Rovers v Maidstone United

[Boz]

I don't know much about the visitors; they had an ill-fated spell in the football league a few decades ago, before folding. The new club have worked their way up from the Kent Leagues, to get promoted from NL South last season and have started in the NL with a respectable 7 points from 12. Forwards Bobby-Joe Taylor and Ben Greenhalgh seem to be in decent form.

Barring injuries, I would expect Rovers to start with the same xi, while hoping the manager makes more use of the subs.

With both Scouse clubs surprisingly away, we should perhaps pick up a few more at the match, the visitors will probably bring about 80. Can't see the crowd being more than about 4.8k. While I don't think this game will be as disappointing as Boreham Wood at PP the same time last year, it will be tight and not a total surprise were Rovers to drop points.

 

[Sparky]

Like Boz I don't know much about Maidstone. Only that they have won their last 2 including an away win at Chester last Saturday. At the very least they'll be full of confidence but then so are we. On paper at least, we should win this easily.

However as we saw numerous times last season these sorts of teams raise their games and at times we struggled but I'm going to be more optimistic than Boz and say we'll win this comfortably.

Last season if Norwood wasn't scoring, often from penalties, then no-one else would in open play. Already in 4 games this season our front 3 have all got on the score sheet and I think at least one of them will tomorrow. I share some concerns about the lack of creativity from midfield but 4 wins from 4 matches so far shows it isn't a problem as yet. It would be nice to see Stephenson given a run out on Saturday whether we're winning comfortably or not but I expect the same 11 as Tuesday.

Prediction: 3-1 win for rovers.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I think I would place my prediction somewhere between Boz's and Sparky's. I too know very little about Maidstone's players, but from what I have read they are a decent side playing with confidence. This is a arguably the biggest game in the reconstituted club's history and I think the Stones will lift themselves for the occasion. However, I still expect us to come through and win the game.

Maidstone seem a decent club. They are well supported for the National League with crowds of about 2,000 - 2,500, and have done tremendously well to get back to this level after playing in parks leagues only a few years ago. I think Boz is miles out with his away support prediction. The Stones expect to bring about 250-300 (they had 150 at Chester last week) and with the Liverpool clubs playing away I think the gate will top 5,000.

In terms of selection, I would expect an unchanged eleven. However, I would like to see a couple of players given a rest in the second half if we are winning relatively comfortably; it would also be good to see whether GB is capable of changing things round tactically and incorporating Mekki or Stephenson without negatively affecting the side.

If we win this one, seven victories in a row looks a real possibility.

 

[Cowshed Kid]

I would have settled for a nil nil draw last Tuesday.
The win was a bonus.
It also raises our expectations, as it should.
Will be very disappointed if we don't walk off with all three points.
These are the games last year that you considered banana skins and there will be more until, hopefully, we've really asserted ourselves.
Can't wait to sing the top of the league chants.
It's been a while coming!

 

[Boz]

Maidstone seem a decent club. They are well supported for the National League with crowds of about 2,000 - 2,500, and have done tremendously well to get back to this level after playing in parks leagues only a few years ago. I think Boz is miles out with his away support prediction. The Stones expect to bring about 250-300 (they had 150 at Chester last week) and with the Liverpool clubs playing away I think the gate will top 5,000.

I said that I didn't know much about the visitors . Fair play if Maidstone bring that sort of numbers, over 10% of their home support travelling a fair distance is good going.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

A hard fought and deserved victory for Rovers. For the second week in succession the players showed great character when it seemed the game was going to slip away from us against a spirited Maidstone team. I was quite impressed by the Stones. They were organised but also had a threat on the counter-attack, and while Rovers dominated the majority of the game, their equaliser was not a complete surprise. However, there was no doubt Rovers were the better team: we missed a hatful of chances, with efforts cleared off the line and a couple of great saves by their keeper, and the win should have been more comfortable. I thought some of our football was fantastic again and it was an entertaining match.

Individually, I thought everybody did well and it is difficult to single players out. However, Hughes, Maynard, Steve Jennings and Norwood were excellent and my man of the match would be big Steve, for his contribution at both ends of the pitch. As last Saturday, the substitutions had the desired effect and got us over the winning line. However, I thought there were signs of fatigue in certain players in the second half and I thought the changes could have been made prior to their equaliser. Equally, I thought we could have managed the last ten minutes better, retaining the ball rather than going long to Cook and turning over possession.

The only real negative was another poor attendance, less than 4,800 despite the decent away support. I think the board need to reconsider the pricing structure.

On to Southport.

 

[Three times a season]

Thanks for the report. I'm stuck on shifts again today so I couldn't make another game. The girlfriend and her brother went without me! They said similar things to RLC above. Deserved win and great fight shown to get it. Slight concern that we have dominated another game and yet only just won it late again. Still three points is three points and it's a perfect start in those terms. Plus the girlfriend also nabbed us some tickets for Southport so I'm pleased as punch.

 

[Ian]

I agree RLC. Deserved but hard fought. I thought Maidstone were quite poor in the 1st half with the majority of their attacks breaking down through poor passing and Davies was having a relatively easy time in goal. We had a number of good chances with a few falling to Cook but the finishing was poor. 2nd half Maidstone were more of a handful and I was a bit disappointed as we seemed to lack that cutting edge. But like RLC mentions above we didn't give up and kept plugging away and we got our just rerwards.

Bit nevry final 10 minutes when we kept losing possession but 5 wins in 5 is a fantastic start.
I would say Cook really seems to fade in the 2nd half however he was given a tough time today by their no.5 and no.15 at the back.

Bringing Mekki on with 5 seconds to go. He should have came on sooner to replace tired legs.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Thanks for all the reports. What with the Olympics and TRFC, sport has rarely been better.
I've a couple of questions. I've noticed Kirby has come on as sub in one games. Does the formation then change? My second is more general. What's the difference this season to last? We've only signed three players and only two get a game, so are Cook and Connor making the difference? We are still profligate in front of goal, but we seem to have more spirit. I've only seen the Boreham Wood game and what won it was our sound defence and ability to control midfield.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

There was no change in formation when Kirby came on, as he simply slotted into the front three. He did ok but I am very surprised he is chosen ahead of Mekki with the pre-season Adam had.

Regarding our success, I think the stability in the squad and the understanding between the players is key. We had a strong defence and midfield in the second half of last season; we have kept the core of that team and added quality up front in Cook and Jennings. Although we are missing some chances, we are scoring two goals a game and there is a belief that with the front three we have we can score at any moment in a match. That is bound to give the rest of the team confidence and encourages them to keep going until the last whistle, something we did not always see last season when we were so reliant on Norwood.

As the confidence in the squad has grown, individuals who under-achieved last season have started to blossom. For example, Maynard has been a revelation and was outstanding again today.

 

[Cowshed Kid]

I think it is simply a case of carrying on this season where we left the last one, settled squad with bit of quality added. First half of last season was chop and change.
Agree that Cook faded a little but he gives us that physical presence, with no little skill, that we missed up front last season. A mobile presence!
I thought Maidstone were a decent team with decent supporters. Physios weren't on once all game and there was no unnecessary aggression or time wasting.
GB's star jumps to get referee's attention to bring Mekki on were beaten only by Mekki's frustrated figure when the ref blew within seconds of him getting on.
MOM today difficult, either Macca or Maynard. I'll plump for Maynard who, as RLC says, was tremendous today. Ran his socks off, broke up a lot of their work and was always available for a pass. Unrecognisable from last season.
Strange isn't it? Rides gets injured in warm up, we have to shift players about and we haven't looked back since. Tough on the players who can't get a shirt but no doubt their chances will come and they'll have to grab with both hands.
Agree that the gate was a little disappointing. Weather forecast may have put a couple of hundred off though it was nowhere near as bad as the forecast.
See Margetts filled his boots against S'Port today!
And Ronnie took a point off Wrexham!

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Cook looked a bit jaded (like a few others, Connor Jennings in particular) but still played really well I thought. He was very unlucky not to get a hat trick. The keeper made a worldy save from his strike in the first half and his guided header was cleared off the line by brilliant defending in the second.

 

[Ian]

I thought their keeper made some really good saves. However he could do nothing about McNulty's who put his full weight behind that shot!

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Thanks a lot, everyone. It's amazing how changing so little can make so much difference. And at least we'll get to see the goals from this game. I look forward to seeing them.

 

[drwhoman]

It is hard to be critical after such a great start but Gary is clearly a fan of the 'if it is not broke do not fix it school'. I do wish he would make a bit more use of his substitutes. They have a week off now but several comments have been made recently about Cook looking jaded towards the end of a game. He is a big unit and works hard so I am not surprised but giving him a break with 20 to go and let Stephenson or Mekki run at the opposition might be an option particuarly when they have two games in a week. Still, as I say hard to be critical - the player group seems to be working as a team which is the main thing.

 

[Cowshed Kid]

Yep...... we're looking for nits to pick at really aren't we.
My thought was Stephenson on for Cook. Like for like.
The 4-3-3 system does mean you have to be careful with your subs

 

[Mal]

my thought on substitutes? played 5, Won 5.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

my thought on substitutes? played 5, Won 5.

No players can play two games a week incessantly without risking injury, so we need to be careful. Don't forget, Cook and Norwood did not have a full pre-season either.

Several of the team were clearly exhausted at the end of yesterday's game and the last thing we want is Cook or Jennings picking up a muscle injury and being out for weeks. We have two games against 'easier' opposition next week, so there is a chance to freshen things up in the second half of those matches.

 

[bigmart]

Thought the first half was a good performance but we should have been 2 or 3 goals up, after a decent start to the 2nd half we lost our way a bit and lost our shape, poor goal to concede which really should have been saved but we kept going and got a deserved 3 points, onwards and upwards looking forward to going to the southport game should be a good following

 

[Boz]

For a neutral, this was a good game. Maidstone were a decent side and set up to play football. Rovers had the bulk of the possession first half, but prior to Connor Jennings setting Cook up for the opener, aside from a long range effort from Maynard and the well-saved Cook shot, I can't remember any of our numerous efforts really testing their keeper. Maidstone had a couple of noteable opportunities, one bringing a decent save from Davies, the other a defence splitting ball just put the wrong side of the post.

It looked as though Rovers were going to put the game to bed in the opening minutes of the second half, with an effort against the post and a shot cleared off the line. Failure to do this came back to haunt us as a jaded Steve Jennings failed to track back after losing the ball in the middle of the park, Vaughan was by-passed and their player finished well, shooting across Davies into the net. I think at that point I'd have brought Mekki rather than Kirby on. McNulty restored the lead with a great volley from a corner. At the time, thought the keeper might have been impeded, but having seen the replay, Worgan, if anyone, was at fault and the unusually good Mr Backhouse signalled a goal. The last ten minutes were stressful. Rovers kept giving the ball away and perhaps Brabin should have looked at shoring things up,remove one of the pressing midfielders, push Hughes up and bring Ridehalgh on. However there's always a risk with formation change. Norwood should have done better with a one-on-one to make the game safe, before a header against the bar from Maidstone in the dying seconds. While it wouldn't have counted, I didn't spot the raised flag at the time.

MoM Maynard for me with honourable mentions for McNulty and Edwards.