Rovers v Welling

[Boz]

It is going to be an emotional day at Prenton Park this Saturday with the minute's applause for the late Johnny King. It would be good if a fitting tribute could be delivered on the park in memory of the Rovers legend too.

Welling ended a 23 winless run by beating Woking, themselves in dire form, on Monday. The reverse fixture was televised and Rovers were poor, in a 1-1 draw, a game notable for Sahr Kabba's cheating to get Sutton sent off, for which Kabba's was subsequently banned for simulation and a quality equaliser from youngster Sam Corne for the home team. A bit like Kidderminster, the visitors are almost relegated, but it's not mathematically certain yet. They need a win to keep the faint hope of survival alive.

There hasn't been much news on the injury front for Rovers. Mekki missed the last game through injury and Kirby was subbed for the same reason, it would be a concern if neither were fit for this match. Mackreth and Hughes to occupy the wide positions if so, although Jack hasn't really fired on his return and Jeff plays much better in the centre of midfield. While there is a case for starting Fenwick alongside Norwood, suspect Brabin will stick with GTF.

Prediction: Welling have a small travelling support and could bring fewer to PP than the current nadir of 44 fans from Braintree. I suspect the Rovers turnout will be bolstered by non-regulars paying their respects to Kingy and expect something in the region of 5.5k.
Have a feeling that this game will be tighter than the league placings would suggest, but expecting a narrow home win.

 

[Ian]

I thought Welling were poor when we played them. It was an awful game and we weren't much better but we have improved significantly since then and I expect a win here by a few goals. Norwood on the scoresheet to break into 20 for the season.

Will be interesting to see how Grimsby get on tonight against the table toppers.

 

[Sparky]

Every game from now is our biggest of the season and like Kiddie on Monday, this is another must win game. I expected us to win on Monday and they didn't let me down. Tomorrow though has the potential for a banana skin. We're at home where we have missed chances in recent weeks. The players will want to try as hard as possible for JK plus the expectation from the fans will be high.

I hope I'm wrong but this is the type of match that could be frustrating. We'll have to be better defensively from our last game at PP where 2 poor headed goals were conceded. Lets hope for a nice early goal to settle everyone down and surely Welling heads would drop.

I'm expecting an unchanged line up unless injuries force a change. Prediction: a close win for rovers. Let's hope Nors can get number 20 and it would be nice for the likes of GTF and or Hughes to grab a goal.

 

[Ian]

At this stage of the season, it's all about putting pressure on the teams around us. If Grimsby lose tonight and we win, we'll be on the same points as Grimsby in 3rd. Can the teams around us hold their nerve?

 

[Cowshed Kid]

For me, I don't think the games against the "little" teams are so much a problem as they were early November or thereabouts.
Will be disappointed if we don't win by a couple of goals.
If all fit I'd like to see an unchanged team, why tinker?
Only guarantee for me is that the hanky will be out for the JK tribute.
Been looking at the fixtures of the other front runners. Eastleigh have by far the easiest run in but if we do our bit......just maybe.

 

[Ian]

And Grimsby did indeed lose.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I was really looking forward to this game, but the news about Kingy has taken the edge off it a bit. Still, a vital match that we have to win.

Assuming that Kirby is fit I would expect an unchanged team, although it would be nice to see a bit more of Fenwick tomorrow, depending on how the game develops. Welling have been woeful for months, although they did pick up a 0-0 draw at Eastleigh last week. As has been commented above, I would imagine they will come here to frustrate and scoring an early goal will be important. As Ian notes, a win will actually put us level on points with Grimsby, which shows how far we have come since Christmas.

I think we will win by at least a couple of goals in the end, and I would agree with Boz's assessment of the away support: I think Welling will bring about 25 fans. The minute's applause before kick off will certainly be emotional.

 

[bigmart]

It will be a very emotional day but I think we will win this one 3 0 today

 

[Sparky]

Well I said it could be a banana skin and so it proved. A real dent in our promotion hopes but what we must not do is use the JK emotions as an excuse.

First half we were ok but not great. Best player for me was Vaughan who got forward a lot and scored a great goal with good work by GTF. Poor defending saw an immediate equaliser which we were guilty of against Lincoln. Norwood was his frustrating self missing 2 good chances, the first with only the keeper to beat.

2nd half saw our defence struggle with the pace and movement of their attack and they went in front. Changes saw the ineffective Kirby replaced. Hughes had a poor game imo. GTF to me is still a bit of luxury player at this level. Norwood was eventually put on the left with higdon and fenwick up front. Plenty of huff and puff but no cutting edge with Norwood again missing chances including one which hit the post. As I've said previously if we had a natural finisher in the side we would score more (another goal for Margetts today I see...plus Stockton).

We're now fighting it out for that last play off place and next Saturday is massive. You just hope the effects on confidence are not too serious as plenty of (unfair) booing at the end.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

The tribute to JK before kick off was rousing and fitting, but unfortunately much of the performance that followed was not. We have been so solid defensively in recent weeks that missed chances have not cost us. However, today we conceded two sloppy, awful goals and paid the price for our profligacy in front of goal. As Sparky says, we should have been two or three up at half time and could have put Welling completely out of the game, but our misses gave the opposition encouragement, frustrated our own players and supporters, and resulted in an abject second half display. Our failure to score enough goals when we are on top has been a problem all season, and is one of the major factors in our poor home form. It is harsh to single out our top scorer in this regard, but Norwood had two sitters again today which he simply lashed at, rather than showing the composure and finesse you would expect of a goalscorer.

In the first thirty minutes we played a lot of good football, dominated possession and deserved to be at least a couple of goals ahead. I thought GTF and Vaughan were our best players in this period, although Hughes, while having an up and down game, also contributed a great deal and was involved in the build up for the first goal. Welling had very little of the ball in the opening period, but as against Lincoln I thought the midfield did not protect the back four well enough when they did attack. This resulted in a number of silly free kicks given away on the edge of our own box, one of which we failed to deal with, resulting in their equaliser.

In the second half we became edgy and anxious and lost our way completely. While I will praise Brabin for making two positive substitutions early in the half the changes actually made us worse, as without GTF and Hughes linking the play in midfield the team lost all semblance of shape. We huffed and puffed for the remainder of the half, while looking vulnerable on the counter-attack, and the display was so poor in the second period we can't have any complaints about the result, even against such limited opposition. I have no idea what formation we were playing when both Fenwick (who was terrible) and Higdon came on.

Fortunately, due to other results going our way we live to fight another day (just). However, we will surely now have to beat both Eastleigh and Wrexham to make the play-offs, which is a tall order.

I would agree with Sparky that the boos at the final whistle were unjustified, as we have not lost many games since Christmas. However, our form at home against poor opposition has been an issue all season, and eight league defeats at PP is really unacceptable. Hopefully the players can get their heads straight before next Saturday, as the season is certainly not over.

 

[Cowshed Kid]

Well, I was made to eat my words about "little" teams big time.
A huge disappointment. Really thought we'd kick on after such a well worked opener and a great opportunity was missed.
A performance like that every ten games would be tolerable if we hadn't had so many early on!
Great tribute to JK. Fair do's to their fans who engaged with it.
At least we're no worse off than if we'd won and so had the others.

 

[Boz]

The game started brightly and although Welling had their chances, Rovers had already seen Norwood fire a rebound straight back at the keeper and a Kirby effort cleared off the line, when Vaughan volleyed in from close range. However the lead lasted only a couple of minutes before Welling levelled. Their goal started from a free-kick on the edge of the box, it was hard to see from my viewpoint how exactly the ball ended in the back of the net, at no speed whatsoever. At this point the bottom fell out of Rovers game, hard to understand why as if they'd carried on in the same vein, we'd have more chance of a win.
The second half saw the visitors coming more into the game and they'd had a couple of half-chances. What turned out to be be the winner was the midfield failing to protect the central defence, who were carved apart and Welling strolling the ball into the net, with no attempt to Davies to put them off, although there wasn't much chance for him to prevent it. Thereafter, despite Norwood's late effort against the post, Welling seemed as likely to extend their lead.

Re the substitutions, Hughes had picked up a knock earlier, so replacing him with Mackreth was understandable. Taking GTF, one of our most influential players was a mistake, particularly given how poor his replacement Fenwick performed. In the first half, there were a lot of good crosses into the box, which we didn't attack. By the time Higdon came on, these had dried up and he contributed little. Btw both Margetts and Stockton scored today.

The turnout today was a bit disappointing as a send-off for Kingy. The atmosphere was subdued because of the circumstances; I didn't sing/chant as much as usual myself, but this was a game where the players ought to have been spurring on the fans. Instead there was minimal sight of fight on the pitch from those in the white shirts and the booing at the end was understandable. With those around us playing some of their backlog games during the coming week, Rovers may be out of the play-offs by the time of the Torquay game.

 

[Tartantranmere64]

Sorry to have missed the tribute to JK but glad I was at West Ham where Aaron Cresswell was outstanding. "Cresswell for England" the Hammers fans were singing!

Hope Welling's 63 fans enjoyed their cup final. Fair play to them!

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Btw both Margetts and Stockton scored today.

Consider the contributions of Fenwick and Higdon today and ask yourself which of the four players you would rather have in the squad.

 

[Sparky]

I'm not sure about Stockton but all season we've missed numerous chances which is why Margetts should have been given a run in the side. GB clearly prefers his overweight scouse mates such as higdon.

Fenwick was a daft decision as he has been expected to make an immediate impact joining us on Loan. Stupid when we had 2 strikers permanent parts of the squad.

Really missed Mekki today also.

 

[drwhoman]

What a shame. The season started with GB building his team around guys successful at this level yet as the season has gone on there has been a change to guys with some sort of record at a higher level. Understandable I suppose but the policy has not been borne fruit.

 

[Boz]

Hope Welling's 63 fans enjoyed their cup final. Fair play to them!

There was a little lad at Rock Ferry who'd gone to the game with an older relative and was ringing his mum, who didn't seem to have heard of Tranmere. The main thing about Rovers he mentioned was the booing.

To be fair to Welling, they were an honest side today; cheating Kabba not involved. Not much time-wasting and there were a couple of times they could have gone down in the area trying to win a penalty.

 

[Boz]

Consider the contributions of Fenwick and Higdon today and ask yourself which of the four players you would rather have in the squad.

No prizes for guessing...

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I am no fan of Stockton either, but at least he and Margetts are reasonably integrated into the squad. Like Sparky, I am sure Margetts would have scored fairly regularly if we had persevered with him.

We have had a string of mediocre strikers brought into the club on short-term deals (Tomlinson, Blissett, Higdon, Fenwick) who have offered no more than the players we already have. Fenwick and Higdon lack match fitness and have never played together, so there was no way that set up in the second half was going to work.

Although having said all that, Blissett will probably get the winner against us next week.....

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Hope Welling's 63 fans enjoyed their cup final. Fair play to them!

Indeed, proper footy fans. Plenty of clubs in London they could be supporting, rather than travelling 250 miles to follow a team heading for Conference South.