North Ferriby v Rovers

[Sparky]

Another must win game for Rovers who surely won't have a better opportunity to put saturdays disappointment behind them. NF sit second from bottom, have conceded 7 in 2 games against Bromley and Solihull, and are 6 points from safety with a shocking goal difference of minus 36.

If ever there was a chance to bounce back quickly then this is it. No famous names in their line up but hard to say who will feature in the Rovers 11, and what system MM will play.

Personally I would like Connor J given a run up top alongside Cook. The problem then is that if MM reverts to 5-3-2 who plays behind the front 2? Mekki simply isn't good enough imo. Or will MM stick with 4-2-3-1 that clearly didn't work on Saturday in terms of creativity? Sutton can feel hard done by but the problems lie in creating chances. Don't expect the lesser spotted Adam Dawson to get a chance, despite our desperate situation in terms of creativity and decent wide men.

Prediction: won't guess the line up but think we'll just about win this one. 2-0 to Rovers.

Other fixtures see tricky away games for Lincoln at borehamwood and daggers at aldershot. FGR have a winnable home game v Solihull and Gateshead you would expect will keep their run going at home to Guiseley. With two tough albeit winnable home games to come against Braintree and Dover, Rovers have to win this to raise spirits and stop the rot.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Yes, the next two matches give us a great opportunity to regain some momentum and we have to win both. We certainly don't want to end up eight points behind both Lincoln and FGR at close of play tomorrow night.

Personally, I would like to see us go 442 against poor opposition like Ferriby, even if it means playing Norwood out of position on the left. We would not be overloaded in midfield against a struggling side and we have to get some genuine width and supply to Cook. However, in reality MM might be tempted to go with the same formation as Saturday, on the assumption that we will get better at it with practice.

I think we will sneak victory, but the last four performances have been so average anything is possible really.

I predict about 300 SWA will travel, in a crowd of 6-700.

 

[Boz]

This game will be by no means easy. We struggled to beat them at PP only an injury time winner from Andy Cook securing the points. While NFU have been inconsistent, on their day the mix of non-league journeymen and promising youngsters from league clubs are capable of giving anyone a game.

While I missed the Macclesfield semi at the weekend, most of what I've heard and read suggests Mekki was one of our better players not that the bar was raised particularly high. He is a player capable of winning a few free-kicks in dangerous positions and while not a Tollit or Dunn is probably the best creative option we've got atm, especially with Dawson not on MMs radar.

I agree with RLC that a 442 is probably the best option in a game like this and could also be achieved by using Buxton/Sutton at full-back and pushing one of Vaughan/Ridehalgh into the wide midfield slot. I wonder if this might be a game to 'rest' Norwood after his harsh sending off in the home game as he strikes me as the kind of player who might bear a grudge. We've got the ref who sent Hughes off and let Brodie get away with murder at York so little hope of any protection from the officials. I like Sparky's idea of playing Connor Jennings alongside Cook who sounded too isolated in the last game but doubt Micky will do that.

Prediction: Agree re with RLC re travelling support. Not really sure about the result gut instinct is for a narrow win but if we play like recent games, points will be dropped.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

I too think we should win this about 2-0. If Cook and Norwood need service and we have no genuine wingers, it might be best to go back to 5-3-2, which allows the full backs to get forward. With three centre-backs, Hughes and Harris can come forward to support the strikers and CJ at no.10.

 

[Ian]

We simply need to get service to Norwood and Cook. If we don't pick up three points we have no hope. We have to win.

I hope MM goes with 442 as suggested by RLC above.

Feeling quite anxious about this one.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Looks like we have gone back to 532, with no place for mekki. Ferriby is a nice little village, very friendly locals.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Looks like we have gone back to 532, with no place for mekki. Ferriby is a nice little village, very friendly locals.

I'll tell the wife. She was born there!

 

[Sparky]

So the 4-2-3-1 that MM experimented with for a semi final has been ditched. They went to that because the 5-3-2 wasn't working in terms of creativity. let's hope it does.

Dunn on the bench. Hope he's not been rushed back.

Come on rovers!

 

[Boz]

A very attacking bench. Sounds like a bright start for Rovers.

 

[Boz]

Oops spoke too soon.

 

[Sparky]

Well we're gonna have to get creative now!

 

[Sparky]

Get in Jay Harris!

Time to take control

 

[Ian]

Harris lad... come on!

 

[Boz]

Sounds like Ferriby could have had a penalty, then Rovers get and Hughes misses only for Harris to net the rebound. It doesn't feel that comfortable and do we need a new penalty taker?!

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Playing well, completely dominated and deservedly ahead. Ferriby are poor, scored from their only effort on goal. The McNulty incident was a foul, but looked outside the box to me.

 

[Boz]

Sounds like Ferriby could have had another penalty.

 

[Boz]

Cook makes it 1-3, home side thought handball.

 

[drwhoman]

Good win. Hat trick to Harris. Lincoln lost and Dagenham look like losing. FGR won in injury time again! Gateshead only drew and Barrow lost (hurray!). Onward!

 

[drwhoman]

Sorry Barrow drew - spoke too soon but Dagenham did lose!

 

[Boz]

Unexpected hat-trick hero Jay Harris for what sounded like a comfortable win ... in the end.

Other results were interesting. if not for late goals for FGR and Barrow, would have been even better.