he is not clinical. You see what that extra bit of quality can do, if there is a chance, the good players take it and win you games. Apter has been one of the only positives to come out of another mediocre season. I hope the club make sound choices before next season begins otherwise it will be another season of missed chances and frustration.

 

[Am on mobile]

Well i told you i would cook up a bloody good performance good on the team. Brilliant for Robbie Apter he has been brilliant. I just wish saunders would get some goals. It makes you wonder why the club don't get one of our old forwards in to give him some advice and coaching something that he quit clearly needs if he could unlock that he would be an amazing player. But it prob won't happen

 

[Boz]

Robbie Apter has undoubtedly been a key factor in our relatively comfortable L2 survival. A bit like Norwood he makes a fair number of his goals, though they are very different players. Dare I say that we should be thankful for Dawes’ Blackpool connections in getting him to the club? Although Nigel will have seen him during the loan spell at Scunthorpe.

Other important factors in our survival have been Connor Jennings’ mid-season form and goals and Luke McGee’s keeping. Imagine having Doohan or Hewelt as our last line of defence with a much less protected back four…

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Dare I say that we should be thankful for Dawes’ Blackpool connections in getting him to the club?

Probably not.