Rovers v Barrow

[Boz]

Can we follow up the good start at Bromley with a home win against the Cumbrians? Having pinched their star striker, Andy Cook, the visitors recruited Ross Hannah from Chester as a new strker. Quite a few new players signed up by Paul Cox, including a few unfamiliar names from north of the border. One of those, Liam Hughes got their winner at the weekend.

I'm assuming that the manager will stick with a winning side. Last season's game saw a narrow home defeat, where their goal from Andy Haworth was decent, but Rovers squandered opportunities to draw level. This will be a close contest, which hopefully Rovers can edge.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Barrow have a much stronger squad than last season, with some standout individuals like Hannah and Williams. They also have an experienced manager who has won promotion from this division in the past. However, I would still expect us to narrowly win this game, perhaps by the odd goal.

It will be interesting to see what Brabin does tactically. I would imagine it will be the same line up and formation as Saturday, in which case this game will be a good test of whether with Jennings and Harris give us enough creativity in midfield now that we have the additional firepower up front.

I think the gate will be between 5,000 and 5,500, including about 300 Barrow fans. Should be a decent atmosphere and a good game.

 

[Sparky]

I remember the home defeat to Barrow well. Their scorer Haworth looked impressive and Margetts had a nightmare. Both were on the bench for their clubs on Saturday.

Given Eastleigh is arguably a tougher game on Saturday, 3 points is important. The win at Bromley whilst welcome wasn't a shock. If rovers are to put to bed the demons that affected home form last season, it's important we start the season positively at PP.

I expect the same 11, unless GB prefers a more attacking fullback threat from the right so Vaughan may come in.

Prediction: a hard fought rovers win.

 

[Ian]

The difference this season will be our finishing. We'll get chances but can we finish them off? I think we'll have enough firepower to win by a few goals.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

We have three games ahead which produced just one point in the corresponding fixtures last season. This time, I'd suggest we need at least seven to be convincing promotion contenders. Tomorrow, we need to put away the home jitters of last season and play with the confidence we showed on Saturday. If so we might even win by a couple of goals.

 

[Mal]

History shows that roughly 7.5 points every 4 games for 46 games will get you to playoffs. Which is promotion contention. To be outright winners is generally 8 to 8.5.

On that basis, 5 points should be enough, technically. 10 points would put us way in excess of 100 points if kept up!

Besides, remember Tranmere's initial 12 game sprint? It is more of a marathon with consistency being key.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Mal, statistically you are right. However, two of these are home games and only one away. If we can only draw the home games and win at Boreham Wood, that would give us your five points but leave most fans worried. Even worse would be winning tonight and next Tuesday but losing on Saturday. That would give us six points but also give Eastleigh a head start. I would only be happy with winning tonight and next week and getting at least a draw with Eastleigh. That's why I am so keen for seven points.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I am with BBTC. We should be aiming for ten points from the first four games. To win automatic promotion we probably need 95-100 points which means a return of, say, seven points from the first four matches would not be a good return with a fully fit, confident squad and against opposition (Eastleigh aside) we would expect to beat.

 

[Mal]

I don't disagree with the aim at all. Just saying that we should not get despondent if it is less than 10. It will not be the end of a promotion push.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

A deserved victory for Rovers against a stubborn Barrow side. Barrow were well organised and made life very difficult for us, particularly in the second half, but we were clearly the better team and would have won more comfortably had we converted our chances.

In the first half I thought we played some excellent football, controlling the tempo, but without penetrating for the first half an hour. Barrow were happy to sit deep and with the narrow formation, the only width coming from Vaughan, we struggled to get behind their back four in the first thirty minutes. The loss of Jeff Hughes from midfield did not help in this regard. However, there was a lot of good link up play from the front three and we were clearly the far superior footballing side: Cook's goal was deserved when it came.

In the second period Barrow pushed men forward and certainly gave us a game, forcing a number of corners and free kicks. However, defensively we remained solid and I don't think Barrow had a genuine opportunity in the entire ninety minutes. At the other end, Rovers continued to create chances sporadically, Norwood finally forcing a penalty when rounding the keeper on a counter attack late on.

Individually, I thought everybody played well, as on Saturday. However, Connor Jennings, Harris, Hughes (as emergency left back) and Big Mac were outstanding. In general, there seems much more confidence, enthusiasm and understanding among the players this season and we look a genuine team. Barrow are one of the fancied sides, yet we have seen them off relatively comfortably without our keeper having to make a save.

The only negative was the injury to Ridehalgh, particularly unlucky for him as he was just coming into good form.

Roll on Saturday.

 

[Sparky]

A deserved victory and although early days, one perhaps we may not have won last season when we only really had Norwood scoring.

The opening half an hour or so saw rovers the better side, but with our opponents doing their best to time waste and make some rough tackles. The referee wasn't great either. After Cook had some chants about his girth from the away fans, nice for him to score a cracking header in front of them. As much as I like goals in open play, to have a threat from set pieces is important too.

2nd half was a bit scrappy at times and I wondered if Stephenson may have come on for a tiring Connor Jennings to give us an outlet. Credit to Norwood for winning and converting the spot kick.

Some very good performances. The front 3 looked dangerous and Jenno/Harris worked hard. Defence looked solid overall but mom for me was Maynard who had his best game in midfield for us I've seen in a long while, ironically because of the injury to ridehalgh.

I think Saturday will give our defence a sterner test but well done lads.

 

[Cowshed Kid]

Agree with Sparky on a couple of counts.
As we were leaving I commented to my son that last season we could easily have thrown that sort of game away.
Maynard was a rock in the middle and looked more composed than at any time last season.
The players did well to adjust to a change of personnel even before a ball was kicked.
Hughes looked comfortable fitting in at left back and stood up well when virtually every long ball from their keeper was aimed in his direction!
Cook's goal was classic centre forward stuff and for a big lad he's mobile enough. Think he's going to be a great asset.
Conor J's work rate is first class, with no shortage of skill, and perhaps as he was indeed tiring and had taken some rough stuff he may have made way for the last fifteen. Missed a bit of a sitter set up by Cook's footwork when his legs had probably gone.
If you can't beat them join them, so it was good to see Nors knew his number was going up and took a up a position as far away from the bench as possible. How often do away teams infuriate us with such tactics!
Crowd number was a little disappointing but I'm sure we'll crack 5k on Saturday.
So far so good.

 

[Ian]

We were never going to lose that game. Barrow tried to make it difficult but our quality shone through. Great to score from a set piece and Norwood with 3 goals in 2 games is in great form.

I think we've learnt a lot from these sides as there are a lot of sides like Barrow who make it difficult but aren't blessed with great skill. Today we saw them off and really we should have scored more.

I was really impressed with Cook and Jennings and they'll be big players for us this season.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Thanks for all the reports. I could only follow it on Tranmere Wall and I must admit I was worried until the penalty went in. As Cowshed Kid says, last season it would probably have been a different story. It also says a lot that despite the loss of Liam and the reshuffle, the team took it in their stride.

With only two games played, this league is getting interesting. Lincoln City are top, having scored 9 goals! FGR are struggling with only one point. The surprise package are Boreham Wood who have beaten FGR and won at Dover. Eastleigh are doing OK, so our next two games should be tough.

 

[Ian]

Still early days. Some teams just have poor starts but soon find their form.

 

[Boz]

Bizarre start with Ridehalgh injured in the warm-up and only 10 men on the pitch. Brabin could simply have moved Hughes to left back and brought Kirby/Mekki on, instead he re-shuffled moving Hughes back, pushing Maynard forward and bringing Vaughan on at full-back. For whatever reason, we seemed tentative at first, not helped by a Barrow side whose strategy was to break up play wherever possible and a young ref, who seemed out of his depth. Over the opening period, we gradually took control, but Norwood's fluffed chance being the only real effort, until Cook's excellent header on 40 minutes put us in front.

Rovers certainly had some good chances 2nd half, the best being a lay-off to Conor Jennings, who shot tamely at the keeper and a Hughes effort just over. However Barrow were seeing a lot more of the ball and there were frequent occasions when Norwood was very isolated up front, when the midfield failed to push up after we'd broken up a Barrow attack. A substitution could have helped here. However Norwood earned and converted a penalty as Rovers finished strongly.

Of the new boys, Cook took his goal well and put himself about a bit. Conor Jennings offered something different, but perhaps tired a little in the second half. MoM would be a toss-up between Hughes who was comfortable at left-back and Maynard,who looks a lot fitter and played a couple of great through balls.

Haven't heard the official crowd figure, but presume from Cowshed Kid's remark sub 5k.

I was expecting better from Barrow, who I thought would be play-off contenders, but that may be a reflection of how well Rovers played.

 

[drwhoman]

A good win but early days. I hope Lincoln start is a flash in the pan. They now have the former Braintree Manager of course. The official Facebook site says the gate was 4977 including around 300 from Barrow. Gateshead did ok as well.

 

[Brightonian]

Many thanks guys for the comprehensive match reports. I listened on the radio but it is so much better to hear the balanced reviews of informed regular supporters.

Delighted with the three points, another clean sheet and in particular all seemed contribute to the win, so very well done to the boys! Sounded like we well deserved to win. Great to see that our back line has so far carried on with last seasons final couple of months form.

Pleased to see see Cooky scored with a decisive header and sounds as though he was quite a handful for his old mates. Must say I like the look of him being powerful and mobile and can see him scoring many. He was unlucky not to score at Bromley with a bullet of a header which was only kept out by an exceptional save.

Hopefully the first of many wins at PP and the fans will keep patient, turning it into cauldron of noise and atmosphere as it used to be. Exciting times!

 

[iandavid59]

A decent performance against a very limited side whos only options were long balls into the box and set pieces I thought Mc Nulty and especially Ihiekwe handled it very well. Connor Jennings first half performance was excellent with his intelligent use of the ball but tired slightly in the second half.

Thought that Norwood looked to run into keeper and also looked just outside the box but referee had no hesitation pointing to the spot and there was little complaint from the Barrow players. Cook I thought lead the line well and scored a good header the more games he and Norwood play the better the understanding will get.

Man of the Match well over 90 mins it was Louis Maynard whos positional play was excellent and his distribution was pretty good as well also good performances from Connor Jennings and Jeff Hughes who did very well at left back.

Great start to the season and hopefully will carry on on Saturday against Eastleigh.

 

[Sparky]

Re the penalty. iandavid59 is spot on. I was right behind it in the Kop and remember Nors did the exact same thing last season at that end (can't recall who against).

Waits for the keeper to come and then just leans towards him waiting for contact. Good anticipation in my view!

Not complaining but these keepers should just stay on their line as he probably wouldn't have scored from where he was.

Roll on Saturday.