Rovers 2-0 Coventry

[merseyside bossman]

rovers 2-0 cov

great game to watch.
before we start i must say im writting this via a phone so it may be a little mis-spelt.:roll:

cov had all the ball in the first 20 mins, but if and when we got it we had better strikes on goal.
the more the game went on the more the rovers players grew with belief

cov often aimed there attack at zooooooms position,poss to keep him back.
they where also a very dirty team and very lucky to keep 11 men on the pitch.

ash taylor was my MOM.

 

[Ian]

Still unbeaten and back to the top we go!!

Thought we had some sloppy spells today, but still managed to finish the visitors off with two well taken goals.

SWA!!

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I thought it was a great result against a very good side that is much better than its current position suggests. Coventry were the best team in possession of the ball we have played this season, but our greater cutting edge in the final third was the difference in the end: both of our goals were the product of some great passing, movement and finishing.

In the first twenty minutes I thought they basically outplayed us, without creating any clear chances. We struggled with their extra man in the middle, and were incredibly sloppy in repeatedly giving the ball away, with both centre halves in particular looking uncomfortable when they pressed us high up the pitch.

As the half progressed we gradually worked our way into the game, and created a number of half chances. For all their possession, I thought we looked more dangerous, particularly when Robinson got on the ball around their 18 yard box.

In the second half the game ebbed and flowed, with Baker's header against the bar probably the turning point. We kept probing, and it was another great bit of attacking play from Bakayogo to set up the first goal, with both strength and finesse shown by Cassidy for the finish.

Individually, I thought the centre halves were found wanting in possession at times in the first half, but were solid defensively again, other than the near cock up involving Fon Williams. Wallace was awful in the first half and could not get in the game at all, but improved after the break. Bell Baggie had another up and down game, but it was good to see Thompson set up the second goal with a superb cross. Robinson was again probably our best player.

Good to see a 6,000 plus crowd at Prenton Park, and it is great that we have met Coventry in their transition period and managed to see them off, as I would still think they will be pushing for automatic promotion in May.

 

[amplesou]

tuff openents to day probally the best we have played?

but in the end overcome them we did..

still plenty more to come from this rovers side imo

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Great stuff! Can anyone remember the last time we had such a good start - four wins, two draws and top of the league? I can't - and I go back a long way!

 

[drwhoman]

COVENTRY WIN

Great result. 13-2 in 6 games - very impressive. As for the top of the league BBTC I think it was with John Manning and Barry Dyson up front with Charlie Mac out wide on the left and Mandy Hill on the right! About 1965!

 

[Boz]

An interesting game and one the visitors could feel a bit hard done by. They dominated possession for the first 25 minutes of the game, before Rovers forced their way back into things for the rest of the half. The 2nd half, Coventry seemed to get closer and closer to scoring, Baker's header against the woodwork, a great save from OFW and failing to capitalise on an underhit backpass from Zoum, I believe. The left-back redeemed himself with a good run and a cool finish from Cassidy, to put us ahead. Great work from Thompson to set up Robinson for the 2nd and a flattering 2-0 win.

I agree that our central defenders, Ash especially, weren't at their best, but he battled his way back into form as the game went on. Wallace played much more like last season today; an end to failed attempts at the killer ball, to be replaced with simpler things and some good tackles and interceptions. Palmer was involved in the build-up to the opening goal, but generally more subdued than recently. Up front, Cassidy worked incredibly hard, but JLAA was peripheral.
MoM Agreed with the sponsors choice of Robinson, the goal was the icing on the cake, but a performance in line with his award.

3 points when you've not played that well. Isn't that usually a sign of a side going places?

 

[Ian]

3 points when you've not played that well. Isn't that usually a sign of a side going places?

Yes.

The fact that we were able to restrict them to only a few half chances given their possession and then finish them off with two very well taken goals, it's a very good sign.

 

[DIW]

Agree with most of this. Coventry were a decent side, they won't be in the relegation zone by May on that evidence. I thought McGoldrick up front gave Ash his biggest challenge on the season and on another day might have bagged a couple. There seemed to be a number of unforced errors from the back four which we need to cut out.
But we kept plugging away and just as it looked like it would go to another nil nil, a nice move down the left and a great finish from Cassidy, who often seems peripheral (despite impressive workrate) but certainly has an eye for a finish. Bell-Baggie was pretty anonymous for lost of the game, particularly in the first half, Thompson only had a few minutes but did put in a great ball for the second goal.

Nice to be top, but we have to keep our heads here, it's still only 6 games and we haven't played anyone that good yet. But confidence is high and we have a great chance on Tuesday to put another win on the board. Onwards and, well I'd say upwards but we are top.

 

[bigmart]

I thought we were failry poor today are passing wasnt very good, it was a good job they were equally as poor.

But we kept another clean sheet and managed to pick up another 3 points with a couple of decent goals and continue our good start to the season.

 

[Mal]

Let us remember that the team is punching way above its financial weight. Of course it will not play perfectly every game. Some people saying we havent played anyone good yet. Good grief. We regularly lost at home against bottom teams last season. I am a realist and expect to see some back to back defeats this season. However, it is looking more promising as regards a top half finish as it stands, much as i would love automatic promotion. So i wont be criticising a few poor performances. It happens and will happen. 21 wins for a playoff place ;0) 17 to go

 

[DIW]

Of course it will not play perfectly every game. Some people saying we havent played anyone good yet.

That was me, and we haven't. Out of the six sides we have played so far, the highest placed is 13th with 8 points. Look I'm well pleased that we have started so well and it is promising, but I was just trying to maintain some realism here, because the last thing we need is blind over optimism.

Good grief. We regularly lost at home against bottom teams last season.

That is factually totally innacurate. In the league we only lost three games at home last season, against MK Dons, Sheff Wed (2 teams financially well above us) and Carlisle which was a poor result. At home we were always hard to beat. Away, however we did admittedly lose to all the really poor sides.

I am a realist

Not on that evidence. You're making things up!

and expect to see some back to back defeats this season. However, it is looking more promising as regards a top half finish as it stands, much as i would love automatic promotion.

I completely agree.

 

[amplesou]

could go four points clear on tuesday ...

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

In fairness, I don't think we can say that we haven't played anyone decent yet, as part of the reason why the teams we have beaten are struggling is precisely because we knocked their confidence by beating them (sometimes comprehensively).

I would still expect teams like Carlisle, Colchester and certainly Coventry to finish in healthy positions. They are decent sides with good players at this level.

By the same token of course, and without contradicting myself 8-[ it is far too early to assume we are going to win the league ! I think we can say with certainty that this side has a good deal more potential than any since RM was last here.

 

[amplesou]

the trick is to make who we play not look decent ...which so far we have done pretty well...

RLC

key to RM,S success is he does,nt have IG dictating play with hoof ball as we saw in the opening 20 minutes on saturday by ash taylor ....effect of playing over 100 games along side the great man..!

RM takes the rap for others in the past ..

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Great result. 13-2 in 6 games - very impressive. As for the top of the league BBTC I think it was with John Manning and Barry Dyson up front with Charlie Mac out wide on the left and Mandy Hill on the right! About 1965!

You're making me drool again! And you are spot on. In 1965/66, we won four and drew two of our first six matches (but lost the next two). This turned out to be Dyson and Manning's last season with Rovers. Charlie Mac had already left at the end of the previous season, 1964/65, when Rovers scored 99 goals and won their first 18 league matches at home. At the start of that year, we won four and drew one, then lost the sixth match. In both seasons we missed promotion by a point, before finally going up the next year.

 

[Ian]

Bit of a a random one, but does anyone know if the equaliser draw was claimed at HT? Tannoy system still not working in JKS so didn't hear the number. I was getting a coffee at the time. I thought it used to be on the website, but probably being silly now.

 

[Sparky]

Ian I'm fairly sure it was claimed.

Something in my mind tells me that once p.a Richie had finished with Rock the Crossbar, he then said "oh we have a winner" for the draw, and went and did it.

I could be wrong though so best check - you could be sitting on a fortune !

 

[Ian]

I could be wrong though so best check - you could be sitting on a fortune !

Thanks Sparky, it's the not knowing that's killing me lol

 

[Mal]

DIW I didn't refer to you specifically. I didn't insult you. So please refrain from doing that to me. End of