League Two Rovers (1) v Crawley (3)

[bigmart]

3-1 game over. Nigel has got it badly wrong today

Agree the use of subs were wrong today, a poor performance and we got what we deserved today. We were well below par all over the pitch and its a disappointing way for the season to end.

 

[Boz]

I don’t think any of the substitutions improved things but Nigel also got it wrong by failing to have a single defender on the bench as I highlighted pre-kick off.
I only had a side-on view of the handball penalty that wasn’t given, would be interested if anyone with a better view thought it ought to have been a penalty or correct call?

 

[Ian]

The game was lost in nine awful minutes which we never recovered from. What a shame.

 

[Sparky]

We were denied a blatant penalty for the handball Boz and the trip of Jennings was a penalty too but we can’t blame the defeat on the ref today.

Nigel said pre match that Crawley play out from the back so we’d need to press them. We did it at times but too often Jennings was playing deep and Norris had to do it all himself.
The two early goals conceded were soft but I still felt we could get something from the game. A good finish from Norris after a cross from Apter gave us hope for the second half and whilst we huffed and puffed their keeper had little to do.

I couldn’t believe we didn’t bring on either Saunders or Hawkes late on for their pace when their defence was tiring. It was too easily for them to play out and Jennings was wasted and knackered on the left. Someone should tell Nigel that as brilliant as Connor is, he is allowed to be replaced from time to time!
Their third goal was poor defending again with the scorer having lots of time to pick his spot.

I just didn’t see how late on with them tiring why we had two veterans in Dennis and Jennings on plus Norris who was tiring and isn’t quick, when we needed to put them under pressure and had options on the bench. Even Morris who did ok today doesn’t have any pace.

Crawley are a decent side but i felt today was a wasted opportunity. Defensively they were there for the taking but Nigel got personnel all wrong in the final third.
One step forward and one step back. Sums our season up. Walker again showing he can’t play full games regularly

 

[dollar'sbloke]

Think the bench was a bit experimental and the subs used. Merrie looks tidy at left back, in midfield he doesn't get involved enough. Mcalear looks a decent walker replacement. Norris put some miles in today not sure why you Jennings out wide where his passing fell to pieces. Saunders didn't come on because Nigel has made his mind up? Those missing today maybe toast and others coming on still on probation?

 

[bigmart]

Merrie and McAlear are not good enough and should not be at the club next season. Norris looked tired towards the end of the game and should have been taken off.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

One of those afternoons.

We actually created better opportunities in open play than Crawley and played decent football for long periods of the game. However, after gifting them two goals from set plays so early in the match, we gave ourselves an almost impossible task against a team in such strong form. Our finishing was not as clinical as it has been in recent weeks either.

I think the substitutions were all enforced by injury and actually made sense. Walker clearly was not able to play a full ninety minutes, and I thought McAlear actually did pretty well when he came on. Wood was injured and Merrie has deputised at left back many times before. I don't think Saunders was fit enough to be involved. Either way, I think it was the mad first ten minutes that cost us the game rather than the performances of the substitutes.

More generally, I am still not convinced by Yarney but thought Turnbull was man of the match, despite the concession of the three goals.

The play offs were never a realistic proposition, and if I had to choose between winning this game and the victory at Wrexham last week, I would have opted for the latter every time.

 

[ADD]

It's easy to say "aside from their 3 goals" but they were all absolutely shocking defending and the first two in particular came from nothing, we played some decent football at times whilst they didn't exactly batter our goal with efforts either. Plus the penalty was a stonewall penalty which could have changed the complexion of the game completely of course. That said Nigel's tactics and in particular his lack of bench utilisation I found very strange.
Playoffs weren't going to happen anyhow of course in all reality as we were never going to win all our remaining games. Now hopefully Nigel will experiment with those players likle Belehouan, Starbuck etc. Please also Nigel play Taylor through the middle and offer him a chance rather than stick him out wide which simply doesn't suit his game.
Incidentally anyone any idea as to what Davies injury is? Must be more serious than we have been led to believe?

 

[Keith Hill (Bolton)]

I'm chuffin freezing, just thawing out, with my arse against the fire.
Our defence did not acclimate to the conditions, midfield weakened by tired players and didn't want to play in that wind!
One of two others didn't either.
We lost that game before we Got into the game.
We beat wrecsam, these should be easy!

Nigel should learn from that game an awful lot.
Tactics and performance not up to latest standards.

I did say in my prediction, we are rovers.
This effort and the last two are miles apart.
The difference was the conditions.

 

[Sparky]

Agree with RLC that McAlear actually did ok when he came on and I can sometimes see why Nigel wants to keep him. Also that I too would have taken a Wrexham win but it’s just frustrating that you think we’re a half decent team and then it’s a step backwards. I just felt today was a missed opportunity but that’s football I guess.

 

[Sparky]

I know Nigel tries to mention how great Jennings is in every interview but to say post match “Connor Jennings was fantastic again” is a bit of a joke surely

 

[Goody Two Shoes]

I know Nigel tries to mention how great Jennings is in every interview but to say post match “Connor Jennings was fantastic again” is a bit of a joke surely

Agree. As much as I love Connor, thought that was one of his poorer games today. He has had a great season on the whole though.

 

[frenchrover]

Defensively we were shambolic today, the 3 goals conceded were schoolboy errors (what on earth was McGee thinking for their second, seen better juggling at the circus). Despite scoring, Norris just doesn't do it for me, his ball control and passing is average at best and I really hope we aren't left to rely on him next season. Only real performance of any significance today was young Apter, what a loss he will be next season. As for the substitutes, less said the better, Nige got it totally wrong....Saunders, Hawkes and Taylor left on the bench when the game was still winnable only to see "waste of a shirt" Dennis brought on ahead of you must be soul destroying.

 

[Am on mobile]

I know Nigel tries to mention how great Jennings is in every interview but to say post match “Connor Jennings was fantastic again” is a bit of a joke surely

Today was poor poor poo. It just shows that most of the first team are not up to it . If they were in my kitchen they would be gone

 

[Boz]

It seems that between us, no Rovers player comes away exempt from criticism for this debacle. I felt Apter made some wrong calls too. Nigel does not escape either, if he had little or no intention of using Saunders Hawkes or Taylor, then he could have replaced one of them with a defender like Pike or Norris, having a genuine defender to replace Wood.
While I understand the rather lose to Crawley than Wrexham mindset, last weekend's excellent win should not be seen as a get out of jail card for some of the substandard fare offered today.

 

[Sparky]

It seems that between us, no Rovers player comes away exempt from criticism for this debacle. I felt Apter made some wrong calls too. Nigel does not escape either, if he had little or no intention of using Saunders Hawkes or Taylor, then he could have replaced one of them with a defender like Pike or Norris, having a genuine defender to replace Wood.
While I understand the rather lose to Crawley than Wrexham mindset, last weekend's excellent win should not be seen as a get out of jail card for some of the substandard fare offered today.

Agree about Apter. A bit wasteful today and sometimes tries to do too much. To be expected from a youngster still learning the game although he set up our goal with a good cross.

He’ll be one hell of a loss for next season….

 

[Ian]

It seems that between us, no Rovers player comes away exempt from criticism for this debacle.

I'm not sure debacle is fair. Admittedly it was a debacle for the first 10 minutes but we did get into the game and got behind them on numerous occasions. Norris had a great chance for 2-2 which the keeper saved and McAlear fumbled when through on goal late on. I'm not by any means saying they were great but I've a lot worse over the years. Just need to shrug it off and go again on Fri.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

We obviously shot ourselves in the foot today, but their manager's pre-match comments may have got in the head of the inexperienced ref. It looked a nailed on penalty for handball midway through the second half.

I think their second goal was also wind assisted and probably would not have been conceded in normal conditions.

Apter's decision making was really poor, aside from his assist. However, some of the comments doing the rounds on social media are fickle beyond belief. I still dread to think how many points we would have won without him this season. He is a kid learning the game and you have to take the rough with the smooth.

 

[Ian]

Apter's decision making was really poor, aside from his assist. However, some of the comments doing the rounds on social media are fickle beyond belief. I still dread to think how many points we would have won without him this season. He is a kid learning the game and you have to take the rough with the smooth.

Yes, and you can guarantee if he was putting in blinders every week he would be nowhere near division two. I think supporters sometimes forget what division we are in. He has been a breath of fresh air for us and a huge factor in our turnaround.

 

[mellow submarine]

I agree , after a woeful start we played some good football at times in very tricky conditions. I wonder if the wind had an affect on the flight of the ball for the first 2 goals. We weren't fantastic but if we had got the pen , or Norris had of slotted , ....... The Dennis sub didn't seem to help but Mcaleer did ok , won the ball back on a few occasions.