Post by stevek192 on Mar 21, 2015 9:24:23 GMT
As I entered the Mem last night I felt an air of expectation of winning and a crowd that was going to totally play its part in making sure our team succeeded. For some reason although it was a tense atmosphere it felt good to be a Rovers fan last night. It may have been the team sheet which had an attacking feel about it or it may have been the feeling of actually having better players than the opposition in key areas- a proven goalscorer up front in Easter, a player in midfield who could dictate the pace of the game in Lines and an exciting winger in Dawson.
Something felt different and the first twenty minutes the performance flowed with the crowd , the King was here to take his crown- Easter very much looked what we have been missing all season and Dawson was buzzing on the right. Although I knew it was well short of a capacity crowd it felt as if it was and the roar was as loud as I have heard this season when the opening goal went in so early. The fact Easter scored it was special, it wasn't a great goal unlike Harrison' effort at Halifax but the way it was dispatched was what we wanted to see all season. Clinical and hit with the confidence of a player who knows his trade and could almost drill the ball into the net in his sleep. My thoughts were that this was going to be the night where we dispatched a team in this League very easily...... and then it happened.. a needless foul by McCrystal and schoolboy defending of the free kick and out of nothing Aldershot were back in the game. The silence that greeted the goal seemed to knock the atmosphere for six and I am sure the players felt this and what looked an assured,confident almost cocky perfomance changed on that incident for the rest of the first half.
The difference last night was that the team came out for the second half unchanged in personnel but managed to pick up the performance. The team set up at the start didn't need changes at that time to alter the course of the game,it just needed to up the tempo and match the level reached in the first 20 minutes and two great goals put the game beyond Aldershot and for the first time since Macclesfield you could sense that we were going to win and put the pressure back in Barnets court. I didn't enjoy the way we played keep ball after the third goal as I felt that we could have gone on to score six or seven and in all honesty even playing this way we should have scored a couple more but at the end of the day we had achieved what we set out for and the crowd knew this and the noise factor had returned to the Memorial Ground. If we can get a good result at Macclesfield or Barnet slip up today or next week I can see the first 8000+ crowd to welcome the players on the pitch next home game. Crowds come to see exciting football and the inclusion of better players brings that expectation. Ok Dawson didn't have a great game but his presence on the wing and the class that Easter and Lines showed throughout were the difference last night. Well done Daryl Clarke for both bringing these players in and for actually playing them!!!
Puddy 6 Didn't have a lot to do but it was a brave decision to drop Mildenhall and there is a certain speed of reaction to situations and mostly very good distribution that gives the team something extra. Maybe not the shot stopper that Mildenhall is but basically a good keeper.
Leadbitter 7 His pace at the back is starting to make a difference and my main criticism of this team would be that we do lack a bit of pace in the centre of the defence and if we do manage to go up that will be a priority in the summer. This was probably Leadbitters best overall performance and was only let down by some over enthusiastic crossing in the first half.
McCrystal 5.5 Some may think I have marked him a little low but IMO in the last three games Mark has gone backwards to at times looking an accident waiting to happen. At fault twice on the goal both in giving away the free lick and in defending it and his shirt tugging is now getting a bit predictable. Maybe the time is right to bring back Trotman but is he now short of match practise? Not sure on this call so will leave it to DC who will probably give him another chance and will be proved right. A very mixed performance for me.
Parkes 7.5 Strong and reliable and again showing an air of confidence in possession. I think it was him who put that great ball through for Brown to set up the third goal. Probably not blame free on the goal conceded but overall handled the opposition very well.
Brown 7 Defended well and also got forward well and provided an excellent cross for the third goal which killed Aldershot off.
Dawson 5.5 After an excellent start in which he looked dangerous every time he touched the ball I felt he got bogged down. He never gave up but overdid the intricate footwork and started to make the wrong decisions of when to run with the ball and when to pass. Would still play him next game because he is so unpredictable but always provides an out let and because his pace and ball skills always require a defenders close attention.
Lines 7.5 Oozes class in the centre of the park with the ability to bring the ball out quickly and pass accurately- something we have sadly lacked this season. Could be the signing that takes us up. He is definitely a class or two above this League and has definitely matured from his previous time at the club. A great signing.
Lockyer 6.5 Unspectacular but worked hard and generally distributed fairly well and defended well which was really why he was there. For every Lines you need a Lockyer to allow the ball playing player the freedom to play.
Monkhouse 7 Won a lot of ball in the air in the first half but for me doesn't do enough with the ability he has and passes the ball back too often. His goal was an outstanding piece of brilliance which I feel he is well capable of producing more often rather than just being a pawn to bring Brown in down the wing.
Easter 8 MOM For me his goal and strength on the ball shone through all game including a great set up to Monkhouse on the second goal and he was too big a handful for the Aldershot defence whom he dragged all over the place. Personally feel that had he not got injured we would now be close to being crowned Champions as he is the difference between a draw and victory. As his overall fitness improves in the next few games I really feel this is another class signing by DC and it wouldn't surprise me at all if he gets another 5 or 6 goals this season and that could well be enough to secure us League football. I certainly hope so.
Taylor 6.5 Needs to learn from Easter on how to win fouls and use body strength rather than fall to the ground. Took his chance well and as always worked hard but I am not convinced that his workrate can make up for the lack of height his partnership with Easter has against stronger teams.
Harrison 5 Tried hard but not the influence he was saturday and this can be looked on in two ways.Is it a myth that he is an impact player? Was his confidence hit by not being given a start? Personally i don't feel that we are going to find the answers until he is given a run of games similar to what has been given to Taylor.
Balanta Not on long enough to mark but during the short time he was on he gave an indication of what he is capable of with a couple of moments of good control and passing ability and should really have scored. Probably should have been brought on for Dawson around the 60 minute mark.
Clarke Not on long enough to mark.
DC 8 Got everything right last night although I felt he could have given Balanta more time and obviously there was the Harrison/Taylor call but what he has achieved answers all his critics and last night I think most would agree with his line up or be very close.
Referee 6 Overall a reasonable performance but how he didn't give us a penalty in the first half amazes me. Anywhere else on the pitch and it would have been a free kick. Was very impressed with the way he remembered to book their player after allowing a brilliant advantage.
Aldershot 6 Not sure if they were a big side or it was just that we were pretty small!! Awkward customers that did well to get back in the game after it looked like we would cast them aside early on. Should be good enough to avoid a relegation fight and gave a good account of themselves either side of half time.
So we now have a day of rest and can watch the battle for the top from the outside today hoping for a Welling miracle and a Eastleigh victory and a Macclesfield defeat although I would not be surprised to see all three games go against us.
Something felt different and the first twenty minutes the performance flowed with the crowd , the King was here to take his crown- Easter very much looked what we have been missing all season and Dawson was buzzing on the right. Although I knew it was well short of a capacity crowd it felt as if it was and the roar was as loud as I have heard this season when the opening goal went in so early. The fact Easter scored it was special, it wasn't a great goal unlike Harrison' effort at Halifax but the way it was dispatched was what we wanted to see all season. Clinical and hit with the confidence of a player who knows his trade and could almost drill the ball into the net in his sleep. My thoughts were that this was going to be the night where we dispatched a team in this League very easily...... and then it happened.. a needless foul by McCrystal and schoolboy defending of the free kick and out of nothing Aldershot were back in the game. The silence that greeted the goal seemed to knock the atmosphere for six and I am sure the players felt this and what looked an assured,confident almost cocky perfomance changed on that incident for the rest of the first half.
The difference last night was that the team came out for the second half unchanged in personnel but managed to pick up the performance. The team set up at the start didn't need changes at that time to alter the course of the game,it just needed to up the tempo and match the level reached in the first 20 minutes and two great goals put the game beyond Aldershot and for the first time since Macclesfield you could sense that we were going to win and put the pressure back in Barnets court. I didn't enjoy the way we played keep ball after the third goal as I felt that we could have gone on to score six or seven and in all honesty even playing this way we should have scored a couple more but at the end of the day we had achieved what we set out for and the crowd knew this and the noise factor had returned to the Memorial Ground. If we can get a good result at Macclesfield or Barnet slip up today or next week I can see the first 8000+ crowd to welcome the players on the pitch next home game. Crowds come to see exciting football and the inclusion of better players brings that expectation. Ok Dawson didn't have a great game but his presence on the wing and the class that Easter and Lines showed throughout were the difference last night. Well done Daryl Clarke for both bringing these players in and for actually playing them!!!
Puddy 6 Didn't have a lot to do but it was a brave decision to drop Mildenhall and there is a certain speed of reaction to situations and mostly very good distribution that gives the team something extra. Maybe not the shot stopper that Mildenhall is but basically a good keeper.
Leadbitter 7 His pace at the back is starting to make a difference and my main criticism of this team would be that we do lack a bit of pace in the centre of the defence and if we do manage to go up that will be a priority in the summer. This was probably Leadbitters best overall performance and was only let down by some over enthusiastic crossing in the first half.
McCrystal 5.5 Some may think I have marked him a little low but IMO in the last three games Mark has gone backwards to at times looking an accident waiting to happen. At fault twice on the goal both in giving away the free lick and in defending it and his shirt tugging is now getting a bit predictable. Maybe the time is right to bring back Trotman but is he now short of match practise? Not sure on this call so will leave it to DC who will probably give him another chance and will be proved right. A very mixed performance for me.
Parkes 7.5 Strong and reliable and again showing an air of confidence in possession. I think it was him who put that great ball through for Brown to set up the third goal. Probably not blame free on the goal conceded but overall handled the opposition very well.
Brown 7 Defended well and also got forward well and provided an excellent cross for the third goal which killed Aldershot off.
Dawson 5.5 After an excellent start in which he looked dangerous every time he touched the ball I felt he got bogged down. He never gave up but overdid the intricate footwork and started to make the wrong decisions of when to run with the ball and when to pass. Would still play him next game because he is so unpredictable but always provides an out let and because his pace and ball skills always require a defenders close attention.
Lines 7.5 Oozes class in the centre of the park with the ability to bring the ball out quickly and pass accurately- something we have sadly lacked this season. Could be the signing that takes us up. He is definitely a class or two above this League and has definitely matured from his previous time at the club. A great signing.
Lockyer 6.5 Unspectacular but worked hard and generally distributed fairly well and defended well which was really why he was there. For every Lines you need a Lockyer to allow the ball playing player the freedom to play.
Monkhouse 7 Won a lot of ball in the air in the first half but for me doesn't do enough with the ability he has and passes the ball back too often. His goal was an outstanding piece of brilliance which I feel he is well capable of producing more often rather than just being a pawn to bring Brown in down the wing.
Easter 8 MOM For me his goal and strength on the ball shone through all game including a great set up to Monkhouse on the second goal and he was too big a handful for the Aldershot defence whom he dragged all over the place. Personally feel that had he not got injured we would now be close to being crowned Champions as he is the difference between a draw and victory. As his overall fitness improves in the next few games I really feel this is another class signing by DC and it wouldn't surprise me at all if he gets another 5 or 6 goals this season and that could well be enough to secure us League football. I certainly hope so.
Taylor 6.5 Needs to learn from Easter on how to win fouls and use body strength rather than fall to the ground. Took his chance well and as always worked hard but I am not convinced that his workrate can make up for the lack of height his partnership with Easter has against stronger teams.
Harrison 5 Tried hard but not the influence he was saturday and this can be looked on in two ways.Is it a myth that he is an impact player? Was his confidence hit by not being given a start? Personally i don't feel that we are going to find the answers until he is given a run of games similar to what has been given to Taylor.
Balanta Not on long enough to mark but during the short time he was on he gave an indication of what he is capable of with a couple of moments of good control and passing ability and should really have scored. Probably should have been brought on for Dawson around the 60 minute mark.
Clarke Not on long enough to mark.
DC 8 Got everything right last night although I felt he could have given Balanta more time and obviously there was the Harrison/Taylor call but what he has achieved answers all his critics and last night I think most would agree with his line up or be very close.
Referee 6 Overall a reasonable performance but how he didn't give us a penalty in the first half amazes me. Anywhere else on the pitch and it would have been a free kick. Was very impressed with the way he remembered to book their player after allowing a brilliant advantage.
Aldershot 6 Not sure if they were a big side or it was just that we were pretty small!! Awkward customers that did well to get back in the game after it looked like we would cast them aside early on. Should be good enough to avoid a relegation fight and gave a good account of themselves either side of half time.
So we now have a day of rest and can watch the battle for the top from the outside today hoping for a Welling miracle and a Eastleigh victory and a Macclesfield defeat although I would not be surprised to see all three games go against us.
