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Rovers v Forest Green - Play Off 1

Rovers v Forest Green - Play Off 1
Posted by Ian
Prenton Park
Friday, May 10, 2019 - 07:45 PM
Until: Friday, May 10, 2019 - 09:30 PM
(Adjusted for timezone: Europe/London)
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Boz

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30 Sep 2005
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Iain Hume
Generally a similar line-up to expected and good news that Caprice returns. Shame that Mullin unavailable given he did start to make things a bit more testing for the visitors when he came on in the last game v FGR.
 

Boz

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Iain Hume
Didn’t get a good view of the red card incident, but media seem to think totally right decision. Goal-line technology registered Banks’s goal and we’ve had a couple of decent chances not taken. Need to take full advantage of the extra man, Forest Green well capable of coming back to bite us.
 
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1 Oct 2005
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Alan King, Barry Dyson
Well, many may be disappointed that we didn't get more, but I am quite happy to take a lead to Nailsworth. Having watched on TV, I have to admit that with a different ref and no goal-line technology we may even have lost tonight. Like Boreham Wood at Wembley, I think against ten men we rather panicked, felt under more pressure to score and hit desperate shots from distance against a packed defence. Micky must congratulate the lads on our first ever home win against FGR and taking a lead into the second leg. And they must be more knackered than we will be on Monday.
 

Boz

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Iain Hume
At the start, I’d have settled for a 1-0, but felt could have done better playing against ten men for 75+ minutes. Crowd didn’t reach 5 figures either.
 
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Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
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I said I would be happy with a 1-0 victory before the game, but I am slightly deflated after that. The first half performance was excellent, energetic and intense, and we had the chances to score two or three, and if Norwood was fully fit we would have.

However, I thought we got it wrong tactically in the second half and huffed and puffed a bit. I thought we should have switched to a 442 and played with greater width, whereas both wide men were cutting inside into bodies and the width came from the full backs. I thought Norwood would have benefitted from some assistance up front, and it is a major worry that he is clearly injured: he could hardly move in the closing stages and had to go over to the physio on a couple of occasions. To give the players credit, we totally dominated possession after the red card, and I have rarely seen ten men pose as little threat as FGR did tonight. However, the final ball was disappointing at times.

I agreed with the sponsor's choice of Manny as man of the match. Elsewhere, I thought Banks had an excellent first half, Nelson was solid, as was Harris, and Gilmour had a very good cameo and looked classy. The atmosphere in the first half was incredible, as good as it has been at Prenton Park for years.

We were beaten comprehensively at the New Lawn in the league game in October with a patched up team, but the current line up is hopefully made of sterner stuff.
 

Sparky

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Chris Greenacre
Feel a bit deflated after that and a missed opportunity. We had so much of the ball in the final third but didn’t get enough men in the box or the delivery in was poor.

Oh how we would have done with a target man tonight to feed off some of the crosses. Always hard against 10 men but Individually I didn’t think Jennings or Morris created much.

A decent result but FGR seemed the happier of the 2 camps
 
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Having watched on TV, I have to admit that with a different ref and no goal-line technology we may even have lost tonight.
Well, we certainly did not deserve to lose. I believe Ryan Lowe was one of the TV pundits, and if they were his comments it would not surprise me.
 
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Norwood
I think FGR will be happy with the 1-0 to take back, as they were organised and frustrated us.
Though there were some very good performances (Manny, Harris, and first half Caprice), I was puzzled that Jennings didn't really look up for it.
As for Norwood, whilst he always gives his best, he was so clearly not right that he should have been subbed. Can anyone tell me why he was played in the last meaningless game when he is injured?
And what is going on with Mullins not even being on the bench, it was crying out for a second striker?
 

Ian

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Aldo
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It's a tough one as we just don't know how the second leg will play out but it definitely felt like a missed opportunity. Harris and Monthe were my standout players tonight. Monthe not letting anything past him and Harris for biting at the heels of FGR and generally breaking up play in midfield. RLC raises a good point about Norwood. He clearly was not fully fit and had some glorious chances to stick the ball in the net. Those misses may come back to haunt us.

We were also too narrow trying to play the ball through the FGR defence of 10 men. It wasn't going to work although I don't think we had the quality out wide to hurt them. Ridehalgh was generally poor tonight in the attacking third, Jennings quite subdued and Caprice while defensively solid was nowhere near as good on the attack.

Having said that, they did make it difficult as it was a damage limitation exercise for them. Shut up shop and keep it tight. Not sure Scotty made a save in the second half. The shots we had from long range were just desperation in the end as we couldn't cut through them. Frustrating but we go again on Mon.
 

Sparky

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This is the problem in recent times with our system. Our wingers aren’t creating anything so we’re relying on the fullbacks. At times Nors was drifting out wide and we only Harris in the box - madness!
 
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This is the problem in recent times with our system. Our wingers aren’t creating anything so we’re relying on the fullbacks. At times Nors was drifting out wide and we only Harris in the box - madness!
I think that approach is fine if you are playing eleven men and the game is open, but against a defence sitting as deep as FGR were we were never going to create anything by repeatedly going through the middle.
 
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Norwood
This is the problem in recent times with our system. Our wingers aren’t creating anything so we’re relying on the fullbacks. At times Nors was drifting out wide and we only Harris in the box - madness!
Yes, I've noticed him winning balls our wide to cross to himself. To be fair, he's so good he often manages it!
In all seriousness, Mellon basically admitted that he leaves it up to Nors to decide if he wants to play. As great and as committed as he is, if he ain't fit he shouldn't play.
 

Boz

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Iain Hume
Norwood was taken out by their keeper after the referee had initially played an advantage, then brought it back for the initial foul. Arguably should have been a penalty but after that challenge he was struggling. The reason given for Mullin’s absence last game was his partner expecting. Don’t think there have been any updates since, but the way Nors was in difficulty might even have been worth putting Dagnall on.

Couple of other below par performances. Perkins understandably rusty, Connor Jennings out of sorts. Was a little surprised at the Banks substitution unless he’d taken a knock. Gilmour didn’t always seem to be on the same wavelength as his team-mate’s.
 
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Gilmour was sharp and got into good areas, but was not given the ball enough.
 
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Norwood
Norwood was taken out by their keeper after the referee had initially played an advantage, then brought it back for the initial foul. Arguably should have been a penalty but after that challenge he was struggling. The reason given for Mullin’s absence last game was his partner expecting. Don’t think there have been any updates since, but the way Nors was in difficulty might even have been worth putting Dagnall on.

Couple of other below par performances. Perkins understandably rusty, Connor Jennings out of sorts. Was a little surprised at the Banks substitution unless he’d taken a knock. Gilmour didn’t always seem to be on the same wavelength as his team-mate’s.
I thought Perkins did ok, was harrying and pestering, though maybe
Norwood was taken out by their keeper after the referee had initially played an advantage, then brought it back for the initial foul. Arguably should have been a penalty but after that challenge he was struggling. The reason given for Mullin’s absence last game was his partner expecting. Don’t think there have been any updates since, but the way Nors was in difficulty might even have been worth putting Dagnall on.

Couple of other below par performances. Perkins understandably rusty, Connor Jennings out of sorts. Was a little surprised at the Banks substitution unless he’d taken a knock. Gilmour didn’t always seem to be on the same wavelength as his team-mate’s.
I thought Gilmour looked really positive when he came, and never stopped asking for the ball and trying to push on, whereas we looked all out if ideas in other positions.
Crying out for two upfront I thought, and I hope we aren't made to lament not scoring more.
Still, a win is a win!
 

Boz

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Iain Hume
Gilmour was sharp and got into good areas, but was not given the ball enough.
There were a couple of occasions where he went for the same ball as a team-mate and others where they both left it to each other. Just seemed a lack of understanding not costly tonight. Gilmour did a lot of good things to, the chip for Jennings, I think to run onto which might have been a penalty for example.
 
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aldo
have to say morris was poor always losing the ball . and not doing much els . i was watching the telly at work . we should have kept biting at there heels . think norwood was lucky not to be sent off and doige was lucky to . fair play to forest they played us great in the second half we just looked frustrated . . but lets get to there place and give it a go like we did in the first half . oh only 9500 just over a bit poor should have been more but hey ho we all cant get there . and there pathetic showing of fans is bad
 
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Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
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I think 9,500 is a decent crowd considering the game was televised and there was negligible away support. In the nineties we got (just) over 10,000 for play off games in the third tier, but that was with 1,000 - 2,000 visiting fans.
 
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