League Two Rovers (2) v Grimsby (2)

[Ian]

Great start then a poor goal conceded and the confidence has gone a bit. Been poor since whilst Grimsby have grown in confidence. Not sure Dennis and Saunders works .

Their second looked offside in the build up.

 

[Sparky]

I wasn’t convinced with wood on Tuesday and he’s been poor today as has the whole defence. You wonder if we’re missing Walker too.
Dennis looks lost and so unsuited to that central lone role

 

[Ian]

Also the problem with playing Saunders is the team have a tendency to lob balls forward that he has no chance of getting on the end of. He's fast but not that fast. Waste of time. Play it on the floor.

 

[Boz]

Defensively we’ve looked poor and perhaps the lack of a more defensive midfielder is leading to more balls getting through for them to deal with than when Walker plays. At the other end of the pitch, Morris goal aside, we’ve barely had a goal attempt worthy of the name.

 

[Higgy 2]

I wasn’t convinced with wood on Tuesday and he’s been poor today as has the whole defence. You wonder if we’re missing Walker too.
Dennis looks lost and so unsuited to that central lone role

Maybe Jolley was knackered, but not a job for Dennis.
I'm at Accrington v FGR Not sure where we'll finish, but should be above these two easily.

 

[Sparky]

Fair play to wood a great cross and Jennings heads in! Game on!!

 

[Boz]

Was going to say surprised no changes yet, then Connor Jennings levels with a great header

 

[bigmart]

Jolley and apter for Morris and Saunders

 

[Sparky]

Playing a diamond now with Jolley and Dennis the front two.
Still a bit fragile at the back though

 

[Boz]

We’re still lacking a grip on midfield and giving too much away. Yarney last ditch challenge but seems to have injured himself in the process.

 

[bigmart]

First draw of the season, 4 points from 2 home games was minium requirement but after winning on Tuesday this was fairly disappointing as we looked poor defensively and too easy to play against

 

[Sparky]

As Mart says we were lucky to get a point and only a great save from McGee and some blocks from Davies stopped them getting a third

 

[Sparky]

Well if you’d offered us 4 points from 6 after Hawkes missed the penalty on Tuesday we would have taken it. However we weren’t great today and deserved no more than a point.

We started ok and a clever pass from Saunders saw Morris finish well. However at that point it all went a bit flat and Rose scored from a tight angle to level it. The visitors were in the ascendency and poor defending again saw them take the lead.
Second half with the crowd behind us we were better and Wood sent in a great cross that Connor powered home.

momentum with us you would think but we changed system and shape to a diamond and lost our way. Apter was ineffective and we kept giving the ball away. Grimsby will feel unlucky not to have snatched a late winner with Davies and McGee keeping them out.

Hawkes very poor today and Saunders apart setting up the goal was ineffective. Dennis worked hard and made so many runs in behind but was never found. He had one header just wide but hardly had any service. Wood looked poor first half and Yarney too had a wobble but both were better second half.

Not a disaster by any means but you can see why our away record is poor as when under pressure we’re not great at the back. No real competition though as Turnbull still suspended.

Could be a long season

 

[Ian]

Could be a long season

I think it will be a long season Sparky. The next challenge is to improve the away form!

 

[Boz]

A hard earned point which could easily have been nothing. Will watch the goaks we conceded when I get back, both were poor to concede but various suggestions as to who was at fault.

I did think Adkins should have made more changes than just the couple. Even the formation adjustment failed to relieve the pressure we were under.

More when I get home.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I thought it was a decent performance overall and a draw was a fair result.

We again showed good character at the start of the second half to work our way back into the game, and it was a great equaliser from Jennings. However, the defensive issues reared their head again. I did not think a lack of protection from midfield was the problem in the first half as, unlike the Bradford game, Grimsby created few if any chances other than the goals. However, there were lapses of concentration and individual errors for both goals. I would have to see them again, but I thought McGee was too quick to come off his line for the first, which made Rose's decision easier, and Wood was beaten too easily for the second.

Following the equaliser, we were well in the ascendancy and looked set to go on and win the game. However, I think Adkins got the substitiutions and tactical changes wrong. Apter was completely ineffective and we lost control of midfield in the last twenty minutes, and it took some defensive heroics from Davies to secure the point.

I think the organisation is better under Adkins and there is far more resilience and spirit than a few weeks ago, but the defensive frailties resurface in every game.

We now have a run of difficult away games and, as has been commented above, I think we are in this for the long haul.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I did think Adkins should have made more changes than just the couple. Even the formation adjustment failed to relieve the pressure we were under.

I did not think he needed to make any changes, other than a like-for-like substitution, after Jennings equalised. We were doing fine and had momentum, but lost it again with the change of shape.

 

[Sparky]

I did not think he needed to make any changes, other than a like-for-like substitution, after Jennings equalised. We were doing fine and had momentum, but lost it again with the change of shape.

Yes I agree and was surprised Morris went off to be honest. The crowd were up at 2-2 but it all went flat after the subs.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Food for thought. In three of the eight games we have lost and in today’s draw we scored the first goal. If we had held on to that lead (as we usually did under Micky in the last two seasons), we’d have more than doubled our points total from 10 to 21. And rather than sitting just above the drop zone, we’d be in the playoff zone and just three points off the top of the table. If …… !

 

[Goody Two Shoes]

I thought it was a decent performance overall and a draw was a fair result.

We again showed good character at the start of the second half to work our way back into the game, and it was a great equaliser from Jennings. However, the defensive issues reared their head again. I did not think a lack of protection from midfield was the problem in the first half as, unlike the Bradford game, Grimsby created few if any chances other than the goals. However, there were lapses of concentration and individual errors for both goals. I would have to see them again, but I thought McGee was too quick to come off his line for the first, which made Rose's decision easier, and Wood was beaten too easily for the second.

Following the equaliser, we were well in the ascendancy and looked set to go on and win the game. However, I think Adkins got the substitiutions and tactical changes wrong. Apter was completely ineffective and we lost control of midfield in the last twenty minutes, and it took some defensive heroics from Davies to secure the point.

I think the organisation is better under Adkins and there is far more resilience and spirit than a few weeks ago, but the defensive frailties resurface in every game.

We now have a run of difficult away games and, as has been commented above, I think we are in this for the long haul.

Agree with the vast majority of that, but I’d add that I thought Davies played his part and was sloppy for the equaliser. McGee also made up for any perceived error with a couple of outstanding saves; one from very close range and one at full stretch with his fingertips. Surely we’ve got to be content with a 7 point return from our last three home games.