Sandgrounders v Rovers

[Ian]

Gary Jones was also very good for them, a player who could probably do a job for us at this level.

Although not blessed with masses of skill, he works damn hard and was all over the pitch last night. Our players should take a leaf out of his book.

The sending off killed the game. They were crumbling and had almost fallen to pieces such was the pressure Rovers were putting them under, but I think the sending off gave them something to think about and then they closed up shop. For all our possession in the second half, we just couldn't break them down any further. Fair play to them though, they took a 2-0 lead and did well numbing the game when they were under the cosh and with a man down.

Who knows what's going to happen from game to game, bit of a lottery really.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

I'll spare you my usual crumbs of comfort. It's small consolation that even Dave Russell and Johnny King failed to win at Haig Avenue.

The fact remains that even though we started the season brightly with two wins against teams now in the play-off zone, we have since played all the teams in the bottom six and have dropped twelve points in these games alone. That may prove our undoing.

Surely FGR are odds-on to be champions and if not, then other teams are better placed to catch them. It's not going to be straightforward for us to make the play-offs as most of our remaining games will be against our promotion rivals. From what I've read here and elsewhere, we have sufficient quality but we need to maintain it for longer than the 30 to 45 minutes we are managing in most games. I'm still hopeful of a top five finish, but I wouldn't bet any of my own money on it.

 

[Sparky]

I agree with BBTC. Most rovers fans think we have the quality as do I. The problem is that it is very rare to bounce back the very first season. Only 2 in the last 25 yrs I think.

No doubt other teams that came down over the years will have responded by building a new team with a new manager - but in most cases have failed to go straight back up. There must be a reason for this as many will have had decent budgets etc.

I think therefore the season so far may replicate how we do this season. I.e. inconsistent. Some good wins here and there, but also some bad defeats. This as I say is probably not uncommon for many teams who have been relegated having their first season in the national league.

I would snap someones hands off for a play off position but with nearly a quarter of the season gone, I can see a top half finish with ups and downs. The problem is the frustration it brings. We had a good start to the season in terms of results and after the Chester win, things were positive. Then we have the first half at Southport which was a surprise to many after Chester - this may be how our season goes.