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  1. https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/renzo22ewood?utm_id=106&utm_term=6DpWryJyW&fbclid=IwAR1elEgbE6LBVlNehQd4H0z8RUzz97vYqb8y8wTF_oChle-sfmc9GDJviFg
  2. So just 48h , until hopfuly Barnsley are in town and we have a game . Haven't seen much regarding them having covid issues so hopefully it's game on . Should be the perfect match on paper to get going again . They haven't won for a while and I'm going for a 4 - 0 win , to help get over the Hull frustration. Their fans aren't confident and most are expecting to lose by a few. Below is the Barnsley forums match previews opening post . "Back to actual football (hopefully) and high flying Blackburn Rovers. Their board have been heavily criticised for sticking with Tony Mowbray over the last couple of seasons, but they seem justified in their decision with the former Premier League winners currently 3rd in the table. After losing 7-0 at home to Fulham, Blackburn have gone on a 7 game unbeaten run, winning 6 games, including the last 5 without conceding a goal. That Fulham defeat is Blackburn's only defeat at home in their last 10 games at Ewood Park. We've not found Ewood Park particularly pleasant this century, losing on 5 of our 7 visits. Our last win there was in 2017, with Marc Roberts and Marley Watkins both scoring early to secure a 0-2 win. I'll be honest, I'm not confident for this one. Poya has certainly made us slightly harder to beat, but we are just limping to the January transfer window, where we are in dire need of that midfield spark and instinctual striker. Blackburn have built up a head of steam, and we couldn't face them at a worse time. I'm going with my heart over head and predicting a Christmas miracle. 0-1 with Styles on the score sheet."
  3. PLAYER WATCH v Barnsley Each incident in the match was rated on the following scale: +5 GOAL +4 Excellent play +3 Very good play +2 Pleasing/good play +1 Decent play 0 Routine stuff -1 Sloppy play -2 Disappointing/poor play -3 Very poor play -4 Terrible play -5 Own goal The ratings for each player were then combined to produce a measure of the players overall contribution to the match. Ratings Key incidents per player = coloured stars Overall contribution = numbers Kaminski **** ** 5 Nyambe ************* * 17 Lenihan ***************************** *** 45 Wharton ****************** ***** 17 van Hecke ************** *** 20 Pickering ***************** ***** 19 Travis **************** ********** 5 Buckley (84) ********************** ******** 21 Rothwell (84) ******** ******* 6 Khadra (63) ***** * 11 Diaz ************ ********** 4 Gallagher (63) *** *** 1 Edun (84) ** * 2 Dolan (84) * ** -2 Highlights and Lowlights (A justification for the main ratings given above) 02 Oh dear! Two Barnsley men clash heads in Rovers half and the ref blows up immediately. Buckley fires a great ball into the right channel for Khadra to chase and he hasn’t heard the whistle, neither has the defender. Khadra outpaces him impressively to run clear and from just inside the box he puts it past the goalie on his near post. Painful for Khadra to swallow….and the Rovers fans but I left the ratings in there. Somebody turned the volume up! 09 Nice long ball from Wharton to Diaz on the left wing but he’s offside. 12 Not a lot happening. Barnsley are a bit sloppy in their own half but they have some good players. Travis has been ineffective so far. Rothwell has hardly touched the ball! 14 A nice Barnsley move sees Styles take a shot from just outside the box. Kaminski dives to his right to parry the ball away. It comes back to Palmer but his shot from 20+m is well over the bar. 17 A nice clearance pass from Lenihan to Buckley who spins delightfully away from his close marker and squares to Pickering who takes it on. Eventually the previously anonymous Rothwell gathers on the left wing halfway in the Barnsley half. He does a wide 360 degree turn and passes back to Pickering….but keeps running. Pickering returns the ball and Rothwell is away from 2 defenders and he storms into the box. He’s only got the goalie to beat but his shot from 10m goes across the goal, hits the right post and bounces back almost along the goaline. Barnsley clear. 20 Some nice intricate play around our box by Barnsley sets up a chance for Palmer again, Rothwell’s challenge is poor but the shot is blocked by Wharton and Pickering clears. Barnsley don’t look like a bottom of the table side here. 22 A nice long ball from Lenihan finds Diaz on the left wing. He drives inside but his attempted shot was a Brereton special…..row Z. Van Hecke robs a Barnsley man midway in their half and Buckley picks it up and glides past the startled defenders. He’s into the D and with only the keeper to beat he puts it narrowly past the right post. Bad miss after the hard work had been done! Is it going to be one of “those days”? 23 That’s a terrible pass by the defender straight to Buckley. He releases a perfect pass for Rothwell to run on to 30m out. He takes it to the edge of the box and this time there’s no mistake, he plants the ball low into the right side of the net! 27 Another neat pass from Buckley finds Nyambe in a bit of space and he manoeuvres into the box and tries a left footed curler but it’s Ryan and his shot curls comfortably past the far post. 35 Khadra receives the ball midway in Rovers’ half and he sends Buckley free and clear with a wonderful through ball beating the offside trap. He slows down at the edge of the box waiting for Diaz to arrive but, when he tries to set Ben up, his pass is too weak and a Barnsley man gets a foot in. Bad, bad miss…..Buckley should have kept going and shot himself or, at least, put decent weight on his pass. Ben deserves credit for his run! Chances are going begging and Barnsley aren’t out of this yet! To make matters worse, the resulting corner is hit straight into touch by Rothwell. 36 Diaz does really well to keep Pickering’s long pass in play and he’s off into the box. His shot from just to the left of the 6 yard box is parried away. Good play from Ben. Eventually Khadra gets the ball on the wing 30m out and his cross into the box almost reaches Pickering who had made a good run. The keeper gathers. 41 Lenihan fires a great long ball from the right wing to the edge of the box where Diaz is lurking. Although Ben brings it down well with his chest, his shot is saved by the keeper. He was offside anyway! We need that second goal! 44 Some good approach play by Barnsley and the right winger goes past Travis too easily and crosses from the byline but Wharton is in position to clear. Then Lenihan jumps in on halfway to make an interception. He has the perfect chance to send Diaz clear but his pass is blocked and the moment has gone. Barnsley come again! Pickering has 2 men to mark on his own and one of them manages to get in a cross from the byline. Lenihan has managed to get back and blocks it in the 6 yard box but it hits Wharton and deflects back towards goal. It’s panic stations as Van Hecke, Wharton and Rothwell fail to clear. After more bobbling about, the ball comes to Morris just inside the box. His shot is deflected by Nyambe on to the right post…….the ball runs agonisingly back along the line and a baffled Kaminski can’t stop it rolling over the line just inside the left post! Let’s hope we don’t rue those missed chances…..as so often in the past! 47 Some all-round good play by Lenihan since the re-start. This time his crossfield pass into the box reaches the on-coming Rothwell just outside the 6 yard box, but his attempted left-footed volley is best forgotten. 49 A dangerous moment there. Everyone seemed happy to let Diaz deal with Brittain on his own to the left of our box. The result was Diaz was all at sea and a cross came in, headed away by Wharton at the near post. Diaz gets a chance to send Khadra away but his pass is poor. 51 Buckley collects a Wharton pass and, with 3 defenders around him, he launches a beautiful ball over the top of the defence for Diaz to chase. Ben turns into the box but his shot is blocked by a defender. Buckley gets it back from Pickering and shoots from 25m but it’s weak and the keeper gathers easily. 55 Some good possession by Barnsley since the break. 59 Another long crossfield ball from Lenihan straight to Diaz who heads it on into the box for Pickering to chase. His shot is blocked but he wins a corner. It’s taken short and, between them, Rothwell and Pickering stuff it up completely! 61 Khadra takes a shot from distance but it comes down with snow on it. He’s done nothing this half! 63 Khadra off, Gallagher on. 64 Lenihan dispossesses a Barnsley man in the centre-circle and Buckley manages to slide the ball for Diaz to chase on the left wing. He takes it to the edge of the box but his touch is awkward but never mind he still lashes it low across goal and into the bottom right corner of the net. 20 goals for Ben and party time for fans who had the big bet. All the subs mob Ben, then the rest of the players join in. Great stuff. 66 Unnecessary, crude yellow card challenge by Lenihan. 74 Buckley starting to look tired now. 80 More Rovers looking a bit lethargic now as Barnsley have some nice possession. 82 Yellow card for Gallagher being careless with his elbow! 84 Buckley and Rothwell off, Edun and Dolan on. 85 Edun gives a soft free kick away midway in our half. Wharton heads clear. 87 Kaminski booked for time-wasting. All the centre-backs are playing well! 90 A Barnsley man passes back straight to Gallagher 35m out. He takes it to the edge of the box and unleashes a powerful shot but it’s too near the keeper and he parries away. He’s hurt himself in the process! Corner. 91 Another short one and another embarrassment. This time it’s Dolan passing 1m to Gallagher and then it’s back to Dolan who’s offside!!! Lenihan wins another towering header on halfway and it goes over the entire defence setting Diaz free. He heads into the box and with the goal at his mercy, he blasts the ball wide from 12m with his left foot. That was a sitter! 93 That’s 3 dominant headers by Lenihan in as many minutes! Styles goes past Pickering too easily then squares to Morris on the edge of our box. His shot hits Wharton. Travis makes a weak attempt to clear but it falls perfectly for Styles 22 m out and his shot rockets just over the bar! Wow! Lenihan gives Travis a rollocking! The final whistle goes.
  4. https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2021/december/16/kaminski-set-for-rovers-return/ Ok with injuries, but this doesn't bode well: “Rather than injury, I think the COVID situation is more pertinent for us.”
  5. PLAYER WATCH v Birmingham City Each incident in the match was rated on the following scale: +5 GOAL +4 Excellent play +3 Very good play +2 Pleasing/good play +1 Decent play 0 Routine stuff -1 Sloppy play -2 Disappointing/poor play -3 Very poor play -4 Terrible play -5 Own goal The ratings for each player were then combined to produce a measure of the players overall contribution to the match. Ratings Key incidents per player = coloured stars Overall contribution = numbers Kaminski ******* ** 8 Nyambe ******************** * 29 Lenihan **************************** ******* 37 Wharton ************** ***** 15 van Hecke ******************* *** 24 Pickering *********** ***** 7 Travis **************** * 27 Buckley (62) ************ **** 18 Rothwell (74) **************** ***** 16 Khadra (69) ********** * 19 Diaz *********** ** 22 Gallagher (62) ******* * 8 Butterworth (69) ** ** ***** 3 Johnson (74) *** ** 2 Highlights and Lowlights (A justification for the main ratings given above) Well, what’s it to be……A very Merry Christmas or the, all too familiar, moaning about what might have been? Third place is up for grabs. Can you believe it? Here we go! Oh! Orange and green for Birmingham….Aussie viewers would recognise the unappealing Bunnings colour scheme! 00 Kaminski wags his finger at Aneke after his half-hearted attempted leap over the Rovers keeper! 05 A fantastic long ball from van Hecke, inside our half to Nyambe midway in theirs, on the wing. Nyambe lets the ball glance off his chest past the defender and his trademark burst of speed sees him accelerate into the box. His square pass, intended for Diaz, is weakly pushed out by the diving keeper to Buckley, 10m out, who gratefully strokes the ball into the net. First of the season for John. What a start! Pathetic goal-keeping though! 17 Rothwell’s corner is flapped at by Sarkic, our friendly opposition keeper, and it falls to Wharton near the penalty spot but it’s on his right foot…..and his snap-shot is 1m wide. Decent chance! 19 Sunjic fouls Diaz twice in as many minutes! 20 Lenihan is winning all the high balls so far. 21 Khadra receives near the centre circle and spins, leaving his marker for dead. He runs towards the D and slips it to Rothwell on the charge in the box but he’s well covered by the defender and the ball is deflected to the keeper. 25 A free kick is played to Khadra halfway in the City half, on the wing. He whips in a vicious cross. The goalie rushes out, van Hecke holds back on a potential header forcing Sarkic to flap again and the ball goes to Buckley outside the D but his hurried shot goes well wide. This is a poor, poor goalie! Birmingham look poor…..or maybe we are making them look poor. For Rovers, no obvious weaknesses around the park so far. 28 Some nice interplay between Khadra and Nyambe earns us a corner. Rothwell takes it and Friend does well to get to the high ball just before van Hecke but it’s another corner. Lenihan can’t quite get there this time. 30 Nyambe is playing noticeably further upfield than he has recently. He’s doing well too, some nice touches. 31 Oh! Now he’s won a corner on the right! It’s taken short by Rothwell to Khadra, who finds Travis in the box. He shimmies and passes to Buckley 14m out. His shot is blocked and it falls to Lenihan 8m out but, under challenge, he spoons it over the bar. 32 Kaminski stubs his toe as he attempts a routine clearance and it goes to Aneke 25m out. He lashes a powerful shot against the crossbar. Kaminski was a spectator! 40 Some nice Rovers play sees Rothwell disguise a nice infield pass but he then ruins it all by playing the next ball backwards, directly to the feet of Aneke in the centre circle. It’s dangerous but Buckley challenges from behind and it’s a yellow card challenge! Rothwell’s fault though! The free-kick is played to their right wing and the City man takes it to the line, evading Diaz too easily but his cross is poor and lands on top of the net. We were a bit lucky there but it just goes to show how one careless pass can shift the momentum! 42 Another nasty foul by Sunjic on Buckley and it’s a well-deserved yellow. Rothwell fires it deep but Lenihan’s header is over the bar. Slightly disappointing. 48 I don’t like this….it happened in the last game too! Pickering allows the winger to advance and get a good cross in. Another City man beats Wharton to the ball and heads it on across goal, Kaminski desperately throws himself on the ground but he and 3 others miss the ball and it runs wide on our right. The whistle goes…….blimey! Even though Rovers have been much the better side, Birmingham have had chances to equalise! Nyambe is getting back to his best I think. Diaz has done nothing yet…………..but!! 47 A nice crossfield pass from Buckley finds Lenihan who launches a good ball into the right channel for Khadra to compete with the full back. The keeper rushes out and just manages to hold the ball inside the box…….his whole body (except his fingertips) is outside the box! Clown football from Sarkic again. 48 Buckley picks up the ball near halfway and tries to put Diaz through but the pass isn’t good enough. Never mind, the City man stuffs up and Diaz gets the ball anyway! He slips it to a fast running Rothwell. He takes it into the left side of the box but his shot is saved by the keeper at the near post. 50 Rothwell is lucky to get away with another of his misjudged “from behind” challenges. 51 Again the City winger goes past Pickering, gets to the byline and puts his cross in. This time Kaminski gathers comfortably. Nevertheless Pickering has to stop this route of attack! Again, from halfway, Lenihan curves the ball behind the defence for Khadra to chase. Again the keeper comes but this time the ball is perfect. Khadra gets there first, knicks the ball past the keeper, he’s still got a bit to do but he keeps his cool, leaves 2 defenders on their backsides and coolly taps the ball into the net. Right out of the top drawer that one! Magnificent! 53 Aneke catches Kaminski again! It looks a bit foggy down at Ewood. 55 Following a Rovers’ corner, the ball is returned to Rothwell on the right. He whips in a great ball, just missed by Khadra at the near post and by Diaz on the line! It needed the slightest of touches but it’s not to be this time. 58 Rothwell picks up a loose ball in the City half and slides it forward perfectly for Diaz to carry into the box. He looks to have miscontrolled it but the defender is beaten and our mate Sarkic takes Ben out. Penalty! Sarkic helps again by diving the wrong way as Ben converts his shot low and to the left. 62 Buckley off, Gallagher on. 64 Incredible dancing feet by Khadra on the left touchline. He bamboozles one and nutmegs the other in a telephone box……He pays the price as the retribution is swift. Free kick. Chants of “sign him up!” are loud and clear! Rothwell’s cross is straight into the keeper’s arms. 67 A nice City ball down the channel sees the Birmingham man get the better of Pickering again, who ends up on his backside. It’s big danger as he runs into the box but there’s Lenihan at the near post to clear up. Rovers burst downfield again. This time it’s Rothwell driving it forward. It fizzles out in the end but I love the way we can shift rapidly from defence into attack with this team. It’s great to watch. 69 Khadra off, Butterworth on. Standing ovation! 70 Pickering plays a nice ball to Butterworth 35m out. He shows great control, spins and strokes the ball into the 6 yard box for Nyambe but the defender was always favourite. Nevertheless Nyambe keeps it in and Rovers pass it around freely. Birmingham can’t get the ball! 71 James goes past Rothwell too easily and Butterworth brings him down 23m out! The shot goes through the wall but Kaminski goes down to parry. The ball is in the air and Butterworth gets a heads on it allowing Kaminski to gather. 73 City launch a long ball and Wharton is beaten in the air. Some nice interplay sets up a chance for Jutkiewicz in the box. His shot is well saved by Kaminski low to his right. Lenihan hoofs the ball downfield. 74 Rothwell off, Johnson on. 76 Butterworth wins the ball in the middle of City’s half, towards our left. He drives away from Sunjic and from 22m throws his whole body into a full-blooded shot on goal. It bounces back off the top of the bar! Wowee! 78 Midway in the City half Johnson chips an inch perfect ball to Butterworth in the box. He squares it along the 6 yard line, everyone is haring back towards goal and Pedersen deflects the ball into the air and past his keeper. Diaz gratefully heads the ball into the net from zero metres! It’s all too easy. What’s going on? 80 Johnson gives away a foul 30+ m out. The wall does its job and van Hecke punts an accurate long ball for Diaz to chase. 84 There’s some nice Birmingham play before a lovely cross from their right wing sails across the box but the unmarked James, arriving at the far post, puts it just wide. A bit of a let off. I’m afraid it was Pickering who failed to prevent the cross again. 85 Butterworth is dispossessed in our half but Gallagher rushes back to help. 87 Nyambe, high up on the wing, beats his man beautifully and squares to Diaz on the right edge of the box. He tries a preposterous chip towards goal but it skims the top of the crossbar. Amazing! That is a man full of confidence! 93 The final whistle goes. FIVE clean sheets….for the first time in 25 years apparently. Another great team performance. According to whoscored.com, Lenihan had 77 touches in the match. The closest to him was on 47! That’s some effort. It's all going well. MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY! Third place; beam me up Scotty!
  6. tough away trip for us,it`ll be an indication of how far we have progressed,im`e going for a rather optimistic 1-2,with a late goal for us😁
  7. PLAYER WATCH v Bournemouth Each incident in the match was rated on the following scale: +5 GOAL +4 Excellent play +3 Very good play +2 Pleasing/good play +1 Decent play 0 Routine stuff -1 Sloppy play -2 Disappointing/poor play -3 Very poor play -4 Terrible play -5 Own goal The ratings for each player were then combined to produce a measure of the players overall contribution to the match. Ratings Key incidents per player = coloured stars Overall contribution = numbers Pears ********* ** 19 Nyambe (71) ************ ** 13 Lenihan ******************** ******* 22 Wharton (66) ********** *** 13 van Hecke ************************ ****** 35 Pickering ************** *** 22 Travis ************* *********** 6 Buckley *************** ******** 18 Rothwell ******************* ***** 28 Khadra (54) ****** **** 4 Diaz ************* ****** 13 Gallagher (54) ************ * 17 Ayala (66) ******* * 11 Johnson (71) *** 5 Highlights and Lowlights (A justification for the main ratings given above) Just over 10,000 fans here to watch this one. It’s a massive test but good luck to the Rovers fans who managed to make it! 03 Rothwell steals the ball in the centre circle and storms forward. He lays it off down the wing for Khadra to chase but the defender is across quickly and we win a throw. 05 A brilliant long ball by Lenihan from the edge of our box over the top of the Bournemouth defence and Khadra has beaten the offside trap and gets the ball under control. He has 2 men on him on the right side of their box. He’s trying to dazzle them with quick feet but sadly he’s dispossessed. 06 Bournemouth launch their attack and we’re running backwards. It goes out to their right wing but Rothwell is tracking back. He flies in at pace to stop the momentum and concedes a throw in. Well done. From the throw Rothwell allows his man to get a cross in from near the corner flag but van Hecke is in position on the 6 yard box and blocks it out for a corner. All the Rovers players are in the box! It’s an in-swinger but Pears goes up confidently to collect. He rolls it to Khadra’s feet but it’s too tight, the throw isn’t accurate enough and a Bournemouth man gets his foot in. It’s another attack but Buckley steps in and pinches the ball. 08 Pickering stops the winger getting his cross in but, from the throw, there’s a neat 1-2 and, this time, Pickering can’t stop the cross and the ball bounces near the penalty spot. Luckily, it’s behind everyone and we escape. They still have the ball though and another cross comes in….from their left this time. Lenihan heads away but it falls to Cook on the edge of the box and he volleys a rocket at a goal but Wharton gets his body in the way. Diaz wins a throw to relieve the pressure for a second or two. Phew! 10 Buckley picks another pocket near the centre circle and now we are on the attack 4 v 3! Buckley slips it left to Diaz who, first time from the edge of the box, tries to curl the ball into the top far corner with the inside of his right boot. It’s too high! 13 Wharton fires a beautiful, long crossfield ball to Nyambe on the wing. He takes it forward and slips it to Travis on the edge of the box. Travis shoots low, it’s on target but the defender blocks the ball out for a corner. The corner’s headed away and Christie sends both Lenihan and Wharton the wrong way and feeds Anthony on the right wing. Everyone is rushing back but he goes past Travis with ease and the cross comes in. It’s a good clearing header by Pickering, in the 6 yard box, behind for a corner. Lowe was lurking. Pears gives him a pat on the back. Interesting how Lenihan and Pickering swapped positions there as the attack developed! The ball comes in and no one gets a clear header. It’s bobbling around and Pears is quick to fall on it. 16 Solanke’s feet are too fast for Lenihan who drops him in the middle of the Rovers’ half. 18 A long period of Bournemouth possession but they’re not really getting very far and Pickering and van Hecke break it up on the edge of our box. Van Hecke is fouled. 20 Khadra wins a soft free-kick in the middle of the Bournemouth half. The big guys come up. Rothwell makes a sly, quick, flat pass to Diaz who runs behind the defence, into the box. His cross is deflected and then cleared but only as far as Rothwell who feeds Pickering on the left wing. He puts in a great cross from midway in the half and Lenihan, on the penalty spot, gets up to head downwards. The keeper dives low to make a good save but there’s Diaz to chip the rebound, away from the keeper’s fingertips, over him and on to the bar. The rebound hits a defender on the line and nestles in the net. Unavoidable own goal! Bournemouth are claiming Diaz was offside. It’s hard to tell from the cameras but…….sorry! The Rovers fans are in full song. 22 I’m not sure if my eyes are deceiving me but I swear our soft midfield underbelly has gone! Rothwell is certainly putting himself about more than usual. Buckley is pressurising well around the centre-circle too. Travis’s performance so far is a bit mixed but still energetic. Lots of Bournemouth possession again but Rovers’ pressing prevents any danger until frustration draws a poor long ball which runs for a throw near the corner flag. 28 A poor touch by Rothwell on the left wing hands the ball to Bournemouth. Anthony slides a lovely ball into our box…….Wharton, Travis and Pickering can’t get a touch on the ball and Christie makes it all the way to the 6 yard box. He flicks a shot on target and Pears goes down and spreads to make a brilliant save with his knee. The ball comes straight back and van Hecke provides the necessary, agricultural clearance. Christie gets the ball back and puts a nice, high cross on to the penalty spot. Four players go up and Lenihan manages to poke the ball away. Solanke falls over and claims a penalty! All that stemming from Rothwell giving the ball away! 29 Buckley commits a pointless foul on halfway and the attacks resume! Rothwell wins back the ball. 30 Christie slides another nice ball to Solanke on the edge of the box. Nyambe and Lenihan are in close attendance and Solanke goes down claiming a penalty. Anthony shoots but it’s blocked and Lenihan clears. Hmm! What was I saying about that soft midfield underbelly? It’s back I think. 34 Bournemouth are still dominating possession but Lenihan puts in a hard challenge on the edge of our box and the ball flies downfield for Khadra to chase. There’s only Cook between him and the goal. Khadra tries a shot from the D but Cook blocks and Khadra fouls. 39 More Bournemouth possession but Rovers are keeping them quiet, disrupting each move. Pickering, who’s doing really well puts in another good challenge conceding a throw but killing the attack. 40 Diaz challenges from behind in our own half and it’s a booking! 43 More good, patient pressing forces the mistake for a Rovers throw. Rothwell this time. 44 Rothwell, in the centre-circle releases the perfect through ball for Diaz to chase. He takes it into the box but the defender does well to get his foot in and Diaz is forced back and the impetus is lost. It’s Bournemouth’s turn and Lenihan does well to block the cross into the box…..corner. Nyambe gets up first and heads clear convincingly. 47 Christie has the ball just in our half and Buckley comes in from behind and wins the ball but it spurts rapidly downfield ………falling perfectly for Solanke who suddenly has a clear run into the box and it’s 1 on 1! He tries to put it past Pears from 12m but the goalie gets down low to make a great save with his left hand. Big let off…..especially at this stage of the match! Lenihan drops his opponent 25m out. The free kick is a direct shot on goal but Pears gathers it confidently. The whistle goes. Pears had almost nothing to do last match……..but not today. Well done. In fact everyone has worked hard to put in a real team performance! You can definitely grow to like this team! 46 A nice Bournemouth move leaves Buckley, Khadra and Nyambe chasing shadows. A cross comes in and Wharton heads clear. Another cross but from the other wing and van Hecke heads clear. Buckley tidies up and Diaz runs it downfield to ease the pressure. He’s dispossessed by 3 defenders eventually and here they come again. It’s ping-pong on the edge of the box and van Hecke’s attempted clearance hits Solanke’s foot and the ball rolls past Pears’ left post. It’s raining apparently. 49 Twice in 2 minutes van Hecke makes a vital interception as Bournemouth keep up the pressure. This time he thwarts 25 million man Solanke. Now Christie tries from 25m but it’s a weak shot and Pears saves easily. 51 Travis wins the ball just in their half and Buckley takes it on. He tries a shot from 20m but it’s immediately blocked and cannons away. A Buckley tackle from behind concedes a soft foul. 52 Rothwell goes through the back of Solanke in the middle of Rovers half. It goes wide and Anthony does Diaz at the byline - his dangerous cross comes in. Van Hecke gets his head to the ball twice. 54 Khadra off, Gallagher on. 55 A Rothwell corner is met by Lenihan but it’s just past the left upright. It was an opportunity. 56 Bournemouth corner and Marcondes is whipping up the fans! It’s nicely headed away by Gallagher. He’s made a difference in the short time he’s been on. 58 Buckley wins a corner. Rothwell takes it short to Buckley who tries to curl it in - it almost catches the keeper napping but, in the end, is comfortably saved. That man Christie slips a cute ball into the box for Marcondes. He takes it to the right-hand byline and leaves Travis and Lenihan on their backsides and out of the game. He squares the ball to Solanke at the left post and Gallagher slides in with an outrageous goal-saving block 2m out! Rothwell is able to run the ball upfield for a breather! 59 Wharton commits a foul in a dangerous area - 30m out and central. Ohhhhhh! This is not good for the nerves! The free-kick is looped over everyone and Solanke gets some kind of heel flick on the ball, up into the air just in front of Pears. Pears comes for it but another attacker jumps in front of him and completely confounds him. He misses the ball. Van Hecke manages to hook it clear for a moment…….but back it comes and there’s prolonged head-tennis on the edge of our box! Finally Rothwell runs it away. He passes to Diaz on the left wing and he’s brought down in full flight for a free-kick. Yellow card. It all ends up with a van Hecke attempt which comes down with snow on it on to the roof of the net. Gallagher put him off! 63 Wharton jumps in to intercept and Buckley picks up the ball, beats his man and glides into the centre-circle where he releases an exquisite pass for Diaz to run on to. Three defenders are trailing behind and it’s one on one! He’s 8m out but the keeper pulls off an excellent save with his left foot. Ben should have scored! He deserves some credit for his run. It’s a Rothwell corner on the right. Van Hecke runs to the near post to meet it and, from 8m out, hammers his header into the top corner of the net. Stunning! Van Hecke sprints away….no one can catch him as he slides, on his knees, eyeballs bulging, towards the Rovers fans. He almost jumps over the wall to join them! His teammates join in the celebration! 66 Wharton off…..injured, Ayala on. 68 A hard cross comes into the Rovers’ box. Van Hecke (who’s moved to the left of the back 3) misses it completely and it hits an attacker and bounces out for a goal-kick. 71 Nyambe off injured, Johnson on. Mowbray tells Buckley to go to right back. 76 Travis fails to prevent a cross into the box but Ayala boots clear. 82 Good defending all over the pitch is keeping Bournemouth quiet. Players are high-fiving each other to acknowledge each other's contributions. Good stuff. 83 Some nice interplay between Travis, Gallagher and Johnson leaves Diaz with a run on goal. He moves into the left side of the box and his left-footed shot is on target but it’s saved. Pickering can't stop a cross coming in but Ayala is there to clean up. Pickering has been much quieter this half. 84 Solanke outsmarts Ayala before the Spaniard uses all his strength and experience to outmuscle the Bournemouth man. Van Hecke goes sliding into a tackle 30m out. It’s two-footed, mis-timed and a yellow card. Diaz is telling him to focus. The shot comes in and Pears gets down well to parry the ball away from his right post. Bournemouth shift the ball central and a shot comes in. It’s deflected but Pears has it covered. He’s doing well! Scott Parker has been whinging all game! 89 A nice pass from Rothwell to Diaz and he wins a corner. 90 6 minutes of extra time! 91 The camera pans to the Rovers fans…….they’re all very happy! 92 Rothwell earns a pointless yellow card. 94 Christie goes past an exhausted Travis but Lenihan sticks his head in the way of his shot. Buckley can’t stop the cross but van Hecke is strong and heads away. The final whistle goes……what a great all-round performance. Perhaps the most enjoyable of the season. Maybe it’s on!
  8. PLAYER WATCH v Preston North End Each incident in the match was rated on the following scale: +5 GOAL +4 Excellent play +3 Very good play +2 Pleasing/good play +1 Decent play 0 Routine stuff -1 Sloppy play -2 Disappointing/poor play -3 Very poor play -4 Terrible play -5 Own goal The ratings for each player were then combined to produce a measure of the players overall contribution to the match. Ratings Key incidents per player = coloured stars Overall contribution = numbers Pears ** * 3 Nyambe ********** **** 13 Lenihan ***************************** ******* 39 Wharton ********************** ***** 29 van Hecke ****************** **** 24 Pickering ********** ** 16 Travis ************** ***** 16 Buckley (65) *********** ******* 10 Rothwell (84) ************* **** 12 Khadra (75) ********* **** 7 Diaz ************** ** 24 Johnson(65) ********** * 17 Dolan (75) * 1 Edun (84) * * 0 Highlights and Lowlights (A justification for the main ratings given above) Absolutely atrocious weather at Ewood today; the rain has been falling for hours and is still lashing down. The pitch is pretty much water-logged and every bounce of the ball causes a highly visible splash. Every pass is in danger of falling short as the ball is held up by the soggy surface. 00 First long throw from Riis into the Rovers box. An attacker beats Travis and Lenihan to the ball but his header loops high and safely into Pears’ hands. These long throws could be dangerous in these conditions. 03 Great ball behind the Rovers defence from Evans on the Preston right wing puts Browne clear just outside the D. Fortunately the pitch holds the ball slightly and Lenihan and Nyambe manage to get back. Browne avoids them and is still in control but his shot is scuffed wide and rolls harmlessly by the left post. 04 It’s noisy down at Ewood. For the second time, Khadra tries to be too fancy and is dispossessed. It’s not the game for that kind of stuff! 08 Lenihan rushes to take a free kick near the half-way line but it’s blocked by Browne who hasn’t retreated 10m. Wharton tries to clear up but heads the ball back to Browne’s feet. It’s dangerous but van Hecke intercepts the attempted through ball and clears downfield. 11 Preston’s long ball game is causing Rovers problems. Evans puts Lenihan under pressure but again van Hecke tidies up. 12 Rothwell, who’s been very quiet, robs an opponent midway in the Preston half and he’s haring towards the left side of the box. He checks his run, the full-back slips and Rothwell slides the ball to Travis in the D. He is slow to react and a defender comes in to challenge making Travis scuff his shot badly. That was a chance but probably the water held up the ball more than Travis anticipated? 13 I think this is the first time Pickering has touched the ball with purpose! He’s far upfield supporting Khadra with determination and blocks the ball out for a throw-in. A Preston pass holds up in the water near half-way and Diaz is on to it. He beats Cunningham and runs into the right side of the box. He attempts to square the ball across the 6 yard box but it’s deflected and Buckley picks it up near the byline on the left. This time Cunningham outjumps Diaz as Buckley’s cross comes in and Preston clear. Lenihan applies an unnecessary agricultural challenge to Browne on the Preston left and gets a yellow card. 19 Most of the recent play has been in Rovers half. We can’t launch any decent attacks and Preston keep to their successful long ball strategy. 20 Wharton wins his aerial challenge and Khadra just leaves Buckley a bit short with his touch but Buckley slides into the challenge and wins the ball. Rothwell picks it up and fires a nice long low pass out to the jet-shoed Khadra to chase on the wing, 10m out. Khadra beats his man and puts in a good cross but the defender gets in front of Diaz and heads to Buckley on the penalty spot. He can’t control it first time but recovers, does a drag back, creates space and fires towards goal…….Commentator Warren Lucy’s groan can be heard on Bolton Road as Buckley’s left -footed effort is well and truly scuffed along the floor gently to the keeper. 22 The rain’s slackened apparently but Rovers are playing too much intricate stuff. This time van Hecke leaves his pass short and Preston re-gather. Eventually Preston press forward and a ball into the box is intercepted by van Hecke but he simply passes to McCann just outside the box. Happily his shot is well off-target. 28 For the third time in as many minutes, Lenihan intercepts decisively and fires the ball forward and we end up with a throw-in deep in Preston territory. 29 He’s there again, 3 headers in ten seconds! More sustained Preston pressure. We just can’t exert any control, losing most of the second ball contests. Another Riis long throw. It bounces around in the box until Rothwell blocks and it’s a corner! And here’s a training ground move as the corner is hit low to the near post for Evans to flick a shot in. Great reaction save from Pears as he dives low to his left and manages to gather the loose ball before anyone else can react. Good save! 35 Preston attack from a free-kick on their right and Pickering can’t stop Evans crossing into the box but it’s too long and the attack fizzles out. 37 Travis commits a foul in the middle of Rover’s half. The free-kick comes in and Nyambe is beaten in the air. The header drops near the penalty spot and Travis rushes to clear but again Preston are first to the loose ball. Eventually another cross comes and Evans gets there before van Hecke but he can’t get good contact and it’s well wide and a goal kick. 42 We earn a free-kick near halfway on the right. At last we send up the big guns…….Lenihan and van Hecke but Rothwell sends a low flat ball down the wing for Diaz but it all falls to pieces as Preston easily clear the poorly directed ball. What a waste! To make matters worse, Buckley passes straight into touch! Lenihan and van Hecke splash back dejectedly to our half. 43 Stranger and stranger! Van Hecke wins another aerial challenge but before Rothwell can collect, he’s obstructed by the ref who stops play. He then decides to give the drop ball to PNE with no obligation to return the ball to Rovers. Mowbray is apoplectic and is shown a yellow card! Amazing stuff! The crowd are fully awake! Another free-kick presents Earl with a shooting chance from the edge of the box but it’s high. 46 Half time: A barrage of high balls has kept our 3 centre-halves on their toes. Fortunately they’ve coped well so far but Preston are on top and we have to find some answers second half! 60% possession to PNE! 45 Well, this is better immediately! Van Hecke to Nyambe to Buckley to Diaz down the right wing. Diaz gets a cross in but the defender heads clear. More nice stuff as Buckley wins his challenge and slips a delightful ball through to Khadra at the left corner of the box. He beats the first man but not the second. Disappointing end - he tried to do too much again. 48 Pears puts a free-kick straight into touch! 49 Another long throw from Riis and van Hecke heads away but only as far as McCann - his shot is blocked away. Earl returns but Pickering gets in a nice interception, Buckley flicks a lovely ball down the wing for Khadra who races forward but is challenged and has to settle for a throw. Unfortunately it all comes to nothing in the end with a poor Lenihan cross straight into the goalie’s hands. 52 Pickering takes a throw to Buckley near the left corner flag. He’s closely marshalled by 2 defenders but manages to scoop the ball past them to Khadra who immediately crosses to find Diaz on the left corner of the 6 yard box. Ben’s glancing header is of the highest quality and the ball whistles into the net near the right post. Pure quality from start to finish! The crowd are on their feet. EIEIEIO! 55 Wharton fouls a Preston man midway in the Rovers half on their right. Whiteman delivers a wicked cross behind everyone and it’s a relief to see the ball go out of play for a goal kick. 57 Lots of half challenges around the Rovers box until Pickering finally gets in the important challenge to end the messing about….goal-kick. Good stuff from Harry! 58 More nice work from Evans sets Riis free on the left wing. He turns Lenihan inside out before delivering a quality cross into the 6 yard box but Pickering is there again to make the crucial intervention. Finally we get a goal-kick. 63 Lenihan wins a couple of headers but Evans takes him out on the second one. Rovers players charge in to protest. Van Hecke gets pushed over and as he jumps to his feet seems to catch Cunningham accidentally with his head. Now he falls to the ground! Oh dear! Van Hecke can’t believe he’s being booked! 65 Buckley off, Johnson on. It’s not been ideal conditions for John but he’s getting a great ovation. Johnson is in immediate action as he wins two robust aerial challenges. I like it. We get a throw in. 68 Nyambe holds off 2 defenders and runs to the box where he is scythed down….no foul!! Then Travis commits an innocuous foul and is booked! Go figure! Another Riis long throw, Johnson gets up and Lenihan clears with a bicycle kick. A cross comes in from Riis and this time Wharton plants his body between the goal and Evans…Evans falls over and claims a penalty….dream on! 70 Nice interplay on the left wing between Rothwell, Pickering and Khadra and Harry wins a throw near the corner flag. 71 Khadra wins a corner. Rothwell delivers and Johnson’s header is blocked but Johnson recovers the ball and passes back to Rothwell who puts his head down and…..runs the ball out of play! Johnson has made a real difference since he came on with his physicality and energy (yes really!) here his sliding tackle forces an error. Pickering is much more involved too. A bit of sustained pressure from Rovers. 75 Diaz wins a corner. Khadra off, Dolan on. A huge cheer for Dolan. 82 A bit of Preston pressure around our box. Earl on the left plays the ball against Nyambe’s outstretched arm………..big claims for a penalty but thankfully they are ignored! Evans is booked! Huge let off! 84 Rothwell off, Edun on. 87 Another aerial challenge won by Lenihan, Pickering chases it and lofts a long ball to Diaz on the left wing. Diaz uses his strength and controls well, he beats his man brilliantly and storms towards goal. With the inside of his right boot, he tries to bend a shot from the edge of the 6 yard box but the keeper goes down at the near post to save. Dolan can’t quite get there but it falls to the unmarked Travis on the edge of the box. He has plenty of time but his shot is awful and flies high and wide! 90 Panic ping pong in the box until Pears falls on the ball. Van Hecke claps him on the back and Travis slaps his hand! Prepare for more nervous nineties! (5 minutes). 91 Edun gives away a free-kick on our left wing. The high ball comes in and van Hecke is beaten in the air, more ping pong, it’s off Lenihan’s knee then finally Nyambe clears acrobatically from the edge of the box. Diaz sprints to apply some pressure on the Preston man who is forced to pass back to his keeper. More seconds consumed! 94 Rovers throw and Johnson lobs a long ball for Diaz to chase. He’s offside but he keeps chasing the ball and a lot of time is run down! 95 Preston fire one last chance into the box and Johnson heads clear. He’s been a really effective sub today….The whistle goes and the players embrace. Big lap of honour. It’s been a hard match to assess. Too many disjointed incidents and not a lot of quality due to the conditions. I did my best.
  9. PLAYER WATCH v Stoke City Each incident in the match was rated on the following scale: +5 GOAL +4 Excellent play +3 Very good play +2 Pleasing/good play +1 Decent play 0 Routine stuff -1 Sloppy play -2 Disappointing/poor play -3 Very poor play -4 Terrible play -5 Own goal The ratings for each player were then combined to produce a measure of the players overall contribution to the match. Ratings Key incidents per player = coloured stars Overall contribution = number Kaminski (55) ******* * 10 Nyambe ************** *** 14 Lenihan ***************************** ****** 33 Wharton ********************* ** 29 van Hecke ********* *** 11 Pickering ******* **** 6 Travis **************** ********** 8 Buckley ******************* ***** 24 Rothwell (72) ********** ***** 14 Khadra (67) ******* ** 12 Diaz ********** ******* 6 Pears (55) ** * 4 Dolan (67) ** **** -2 Davenport (72) ** 3 Highlights and Lowlights (A justification for the main ratings given above) 04 There’s not a lot happening so far. Kaminski just put the goal-kick straight out! It must be cold over there as Kaminski’s got his red longjohns on! 06 Vrancic receives the ball in midfield and leaves Travis in his wake. Eventually a cross comes in from the Stoke right wing and Kaminski takes responsibility. He gets a glove on it at the far post to push it well clear as a Stoke man charged in. He receives congratulations from a couple of teammates. 07 A good, strong, cheer-raising challenge from Lenihan sees the ball fly downfield at high speed. 08 Good, high pressing from Rovers. Neat back-flick into our half from Stoke but Travis stops that nonsense by pulling Brown back by his shirt! Lucky not to get a yellow card for that. Fortunately they stuff up the free-kick by fouling Diaz when it looked dangerous. 10 Wharton puts through a glorious length of the field pass into the inside left channel for Diaz to chase. The keeper comes out to meet him and from 20m Diaz tries to bend the ball round him with the outside of his right foot. Sadly it bends too much, missing the right post by a metre or so. A good run but, on his current form, a slightly disappointing finish. 11 More good pressing from Rovers and Khadra forces Stoke to concede a throw-in. 12 Nice distribution from van Hecke finds Buckley on halfway. He goes on a good run and squares the ball to Rothwell who tries a shot from 25m. It’s a poor effort and way off-target. 13 More good pressing, this time Buckley forces the hurried clearance. 15 Travis wins the ball in midfield and Buckley takes it up gliding past the Stoke man with ease. Diaz is in acres of space to the left but Buckley’s pass is poor and intercepted. Rothwell wins the ball in midfield and Travis takes it on before squaring to Diaz just outside the box. He nutmegs the defender who then crashes into him and both fall to the floor. No foul but the commentators are incredulous, Mowbray appeals with arms widespread. 17 Nyambe gives the ball away and Stoke attack. They make their way into the box and Lenihan gets his foot in, allowing Travis to boot clear. Dangerous….all stemming from that sloppy Nyambe pass. Lovely long pass by van Hecke and one of the Stoke defenders slips allowing Khadra to take the ball. He gets Nyambe involved on the right wing but the move fizzles out and Stoke clear. 18 Rothwell drives forward from our own half and from 30m slides the perfect ball for Khadra to chase into the box. He tries to lob the ball to the far post where Nyambe is waiting but a defender just gets the slightest of touches to put the full-back off and the ball bounces harmlessly off the top of Nyambe’s head! 20 Lenihan is winning a lot of aerial challenges. Here goes another one! 22 A long ball comes into the box and a back-pedalling Lenihan heads out but only to a Stoke player. Nyambe, Wharton and Travis are all trying to kick the ball out of the D but the ball refuses to leave! Finally, it rolls back to Vrancic who shoots but he doesn’t catch it cleanly and Kaminski saves comfortably. 23 Another nice long pass from van Hecke finds Diaz on the left wing. He controls well and lays it off to Pickering. Lots of players get touches but it’s not dangerous. Buckley gets the ball just outside the box and tries to glide past several defenders but he loses the ball and the attack collapses. 27 Rothwell picks up the ball on the centre spot and hares downfield leaving 3 or 4 defenders in his wake. He goes to curl the ball into the bottom right corner from the D but it’s comfortably wide. It would have been a fantastic goal but, in truth, it was a disappointing end! 31 Travis tackles from behind 18m out on the Stoke left wing conceding a free-kick. Kaminski punches the incoming cross clear. 34 Buckley receives the ball from a throw and goes on a mazy run through Stoke’s half before releasing to Khadra in the D but he is quickly dispossessed Khadra, on halfway, lobs a lovely long ball to Diaz near the D but he can’t control it and Stoke get the ball back. 36 Rovers are keeping the press on and the home supporters are baying their disapproval at Stoke’s lack of ambition. Great stuff! 38 A lot of poor passes going begging. Travis this time. 39 Buckley and Travis put in weak challenges in our midfield and Stoke move forward. Nyambe intercepts in the box and Lenihan boots clear. 41 We continue to hoof long balls down to Khadra. On this rare occasion we benefit as Khadra is fouled! The free kick comes to nothing, however, as Khadra receives and tries to beat one defender too many. 42 Rothwell receives on halfway and moves forward. He does a nice 1-2 with Khadra before feeding Pickering on the left side of the box. He crosses but it’s just too far ahead of Diaz. Nyambe chases and wins the ball and releases to Khadra but his cross is just too high. Nyambe receives again as we maintain the pressure and he wins a corner. Eventually it all fizzles out as Rothwell is caught offside. HALF TIME: not a great game of football but I enjoy watching our home-grown players (and the other youngsters) earn their spurs. 46 Lots of short passes as we work our way upfield until that one careless pass ends it all….Travis at fault this time. Stoke storm forwards. When the cross comes in Nyambe chests it down to Kaminski. 49 From a throw-in, Stoke work their way across field to their right wing. The winger cuts inside Pickering and Rothwell is ball-watching as the ball is squared to Sawyers just outside the D. His shot is low and may just have been going in by our left hand post. Kaminski got down well to save it anyway with a full length dive...but he’s injured himself! Corner! 50 The ball comes in and Nyambe is beaten in the air, it’s bouncing around until Wharton hoofs it downfield. The ball comes back and Vrancic on the wing teases Wharton as he approaches the box. Wharton can’t get an effective challenge in but he does enough to put Vrancic off and the shot, from the D, is well wide. Stoke are complaining that Wharton had the last touch. Goal kick. 51 Diaz controls the long ball and lays off to Buckley who tries to beat 2 men but is quickly dispossessed in the centre circle. Buckley chases after the ball and an attempted Stoke clearance hits him and bounces to Khadra halfway in the Stoke half. He controls the ball on his knee and runs forward with 4 defenders around him. Diaz is occupying 2 of them and, from the right edge of the D, he unleashes a fantastic shot low and hard into the back of the net. Out of the blue that one! 55 Kaminski hasn’t recovered from his injury so he’s off and Pears is on. 57 One of Rothwell’s trademark tackles from behind…..conceding a free-kick. Nice tackle by Buckley on our right wing sends Khadra away but he stands on the ball and possession is lost. Stoke counter-attack. Wharton prevents the cross coming in but it’s a corner. All eyes on Pears! Thirteen men in the box! Pears runs to the front post to punch the ball out of play. Good lad. But it’s another corner! They take it short but stuff up and Travis runs it clear. He lays off to Diaz who pushes the ball well into the Stoke half and it’s a kick and chase against 2 defenders. Diaz may not be favourite to get there first but they have to foul him and it’s a free-kick 30m out. Good stuff, that got the fans screaming! Rothwell puts in a great cross, Wharton goes up but it’s a fraction too high. It falls to Lenihan immediately behind him 1m from the byline, on the edge of the 6 yard box. He strikes the ball first time and I swear it’s going in until Chester, on the goal line, gets something on it to keep it out. Amazing! Lenihan and Diaz calling for a hand-ball penalty but they’re ignored. 61 Buckley wins the ball in Stoke’s half, drives forward and wins a corner. 67 Dolan on, Khadra off. 70 Rothwell puts a lovely long ball down the right wing for Dolan to chase…...Oh! Dolan is easily outpaced by the Stoke man. We don’t often see that! It looked as if Dolan was struggling! 71 Rothwell repeats the same pass to Dolan but this time he’s on his own. He gets a cross in but it’s headed away. 72 Rothwell off, Davenport on. 73 A few nice touches from Buckley recently. Here he flicks a throw-in for Dolan to chase to the byline but Dolan’s offside…...then he gets booked for holding on to the ball. 74 Nice threaded ball down the line from Nyambe for Dolan to chase and this time he isn’t out-paced by Chester. Dolan runs to the box, beats his man and is brought down. Yellow card for Chester. Well done. Pickering’s free-kick is too close to the keeper who collects easily. 78 Travis loses the ball in midfield and Stoke attack. It looks dangerous until Wharton puts in a fine interception off the toes of a Stoke man in our box. 84 Lenihan takes a free kick just inside Stoke’s half. He flights it beautifully across field to Dolan who controls well and beats his man. He runs into the box but his shot is disappointingly well off target. 86 Buckley picks up the ball just inside the Stoke half, on the right. He draws 3 men towards him before sliding a perfect ball to Diaz in the box. He only has the goalie to beat, from 12m out, but the keeper saves with his knees. Very similar to the situation where he scored the scorcher against Bristol…..but not such a tight angle. 88 Pickering joins Nyambe, both being booked for time-wasting at a throw-in! 89 Buckley sets off on a run but is clattered midway in the Stoke half. Yellow card for Wilmot. 90 Diaz booked for time-wasting. SEVEN nervy minutes of extra time! 93 Stoke work the ball forward and from 40m Tymon whips in a wicked, Buckleyesque ball on to the penalty spot where Vrancic (I think) meets it as van Hecke challenges. Pears had started to come for the cross and was slightly wrong-footed but he makes a great save low down to put the ball over the bar. Van Hecke let the Stoke man get the wrong side of him but maybe managed to put him off a bit! Lenihan heads away the corner comprehensively! He was fouled too. Rovers fans in full-voice now! 94 Diaz offside. Stoke launch the ball long, a cross comes in and Nyambe heads away. But it comes straight back…...Tymon on the Stoke left flights the ball to the far post where Fletcher rises to beat Wharton and heads square across goal …..it’s panic time in the 6 yard box as Davenport throws himself into the air and misses everything and van Hecke manages to kick clear. Stoke regain possession until Buckley robs Vrancic and sends Dolan scampering down the wing. Eventually Buckley runs it out of play near the corner flag. 95 Travis just fails to pick the pass to send Diaz clear. Rovers looking tired now and it’s boot it as far away as you can time! A huge roar erupts as the Stoke fans disagree with the Man of the Match award! 97 Full-time whistle! The usual nerve-wracking final few minutes but I enjoyed that. Rovers are turning into a proper, likeable (and young) team but still lots of rough edges.
  10. Such is the roller-coaster ride of Rovers' rampant and ridiculous rabble of ragamuffins, that it seems no-one (else) feels capable of stepping forward to preview the game against Championship whipping boys Peterborough United this coming Wednesday (yes, less than 48 hours away and not a word, not a peep, not a whisper of a match thread). Till now. To the Board's rescue comes the mighty, but largely clueless, keyboard warrior formerly known as Wild Irish Rover, but now oddly monikered 'WIR Second Coming' ever since a strange clash with a long gone Mod in the dark days of goodness knows when. Long ago. I digress. Wednesday evening sees the return to Ewood Park of Darren Ferguson's Peterborough United (theposh.com) with the two sides poised for an epic, if somewhat baffling, battle of half wit / half worry-wort with there being only one clear winner - the weather. Posh are in something of a tail-spin sitting at 22nd in the division, having won only twice since September, and collecting only 3 points from their past 5 games. Rovers are in much healthier shape, going into the game having taken 10 from a possible 15 points, even whilst establishing a new club record for a home defeat along the way. Ferguson is apparently regarded as an up and coming manager in the game of association football, so far being saddled with a less than glittering track record to date taking in the heady heights of Posh (currently his 3rd stint), Preston Knorr Th'End and Doomcaster Rovers where no trees were torn up, or football boots thrown in dressing room spats despite his being the spawn of a Red Devil. Head to head over the years has been unpredictable, other than to say you can predict the next game is going to be unpredictable. It looks like there has never been a scoreless draw between the sides, so perhaps lump on some cash at the bookies. No, perhaps not. Rovers' propensity to vacillate continued at the weekend of course, with the same group of players that gave a footballing and motivational lesson to a side only just out of the Premier League being harried, bruised and battered off their stride by a very poor bunch of cider-quaffing louts. Only the kwality of our Plastic Chilean mascot rescued a difficult point from our otherwise huff and puff / lack of Arte et Labore - long may El Diaz continue to bosh in the goals in such fine 'Gamst Stylie' I say. Players who have graced (or disgraced) both teams include... Derek Dougan - (Centre-Forward, turn-coat and late of this parish since 2007) (a chorus of loud boos from many a Rovers die-hard, or at least those who are still alive despite being able to recall the treachery associated with that name). Bit of a Posh Doog, at the time, no doubt. Serhat Tasdemir (Attacking Midfielder born in Blackburn) - Finding players who've been at both clubs is definitely a trivial pursuit opportunity - but apparently this chap was released by Rovers and is now plying his trade with Barnet, having made some appearances at London Road. Niall Mason (Defender / Defensive Midfielder) - early career featured a spell with Rovers, eventually signing professional terms with Aston Villa but never appearing for them, and instead arriving at the Posh via another Rovers (doomcaster). Prediction for Wednesday Evening? Heart says Rovers have to stamp some kind of authority on this one, despite being dictated to by Brizzle at the weekend - So perhaps a fine 2-0 Head says you can only bank on being baffled at the mind-games played so expertly by our gloriously deluded leader as we hurtle towards kick off. Could go either way, but based on form alone, plus the Posh' awkward 'habit' of taking the game to Rovers at Ewood, an unsurprising result might be 2-3 in Fergie time. I won't be there - am having to self isolate with the family, and can confirm that this Covid thing is real. Currently completely unable to taste or smell anything - NOTHING AT ALL - which is a weird thing. All I can say is, I still expect a strong whiff of bullshit emanating from Ewood Park in the run up to the game, but I am hoping that it will be the sweet smell of victory for the mighty Blue & White, rather than the stench of bewilderment for the few hardy souls brave enough to venture out for this one. O Come on Ye Blues!
  11. PLAYER WATCH v Peterborough United Each incident in the match was rated on the following scale: +5 GOAL +4 Excellent play +3 Very good play +2 Pleasing/good play +1 Decent play 0 Routine stuff -1 Sloppy play -2 Disappointing/poor play -3 Very poor play -4 Terrible play -5 Own goal The ratings for each player were then combined to produce a measure of the players overall contribution to the match. Ratings Key incidents per player = coloured stars Overall contribution = number Kaminski **** 9 Nyambe ************ *** 13 Lenihan ******************* ******** 26 Wharton ********** *** 14 Ayala (25) **** ** 6 Pickering ******************* ********* 18 Travis ****** ************ -4 Buckley (67) **** ********* -1 Rothwell *************** *********** 26 Dolan *************** **** 18 Diaz (60) *********** ****** 15 Johnson (25) ******** **** 7 Khadra (60) ****** **** 3 Butterworth (67) *** ** 1 Highlights and Lowlights (A justification for the main ratings given above) 02 Buckley is fouled 20m out just to the right. Pickering’s attempted shot is disappointingly high and wide! 03 Some sloppy work by Buckley; Rothwell retrieves the ball but passes it straight into touch. It’s a gloomy atmosphere down at Ewood! 04 Some nice interplay approaching the box between Travis, Diaz and Rothwell presents the ball to Rothwell in the D but his side-footed shot is weak, low and straight at the goalie. A disappointing finish to a good move! 07 Posh attack down the middle and Pickering allows himself to be drawn central leaving the winger unmarked. He receives the ball and crosses unchallenged. Fortunately Ayala is on post in the box to clear. 12 Posh having a bit of the ball but they’re not doing much with it. They look a distinctly average side so far. Oh! Pickering allows the winger to get his cross in again! Wharton heads clear for a United throw. 14 Rothwell tries a long ball into the box for Pickering who’s made a good run but it’s too far and runs out for a goal-kick. 15 Pickering picks up a loose pass halfway in the Rovers half and several players take a touch until Buckley receives the ball halfway in the Posh half, slightly to the right. He launches a peach of a cross into the box where Pickering sprints in front of the defender to plant a glorious, powerful header into the top of the net. Pickering ran the length of the field to get there (around the penalty spot). We’ve seen some great goals in the last few games but that’s one of the best! The commentators say it’s reminiscent of Alan Shearer, jim mk2 says Fred Pickering! 19 Rothwell runs over half the length of the pitch and passes to Diaz just outside the box. Ben tries to return the pass but a defender gets his foot in. Disappointing end. United attack and Buckley, Nyambe and Travis all fail to get a foot in. Finally Lenihan applies an agricultural challenge to the impressive Dembele to put an end to all the messing about. Free-kick 30 m out. Harris’s shot is just over the bar. 21 Szmodics near the corner flag goes past Rothwell with ridiculous ease and puts in a good cross but Ayala is there to head clear. 22 Thompson messes around with the ball in his own area and is nearly dispossessed by Diaz! 25 Hmm, again Pickering allows his winger to get in an unchallenged cross. Fortunately Wharton is on the penalty spot to put the ball out for a corner. I didn’t think we’d see this so much once we got rid of Bell! Kaminski collects the ball at full stretch. He’s hardly seen the ball! Johnson on for the injured Ayala. 28 A cross from the left by Diaz is headed out for a corner as Dolan lurked. Rothwell’s cross is too near the keeper who collects comfortably. 30 Buckley tries to thread the ball through to Diaz but it’s a poor pass and it runs to the keeper. 31 That’s a nice through ball from Posh for Szmodics but Johnson is quick to run to the edge of the box and dispossess him and we get a goal-kick. 33 Pickering has been drawn away from the wing again and right winger Ward receives the ball in the box, in bags of space. He cuts the ball back perfectly for Szmodics but Wharton is there on the 6 yard line to make a crucial block from 2m. Apparently Ward was given offside...he definitely was not! Wharton is having a fine game so far. Maybe Diaz or someone else needs to come back and help? 34 Oh my! That man Thompson is at it again. He receives the ball in no danger but Dolan does his irritating pest impression nipping at his heels. Thompson does a pirouette on the edge of his box and Dolan gets his foot in, the ball is rolling towards the keeper but Dolan chases and gets there first and squares the ball to Diaz who taps into an empty net. The easiest goal he’s scored all season. Thompson, understandably, has his head in his hands! 36 Diaz offside. 44 Rovers get a free kick 25m out in line with the right edge of the box. Rothwell delivers a perfect ball to the left corner of the 6 yard box where an unmarked Lenihan meets it, heads down hard into the ground and the ball bounces into the net. Too easy! 45 Dolan drew the foul for that last free-kick and he’s just been clattered again. A bit further out this time. I’m not sure it’s a healthy way of playing the game though! 46 For a moment Lenihan has visions of further glory as he tries a long pot from nearly 30m. Sadly reality hits as the ball soars into row Z and the whistle goes for half-time. 47 Rothwell’s tackling technique comes into question as Dembele leaves him in his dust. He feeds Ward unmarked again on the right wing. Pickering can’t keep up and the cross drops on the penalty spot. The first Posh man misses the ball by inches but Lenihan is there to hook away and make sure it doesn’t reach the second man. Very close shave. Good grief! Taylor runs down the left edge of our box and a chasing Travis looks knackered. Lenihan and Johnson can’t deal with the cross and Harris, in the 6 yard box, somehow manages to put the ball over the crossbar!! That was a closer shave! 48 This is getting ridiculous! Diaz plays a poor backpass on halfway. It’s intercepted and lands at the feet of Dembele. He runs forward and slides the ball past the last defender, Lenihan, into the path of Szmodics. It’s one on one with Kaminski who goes down to parry away the shot brilliantly. It could be 3-3………..really! But wait, there’s more! Buckley loses out in a tussle near halfway, Rothwell’s challenge is ineffective and Szmodics gets the ball in the box again but Lenihan puts in a block near the byline and it’s a corner. Diaz blocks at the near post, Dolan receives in the box, turns and falls flat on his face hoping for a foul - but it’s not! United get the ball back. Nyambe deflects an attempted cross and after some sloppy play all round Rothwell mis-controls and Posh attack again. As the ball enters the box, Lenihan hoofs it away. 50 It’s a half-hearted attempt at a tackle by Buckley on halfway and Taylor’s away. Johnson slides and manages to get the slightest of touches on Taylor’s well-directed through ball into the box. It’s enough to slow things down but Harris still gets there first. He squares the ball but Pickering takes it off the toes of the incoming Posh attacker and clears. 51 Diaz fouls on halfway. We can’t get any momentum this half! Dolan’s persistence wins a corner. Pickering fouls in the box. Diaz dribbles the ball away stupidly and gets booked! 56 Pickering heads the ball neatly to Rothwell on the left wing. He clips the ball past the defender cleverly and runs into the box. He passes to Dolan 15m out who swivels and shoots but the defender is too close and manages to block the effort. 59 Rothwell intercepts a loose pass on halfway and charges forward. Diaz makes his run into the inside left channel and Rothwell finds him perfectly. Diaz takes 2 touches into the box, the keeper comes to meet him but, from about 10m out Ben crashes the ball past him and into the net. Great finish. Very subdued celebrations all round! That’s it for Diaz, he’s replaced by Khadra. 62 Dolan doing his dancing feet thing near the corner flag is in danger of getting both legs broken but, in fact, he wins a corner! 63 A nice chip from Rothwell into the box where Travis controls well and hits a high ball into the goalmouth. Johnson seems to mis-time his jump. Buckley tries a fancy turn but loses the ball. 64 Buckley receives a pass on halfway but mis-controls and falls over. He slaps the ground and United attack. Rothwell and Wharton both fail to halt Dembele’s progress. He passes to the wing and a cross comes in. It’s partially blocked by Johnson but a shot comes in and this time Johnson clears out of the box. But it comes back from Dembele and Harris heads straight at Kaminski. He should have done better! 67 Peterborough passing it around nicely but getting nowhere. Buckley off, Butterworth on. 71 Rothwell goes on one of his runs and squares it to Butterworth 20m out. He shoots and the goalie can only parry it on to the head of Dolan but he’s just offside. The camera pans to the stands and of the 10 people in shot, 3 of them are on their phones. It’s that sort of night! 74 Again Rothwell’s tackling technique in question as he gives away a free kick midway in the Rovers half. Is it important? Yes………….the free kick goes for a corner. The corner comes in low and receives lots of mini deflections as it somehow manages to pass by everyone until Travis hooks it clear! Dangerous! How Kaminski has kept a clean sheet tonight is a mystery. 77 We win a throw deep in the Posh half. Nice flick by Pickering to Khadra who decides to take a shot but it’s far too ambitious and it’s right into the goalie's midriff. 79 Dolan receives the ball midway in United’s half and he’s off but he’s on his own against 2 defenders. Butterworth arrives and takes a shot from 20m but it’s wide. A few tired looking players out there. 80 Blimey, Travis is out on his feet I think! Oh! He suddenly finds enough energy to drop Dembele on halfway! 85 Travis passes the ball straight into touch! He’s gone! 86 A rare attack by United initiated again by Dembele. The cross comes in and Pickering heads clear. Dembele sets up another attack and Kaminski collects the cross. 87 Good, typical Rothwell run but Thompson takes him out with a forearm smash to the head! Accidental they reckon! 91 The final whistle. What a flat night. Nyambe seems to have recovered from his woes last time out. Travis looks exhausted. Rothwell Man of the Match apparently, according to the sponsors. Diaz scored twice but didn’t smile once! In the second half……..against a half decent team, we could have given away a three goal lead!
  12. Hope as many of you can make the trip Bristol on 20 november The "other lot" are at home against Tranmere so you might bump into Tranmere followers en route to Bristol Please buy your match day tickets in advance as their will be no pay on the day and this will not be altered I understand the ticket allocation is 1,500,how are the sales progressing? Just been checking the away folloeing in the last few seasons. 2015/16 953 2016/17 556 2018/2019 ????????? unable 2019/20 659 2020/21 Covis restrictions Match day programmes will be on line only and I am lead to understand they will be FREE to look at on line for match day ticket holders Parking is normally in the streets around the area as long as you are there by 1pm please don't block drive ways or park on corners. COMING BY ROAD Head to avonmouth junction 18 on the M5 and follow the route A4 Bristol Airport along what is known as the Portway under the Clifton suspension bridge and the ground will appear in the distance TRAINS If you are coming down by train,an appeal to purchase the tickets to PARSON STREET station.Its the same price and it gives us(Bristol City) ammunition to get better facilities for the official train station for Ashton gate until we get a new train station opened nearer to ashton gate Train time are XX:27 past the hour which takes you two thirds of the way to the ground and then walk the rest of the way ,although there is a 13:56 departure from Parson Street which is good arrival time for the train from the North of England at 13:40pm On the return its a good time from Parson Street at 17:25pm On your way to the ground we have our statue of John Atyeo in the home section at the Winterstoke Road end Casualty and Holby City were filmed in the City don't ask me about either of the programmes cos I think their both rubbish The young ones was also filmed in the BS7 area of the City(actually its Bishopston) Finally the block of flats on the left behind the dolman stand side as you are in the away end is "the" block of flats in "fools and horses" Bring your camera and turn up early if you want to take any photo's Pubs possibly best one are in the cumberland road basin area novia scotia pump house and the cottage. suggest park your car and then walk to the ground. Harbourside area of the central area is very good BBC Radio station is radio Bristol which has frequencies and 94:9 and DAB (and 95:5 up till 3pm), with full match day commentary on BBC radio Bristol which should be on 94:9(if not it will be on Bristol DAB Bristol seems have become the English Hollywood with recent dramas filmed in the City being The outlawsShowtrial, The Girl Before and Chloe and The Long Call Please circulate to other football sites you deem necessary If you need any further info ask away and I don't bite
  13. PLAYER WATCH v Bristol City Each incident in the match was rated on the following scale: +5 GOAL +4 Excellent play +3 Very good play +2 Pleasing/good play +1 Decent play 0 Routine stuff -1 Sloppy play -2 Disappointing/poor play -3 Very poor play -4 Terrible play -5 Own goal The ratings for each player were then combined to produce a measure of the players overall contribution to the match. Ratings Key incidents per player = coloured stars Overall contribution = number Kaminski ******* ****** 8 Nyambe (66) **** ************ -14 Lenihan ****************************** ****** 37 Wharton **************** ********** 14 Edun ******************* ********** 15 Davenport (59) ********* ** 8 Travis ********* ****** 7 Buckley ********** **** 8 Poveda (43) ***** ** 5 Khadra *************** ****** 14 Diaz *********** ****** 15 Ayala(43) ********************* ****** 30 Rothwell (59) ***** *** 1 Clarkson (66) **** 7 Highlights and Lowlights (A justification for the main ratings given above) 04 Edun gives away a pointless free kick on our left wing, 18 yards out. As the cross comes in an unmarked Bristol man jumps and gets a touch and the ball flies across the face of goal where Wharton, on the 6-yard line, can't avoid it. His body pushes the ball towards the net but Kaminski reacts and saves brilliantly. Wharton recovers to hoof the loose ball out for a throw. (Watching the replay, Khadra is initially stood next to the Bristol danger man but ignores him and simply stands stationary in front of him as the cross comes in.) That's as close to an own goal as you can get! 07 Buckley, midway in the City half, threads one of his signature through balls into the box for Diaz to chase but the keeper just beats him to it. 09 Davenport gives the ball away in midfield and City attack. Wharton and Travis aren't good enough and the Bristol man shoots from the D but it's tame, hits Lenihan and Kaminski collects. 10 A good, strong challenge from Davenport wins the ball in our half. Khadra goes on a long jinking run and then feeds Diaz just outside the box. Ben, under pressure, tries to return the pass but it isn't quite good enough and Khadra eventually gives away a foul. 12 Hmm, we don’t see that too often, the City winger beats Nyambe for pace but Nyambe holds firm, the winger tumbles and, unsuccessfully, appeals for a free-kick. A nice 1-2 between Nyambe and Poveda sees Poveda drive into the box but a defender gets a foot in. 13 Khadra goes on an amazing run from halfway, beating 3 defenders, but the fourth puts in a hard tackle. Khadra falls just outside the box and claims a foul but it's ignored. 16 Travis loses the ball on halfway and City stream forward. O’Dowda turns Nyambe inside-out just outside the box and the ball reaches Bakinson but his goal-bound shot is deflected by Lenihan over the bar. The ball come in from the corner and Wharton just gets his head to the ball before the attackers. Kaminski was flapping a bit. Khadra miscontrols the ball and it’s a City throw. From the throw-in it all gets very hectic and we can’t get the ball out of our half! 18 O’Dowda gets in another cross and Lenihan heads clear again. Khadra, again acting as a useful outlet picks up the ball and runs clear. He passes to Diaz and keeps running. Ben returns a lovely ball into the box but, faced with two defenders Khadra goes down. No penalty....fair enough! 22 Uncharacteristically, and for the second time in as many minutes, Nyambe fails to deal with a crossfield ball towards the wing. He only manages to deflect it for a throw. 25 A nice long ball from Wharton to Diaz but he’s offside. 27 Another City attack and again Nyambe is well beaten as O’Dowda gets his cross in. There’s panic and chaos as the ball bobbles around until Travis clears up and is fouled. 29 Dear, dear......Nyambe’s nightmare continues as he concedes a foul throw in a dangerous position............a present for City’s long throw specialist! It’s panic stations as a Bristol man heads the throw on across goal and Wharton heads behind for a corner. More chaos! Martin heads on at the near post. The Bristol man on the far post somehow swings and misses and Diaz, lying on the floor, manages to kick the ball clear! A big let-off and all because of one careless throw!!! We are not coping with Bristol’s balls into the box. It’s amazing how much more composed we are when Ayala plays. (Hint!) 32 Nyambe misjudges the flight of the ball and has to bring down the City man. Yellow card! 33 A long Bristol ball sees O’Dowda outjump Nyambe 25 m out. It falls to Weimann who returns to O’Dowda near the penalty spot. Wharton slides in to challenge but the ball loops over Kaminski and into the net. Nyambe needs to be taken off...he’s all at sea. It was just a matter of time; we’ve been dire so far! 35 Wharton is caught in possession in our own half, he tries to make amends but crunches Martin. The ref plays advantage and it’s mayhem. Benarous, deep in the box, turns Lenihan inside out but his shot is just wide. Wharton is lucky to escape without a yellow card. 36 From midway in the City half Khadra launches a lovely ball on to the penalty spot where Diaz runs in to volley it beautifully past the goalie. Ben runs off to celebrate; unfortunately he was offside! 43 Poveda off on a stretcher. Ayala on! A strange choice of replacement but somehow pleasing? 47 I make that FOUR headers Ayala has made since he came on. This time it was cleaning up the debris from another corner, given away after some indifferent work by Edun. Nyambe clears the ball downfield. Half Time: A completely different performance than the Sheffield game......from basically the same players! Totally uninspired in every area of the pitch. The stats say no shots, no corners! 47 Davenport carries nicely out of our own half and feeds Khadra, his pass is blocked and Davenport picks up and slips the ball to Edun on the wing. Edun crosses square across the crowded box about 10m out but everyone misses it including the only Rover, Diaz - it was just 1m behind him! 48 Khadra is looking more lively this half and he wins a corner. He takes a short one to Davenport and receives it back. His cross is fisted clear by the keeper. 50 Oh! Nyambe opts to put the ball into touch rather than give a simple back-pass to Kaminski. It’ll be the long throw again! It’s headed clear by Ayala; who else? 56 A tug-back by Ayala, on the wing, gives Bristol a free-kick 18m out. Ayala makes amends by heading the cross clear. 58 A few neat passes find Edun near the corner flag and he gets a cross into the 6 yard box. It’s too far from Diaz who again is the only Rover in the penalty area and the keeper collects under no pressure. Diaz is pleading to his teammates to get up and support him! Lenihan fires a good long ball to Diaz, just in the City half. He runs at the defence and they back off. He squares to Buckley just outside the D and his first time shot is 1m past the left post! A decent effort but Buckley has been very quiet today! 59 Rothwell on, Davenport off. 61 A nice crossfield pass from Rothwell finds Buckley who threads a needle to find Diaz on the edge of the box. He squares to Khadra in the D. Khadra takes one touch and then fires a shot but it’s blocked by the defence. Good grief....I’m not sure why (the camera had panned away) but Kaminski ends up doing a Cruyff turn on the wing! He did it well though...sent the Bristol attacker the wrong way! 62 Wharton, Ayala and Kaminski all get involved in some seriously risky inter-passing until the keeper manages to left-foot it clear! 66 Another tempting ball into the 6 yard box by Khadra but there’s no one to meet it....again! Clarkson on, Nyambe off. Wowee! 68 A lovely long ball from Rothwell finds Khadra just inside the box. He tries to control it on his chest but it bounces to Edun who returns perfectly to Khadra but the final shot is blocked. 74 Buckley takes a throw 25m out on the right. Diaz returns it to Buckley but his cross is headed back to the edge of the box where Diaz is quick to react. From a tight angle and 8m out he smashes the ball into the roof of the net. That is one hell of a finish – great power! 76 Ayala commits a clumsy foul midway in our half. The ball comes in and Kaminski and Ayala get in each others way but Kaminski drops on the ball. Kaminski and Ayala hug each other! 79 Another long throw causes problems but Buckley boots the bouncing ball away from the 6 yard box. Diaz drives out of the Rovers half and passes to Clarkson 30m out on the right. His cross flies over everyone to find the unmarked Rothwell in the box. He can’t control it perfectly but the ball bounces nicely into the air and he volleys it across goal but it’s past the right post by a couple of metres. 80. Lenihan wins a couple of aerial challenges and Khadra shows some good control to feed Diaz on the right wing. He gives it to Clarkson on the edge of the box, his cross isn’t brilliant but Khadra rescues it and flicks it back to Edun. His shot is well off-target and the defenders clear. Rothwell commits a pointless foul. Yellow card. 83 Running back towards goal, Wharton wins the aerial battle but the clearance is picked up by Masengo 25m out. His floated cross is met perfectly by Wells just outside the 6 yard box. Ayala doesn’t get up to challenge. His header is going in the top corner but Kaminski makes a brilliant, flying, one-handed save. Corner. Wharton and Ayala make clearing headers, the ball is fired back but it’s well wide. 87 Ayala wins the ball and brings it forward before delivering a lovely ball for Khadra to chase into the box. Ayala keeps running. Khadra backheels it to Edun who delivers into the 6 yard box but the defender does brilliantly to take it off Ayala’s toes! That would have been a cracker! 89 Another scary long throw! Wharton can only head it straight up in the air; it bounces on the 6 yard line but the Rovers defenders crowd out the Bristol players. Wells puts in another cross and Ayala heads clear! It comes back and Lenihan heads it straight towards a City man but Edun gets back to intercept and boot clear. It comes back yet again but Wells’ shot from the edge of the box is weak and Kaminski collects comfortably. The final whistle goes. A poor game but at least a better second half. Ayala made a big difference to our stability at the back. The scores this week are unusual. Lenihan and Ayala outscore everybody because they were constantly called upon to make headed clearances and interceptions (I usually score them at +2 each). Wharton was ok but his aerial contests are not always dominant. Nyambe had the worst game I’ve ever seen from him and their long throw-in specialist had a field day!
  14. Blackburn Rovers vs. Sheffield United Its preview time once again! This takes me back to when previews were the norm on BRFCS, a simpler, pre Venkys era, where mythical figures like ABBEY, Bob Fleming (still of this parish?) and the nodrog ran riot. The glory days of Premier League mid-table obscurity, where fans bickered over the ambitions of the Walker Trust and hierarchy to push the club forward and how tepid the tactics and football had become under the watch of Big Sam. Self indulgence alert, I think this is the first ''proper'' preview I've done since the Norwich City home game in the fateful relegation season of 2011/2012. On that occasion we were victorious, a 2-0 home victory with goals from El Gato Formica, our OG South American star and Mr days away from signing the contract....Junior Hoilett. With an undefeated run in previous previews, lets hope we can continue the trend! Fast forward nearly 10 years and this bring us to the match this Saturday, Sheffield United at home, and, in a shameless nod to the ''good old days'' I'm going to party like its 2007 and try and give you a classic BRFCS preview. The Form (last 5 games) *Pre the midweek Fixtures Rovers - L D L W W Sheffield United - L W L W L The Opposition The feel good story of the recent, pre pandemic, Premier League. The 2019/20 version of the Blades under stewardship of local manager and boyhood fan of the club Chris Wilder were the team everyone outside of the top 7/8 clubs aspired to be. Powered out of their six year purgatory in League One, by the brilliant man management skills of Wilder, a style, culture and philosophy was born in their historic 2016/17 campaign. In came John Fleck and Jack O'Connell, along with the goal scoring Leon Clarke, plus a solid core of Billy Sharp, who scored 30 goals that season and club captain Chris Basham, along with a crucial switch to the fluid 3-5-2 formation and an EFL juggernaut was born. 2016/17 - League One Champions, 100 points, 14 clear of second placed Bolton Wanderers and 18 clear of 3rd placed Scunthorpe United. 2017/18 - Championship consolidation and a top 10 finish, further shrewd signings of John Lundstram, George Baldock and Enda Stevens laid the foundation for the 2018/19 - Championship runners up and automatic promotion that followed. Oliver Norwood, John Egan and David McGoldrick joined an already well oiled machine to power United back to the Premier League for the first time since 2006/07 and the whole Carlos Tevez affair. Anyone who was at Ewood on 3rd October 2018 will remember that team and their ruthless efficiency as the Blades ran out deserved 0-2 winners thanks to a Billy Sharp brace, in my opinion, one of the most impressive displays I've seen by an opposition Championship team at Ewood in the last several years. 2019/20 - Premier League, after a shaky opening few fixtures, Wilder's men settled impresively into their new surroundings and began to thrive. A top half Premier League team from the middle of October and sat in 7th position in the table with ambitions of Europe as the pandemic struck. Cue the collapse? Yes, but it maybe wasn't as bad as you'd think. Sheffield United's post lockdown record P10 W3 D2 L5 Pts 11 But three defeats in a row at the end of the campaign foreshadowed what was to come. 2020/21 - Premier League, including the last three games of the previous season, the Blades went 20, yes TWENTY, Premier League games in a row without a victory! Not only that, but in that time a home draw against Fulham and a point at the AmEx Stadium was as good as it got! 2 points out of a possible 60. In the relegation zone all season and duly relegated back to the Championship with six games remaining. Wilder was dismissed after 28 games. 2021/22 - Championship, Back to the second tier, now under the stewardship of Slavisa Jokanovic, the Blades have had a mixed start, but remain a real threat due to their talented squad. At some point you feel that the team will 'click' and go on a run of victories, lets just hope its after this Saturday! The Team The lineup vs. Blackpool last weekend. Not to forget squad players Chris Basham Oli McBurnie (Scottish international - £17.5m signing) Billy Sharp Rhian Brewster (England u17 World Cup winner in 2017 - £23.5m signing) David McGoldrick (Irish international striker) Ben Davies (on loan, former Preston defender, signed by Liverpool in February 2021) Rhys Norrington-Davies (Welsh international and part of their EURO 2020 squad) Sander Berge (Norway international - £20m signing) Connor Hourihane (Irish international) Adlene Guedioura Oliver Burke (Scottish international - £6m signing) You really do get the sense of the squad depth and under achieving talent they have at their disposal. A Foot in Both Camps A forum favourite, players who have played for both teams. This one may be harder than most to put a decent team together? Matthew Kilgallon, Jack O'Connell (youth for Rovers), Jordan Slew, Keith Gillespie, Alan Kelly Jr, Nathan Blake, Mark Patterson, Marcus Bent, Andy Morrison, Frank Talia (never made a full appearance for Rovers, but plenty as sub), John Curtis, Alan Wright, Ashley Ward, Craig Short, Garry Flitcroft, Jon Stead, Colin Kazim-Richards, James Beattie, Lee Williamson, Andy Taylor (youth for Rovers), Jay McEveley, Harry Chapman. Managed both Ken Furphy, left Rovers to manage Sheffield United in December 1973. Howard Kendall Coaching connections Brian Kidd, Lee Carsley Famous Fans As you'd expect with a big city like Sheffield, the club has several famous fans. Most famously Sean Bean. Jessica Ennis-Hill, Joe Root, Kell Brook and Paul Heaton amongst other famous Blades. From the archives 146th Anniversary Credit to the club who have made the tickets for this game, the 146th Anniversary of Blackburn Rovers Football Club. £14.60 for Adults in all areas £10 for Seniors £5 for 18-13 year olds £3 for 12-17 year olds £2 for 0-11 I wonder what Messer's Lewis and Constantine would think of how far the club has come since the inception in in 1875. Overall record vs. Sheffield United (1875 - present) 149 previous meetings Rovers 54 victories Sheffield United 59 victories Draws 36 Memorable matches 15th January 1894 - Blackburn Rovers 4-1 Sheffield United - Chippendale, Haydock 2 and Calvey with the goals (first ever meeting) 29th March 1907 - Blackburn Rovers 1-1 Sheffield United - Aitkenhead (the score from the black and white footage above) 3rd March 1930 - Sheffield United 5-7 Blackburn Rovers - Bourton 4, L. Bruton, Puddefoot and J. Bruton (highest scoring match between the two) 19th April 1986 - Blackburn Rovers 6-1 Sheffield United - Garner, Patterson 3, Thompson and Barker. In front of just 4,736 fans. Was anyone from this forum there that day? 16th March 1993 - Sheffield United 2-2 Blackburn Rovers - Sheffield United won 5-3 on penalties. FA Cup Quarter Final Replay 15th January 1994 - Sheffield United 1-2 Blackburn Rovers - A fine Shearer double, as United finish with 9 men! 1st April 2000 - Blackburn Rovers 5-0 Sheffield United - Duff 2, Ward, Ostenstad and Jansen (the first of back to back 5-0 victories on 1st April, see 1st April 2001) 9th September 2006 - Sheffield United 0-0 Blackburn Rovers - Brad Friedel saves two penalties at Bramall Lane! (Neill also missed a penalty for Rovers) 3rd February 2007 - Blackburn Rovers 2-1 Sheffield United - Morten Gamst Pedersen with a dramatic last minute free kick winner (the last time Rovers beat Sheff Utd) Predictions I'll leave that for you to discuss. I hope Rovers can continue their good home record in a tough week against Fulham and Sheffield United. Two victories would really kick start a playoff push! Here's hoping!
  15. PLAYER WATCH v Sheffield United Each incident in the match was rated on the following scale: +5 GOAL +4 Excellent play +3 Very good play +2 Pleasing/good play +1 Decent play 0 Routine stuff -1 Sloppy play -2 Disappointing/poor play -3 Very poor play -4 Terrible play -5 Own goal The ratings for each player were then combined to produce a measure of the players overall contribution to the match. Ratings Key incidents per player = coloured stars Overall contribution = number Kaminski ******* *** 11 Nyambe **************** *** 14 Lenihan ********************** ******* 26 Wharton *********************** ******* 24 Edun *************** ********* 5 Davenport (77) *********** ****** 8 Travis ************** ** 19 Buckley ********************* ***** 30 Poveda (92) ********************** **** 34 Khadra (66) ************* ******** 15 Diaz *************** ********* 18 Dolan (66) ***** * 7 Rothwell (77) ** 3 Butterworth (92) 0 Highlights and Lowlights (A justification for the main ratings given above) 01 A long clearance from United flies down their right wing. Wharton ánd Sharp are in hot pursuit. Wharton is nearer the ball but Sharp is quicker and Wharton is under pressure. He tries to put the ball out but doesn’t make proper contact and Sharp is away. His cross from the byline is perfect and Brewster volleys powerfully into the roof of the net. There’s a big character test ahead! 04 The United fans are still in full voice. Then there’s an excellent long, crossfield ball from Travis to Khadra who controls beautifully, skips infield and beats his man who then has to hack him down just over 30m out. Yellow card. Buckley’s free-kick is headed clear. 06 Lenihan gives a crude foul away midway in our half. Edun, for some reason, decides to stay in midfield leaving Khadra to mark the whole of our left flank! When the United winger gets the ball he passes behind Khadra and into the box. Edun chases but inexplicably falls flat on his face! Fortunately Wharton is well-placed to cut out the cross. 07 Edun fires a nice ball from halfway down the inside left channel to Diaz, 40m out. He goes on one of his runs and the ball is bobbling all over the place, off his knees and ankles, but he somehow bamboozles 3 men until he goes down in the box. It looked like a clear penalty to me, tugged back by Egan - he’d only the keeper to beat! The ref thinks differently, Diaz can’t believe it, Mowbray is screaming at the ref and the crowd roars its fury! 09 Buckley puts a foot in and Poveda is off on a jinky run. He puts a nice ball through to Diaz on the edge of the box but Ben somehow misses the ball! The crowd are wide awake now. Good Rovers pressing. 13 Lovely long ball by Lenihan lands perfectly for Diaz on the edge of the box; he nets but was offside! 18 Good United move sees the right winger get a cross in but again Wharton is in position, in the box, to intercept for a throw. From the throw Edun and Khadra are too easily beaten by White but Travis runs across the box to challenge and it’s another throw. 21 Well placed free-kick by Khadra from midway in the United half but Lenihan can’t quite get there as the keeper hesitates. 27 Buckley dispossesses a United man in midfield and Travis plays a lovely ball to Khadra, 35m out, but it’s poor control by Khadra and the defender slides in to clear. From the throw, Wharton misjudges the ball and United steam forward. It’s dangerous but Nyambe sprints back and manages to get his foot in and Rovers clear up. 28 Lovely through ball from halfway by Poveda finds Diaz on the edge of the box. Ben tries to cut it back to Buckley but it’s blocked. Disappointing, Ben holds his head. 32 Another good free-kick by Khadra from midway in the Sheffield half, on the right (same place as the last one!) into the 6 yard box. The defender does really well to get there just before the ball reaches Wharton! Two quick corners keep the pressure on. 35 A beautiful long crossfield ball by Buckley from halfway falls perfectly for Edun near the corner flag. His cross is blocked but Davenport picks up the loose ball and gives it to Khadra 20m out. Fancy footwork keeps three defenders at bay and he lets fly from the left edge of the D. There’s a slight deflection and the ball hits the back of the net. Nice goal. 37 Wharton misjudges a ball into the box and Sharp pinches the ball. Lenihan’s robust challenge clears the danger. 40 Edun is stranded in midfield again as the ball reaches a totally unmarked Bogle at the edge of the box and where is Khadra? Khadra eventually gets back to deflect Bogle’s shot for a corner. This defensive partnership of Edun and Khadra is just not working though! 41 A good long run by Diaz but his final pass is short…..he picks it up again and feeds Nyambe high up on the wing. His cross finds Poveda in the box and he brings the ball down on his chest but a defender clears it off his toes. Davenport wins it back on the edge of the box but his rushed shot is well over the bar. 43 Poveda is well beaten by Stevens on the wing. His dangerous cross is met by Lenihan but only reaches the edge of the box. Fortunately, this time Brewster scuffs his shot wide. 48 More trickery from Poveda on the right wing before he slips a pass to Diaz in the box. Ben doesn’t control it fully but he follows the ball to the byline and his attempted cross is deflected across the face of goal. Khadra chases it down and some nice interplay sees Nyambe with a chance of a shot on goal but there’s a reason he never scores as the ball disappears into the heavens! 53 A Rovers throw in the United half. Buckley collects and glides between 2 men, he reaches the box and slides a glorious, square, low ball across the face of goal but there’s nobody there to tap in! Then there’s some fancy footwork from Khadra on the left wing which leaves the defender in his wake but his cross is too high. The camera focuses on Travis who is winding everyone up! Great stuff. Then there’s a dangerous length of the field counter move by Sheffield and White receives in the box but Davenport slides in to block his cross….corner. Good lad! 55 It’s loud now! Travis wins a free kick just inside United’s half and takes it quickly to Khadra on the wing. He slips it to Edun who puts a great cross into the goalmouth but Diaz can’t make contact………….close! 56 Fleck fires a lovely ball, from halfway, over our defence, catching out Wharton and it falls to Sharp but his shot is well-saved by Kaminski’s legs. Wharton chases Sharp towards the rebound and puts the ball out for a throw. 58 Good strength from Lenihan wins the ball for Rovers and breaks up a dangerous attack. Poveda picks up near our box, on the right, and starts a long run. He lays off to Travis just inside United’s half. Travis carries forward and Poveda keeps running……..he’s pointing to the right of the box, behind the last defender. Travis threads the ball exactly to that spot and Poveda collects near the byline He squares the ball perfectly for the fast arriving Diaz who nets from 1m. Fantastic goal and Ewood erupts! Terrible swallow dive celebration by Ben but I forgive him. 60 Fantastic, length of the field pass by Wharton finds Diaz who controls well and turns the defender inside out but he’s come too wide and his shot is well off-target. The atmosphere is electric. 61 A Sheffield attack breaks down and Khadra is on the ball in a flash and drives forward with real pace. He lays off to Diaz on the wing and keeps running. Diaz delivers it back to Khadra inside the box but he overruns it. He recovers but the defenders close him down and block the shot. A square ball to the unmarked Poveda would have been a better option! 66 Dolan on, Khadra off. 67 White’s neat turn does both Lenihan and Davenport but his pass into the box is too hard for Sharp and Kaminski collects. White crosses from the left and Davenport makes an important interception but he deflects the ball only inches over the bar. A couple of corners follow and Kaminski punches the second one clear. 68 It comes back and eventually Buckley wins the ball. Diaz picks it up and he’s off, Poveda and Edun are keeping pace with him. It’s 3v3. He slips it left to Poveda on the edge of the box and his first-time shot from a narrow angle is saved at the near post but the keeper can’t hold it. Poveda collects again and does a 1-2 shimmy round the prone goalie and taps the ball past the last defender into the net. Brilliant by Poveda. WE WANT SEVEN!! 71 A fantastic, long, crossfield ball by Buckley bends behind the last defender and lands at Diaz’s feet. Ben takes it into the box but stumbles, falls over and the ball is lost. 73 Poveda, midway in the Sheffield half plays a beautiful, defence splitting pass through to the charging (but well-offside) Diaz. White gets the better of Travis, Lenihan and Davenport so they foul him. 74 Edun is dispossessed in our own half, Travis is nutmegged and White lobs a perfect ball over our entire defence to the feet of Mousset. Kaminski makes a great save, it’s pandemonium as it falls to Mousset again. This time Lenihan blocks 3m out and Wharton gets a crucial foot in …but it falls to White 12m out and his shot crashes against the woodwork and goes out of play! The gods are with us! 76 Dolan does some fancy stuff near the corner flag and gets clattered for his cockiness. Buckley puts the free-kick well over…..disappointing. 77 Davenport off, Rothwell on. 80 I reckon everyone is now thinking “Is there enough time for them to score 2?......or3?” 81 Beautiful lobbed ball by Travis to Diaz on the left wing but he’s offside! 82 The ball comes into the Rovers box, Lenihan’s there to block but it’s not clear. Nyambe thinks he’s shepherded it out but no…...White keeps it in (dubiously!) and crosses. Again Lenihan’s there to put it behind for a corner. 83 Buckley picks up the ball midway in the Rovers half and carries it forward. He releases the inch perfect ball to the pleading Diaz midway in the visitors half. There’s no one in front of him and he runs to the edge of the box but his shot is too near the keeper and it’s saved. 85 White lobs another fantastic ball over our defence to Mousset but he can’t control it and it’s a goal-kick. Kaminski’s kick is weak and Edun can’t get it under control and Sheffield attack. Lenihan and Travis clear up. Eventually Diaz gets the ball midway in United’s half. He does that magical “I haven’t got it under control...but I have really” thing of his and squares it to Buckley. He passes to Poveda who beats 2 men in the D and rolls it forward a metre to Buckley who is free and clear but his shot hits the post. It rebounds to Diaz who completely mis-hits the ball in front of an open goal! He was offside anyway! 90 A lovely floated ball into the box gets the better of Lenihan, Edun and Wharton but the Sheffield player can’t control it and Kaminski collects. 92 A nice touch as Poveda is named Man of the Match….he is subbed for Butterworth…..but gets a standing ovation! 95 The whistle goes and that’s the perfect answer to Wednesday’s debacle! Well done everybody! Another nice scene as Poveda and Khadra come out on to the pitch to wallow in the celebrations.
  16. Courtesy of m1st! Introduction: This game's always a strange one for me. I was born in Blackpool to parents who moved there from Blackburn just before World War 2. Even though I lived there till I was about 25, there was, therefore, never any danger that I would grow up one of the tangerine persuasion. However, while I don't have any strong anti-Blackpool feelings, they are, kind-of, my 'Burnley', if you know what I mean. And if you don't, you surely will by the end of the next section of this preview! Their history: Mike Jackman's History of the Rovers referred to a game played between the two clubs in 1880/81 season, but the present Blackpool club traces its origins to July 1887, when they were founded by a breakaway group from St. John's FC at a meeting chaired by a man called Samuel Bancroft. [Sorry; I haven't had the time to check whether he was related to William Bancroft, Chairman of this Great Club Of Ours in the last quarter of the last Century!] In due course, most of the players from the St. John's team re-joined the breakaways and the new Blackpool team took shape from 1887 onwards, joining the Lancashire League. They spent most of the next few seasons near the top of that League and were eventually admitted to Division 2 of the Football League in 1896. After only three seasons of League Football, they weren't re-elected to Division 2 after the 1898/99 season, which they spent back in the Lancashire League. The following season the club merged with South Shore FC, who had been giant-killers, knocking out Notts County in the 1885/86 season - the one when we won the F.A Cup for the third consecutive season; just saying! The merged club was elected to join the Football League, Division 2 in 1900 but remained in that Division for another 29 seasons - including of course, the two when we won the League title. In the season after we won the F.A. Cup for the then-record sixth time - yeah, that's right; just saying again! - and powered by some epic goalscoring by Jimmy Hampson, they finally joined us in Division One. Pool's first experience of Division One was precarious; and after two seasons of finishing one place above the relegated teams, they slipped back down to Division Two at the end of the 1932/33 season. One season later, they were back in the top Division and indeed for the first time finished above us in the League table. Two seasons after that, 1935-36, Rovers and Aston Villa became the last two of the original founder-members of the Football League to be relegated from the top division. Rovers' first season in Division 2 proved to be Blackpool's last in that Division as they were promoted to Division 1 as runners-up to Leicester City. Both teams finished in the middle of their respective tables at the end of the 1936-37 season while the following season was also a fairly mediocre one both for the Rovers and the 'Pool in their different Divisions. However, as the shadows of World War 2 lengthened, the 1938-39 season ended with Rovers as Champions of Division 2, looking forward to returning to what we on this Board would see as out rightful home! War was declared the morning after the third game of that season and the table after those games showed Blackpool top of the League while Rovers were just above the relegation zone. There were Wartime competitions until the 1945-46 season began after the hostilities had ended. Blackpool usually did fairly well in these leagues which I remember my Dad - a man born with blue eyes! - explaining to me in the 1950s was only because so many footballers were billeted near the Fylde Coast! When League football resumed in the 1946-47 season, both teams were still in the First Division, but our paths diverged at the end of the following season when Rovers were relegated back to Division Two for ten seasons until 'Carey's chicks',as some of the media of the day called them, returned to the top Division. Meanwhile, Blackpool had a golden era with three F.A. Cup Finals from 1947/48, culminating, of course, the famous 1953 Final in which Blackpool beat Bolton Wanderers 4-3 in the last minutes of the game. They also had four players in the England team which Hungary won 6-3 later in 1953. They were definitely THE Lancashire team in the 1950s. So it wasn't good being a Rovers fan at school in Blackpool in this era! 'Pool were comfortable in Division One between the mid-1950s to the mid-1960s and finished in the top-6 in four separate seasons but never finished as Champions. Their best effort was to finish second to Manchester United in 1955/56. The following season Stanley Matthews had been named the first-ever winner of the Ballon d'Or. We returned to Division One in 1958 and the two teams played each other in Division One until 1965/66 when we were relegated. 'Pool joined us the following season but adapted better to Division Two than we did and after three seasons at that level, returned to the top Division in 1969. They only lasted one season at that level and in 1971 returned to Division Two to fill the vacancy our relegation to Division Three had created. They remained in Division Two until they, too, were relegated to Division Three at the end of the 1977/78 season. Our paths diverged three seasons later when 'Pool went down to Division Four while Howard Kendall's Blue and White Army were consolidating the place back in Division Two which we'd won the previous season. 'Pool remained in Division Four for four seasons before returning to Divsion Three in the mid-1980s. As the 1990s dawned, they were owned by the infamous Owen Oyston and had sunk back into Division Four. They were promoted from "the old Division Four" to Division Two of the English Football League - Division Three-really! - in 1992/93, as we became one of three clubs to be founder-members of both the Football League and the Premier League. Yes that's right, Just saying! 'Pool settled in the EFL's Division Two - which is now known as League One - and, with the exception of the 2000/01 season which they spent in the EFL Division Three (now rebranded as League Two) they remained there until 2007/08 season when they won promotion to the EFL Championship. Two seasons later, they won promotion to the Premier League. They couldn't maintain their promising start to the 2010/11 season and slipped back to the Championship at the end of that season. Two relegations in successive seasons saw Pool spend just the 2016/17 season in League Two before winning promotion from there to League One. Under new ownership and management, they won promotion to the Championship via the play-offs at the end of last season. Opponents' Opinion. I've a number of friends who are of a similar age to myself who, if they aren't season ticket-holders at Bloomfield Road, certainly used to be when we were younger. I asked one of these 'lads' the following three questions: Q1. Neil Critchley definitely cut the mustard as a League One boss last season, but can he hack it at the Championship level? A. "His philosophy is to play football from the back, which is a refreshing change from previous managers. "This approach has led to higher presses with players sometimes getting caught in possession. That said, he sticks by his principles. He's a track-suit hands-on manager, known from his Liverpool Youth team days, who targets younger recruits in whom he sees potential. "So it's still early days, but confidence remains that he can get us moving in the right direction." Q2. How do you think you're settling into the Championship? A. "It's been a tough start all right, but Critchley doesn't panic and this conveys itself to the players. "There have been some tough games so far but the effort the team's put in hasn't been reflected in the results and no-one's outplayed us. We've a team which has a mentality of keeping going to the end, so beware! "There were some good transfer deadline deals which were especially needed as we've suffered with injuries. "The reinforcements at the back look good, although we're perhaps missing some midfield flair. The forward line's good and we're expecting further improvements as players adjust to their new environment." Q3. Who should we watch out for danger men among your squad? A. "Up front, Jerry Yates. He's a tireless and ever so confident striker alongside recently-signed N. Ireland international, Shayne Lavery, who's quickly adapting to life in the EFL. "Watch out also for Josh Bowler and C.J. Hamilton who are both wide midfield creators." League Form: It's difficult to offer a prediction on the result, and not just because, until these last two games, neither team had met the same opponent yet this season. Pool's steadily-improving home record from a sluggish start is 2-0-3, while our away record is 1-3-0. Given that we're away, you'd expect us to go for a draw. However, we're also playing a team which is below us, so you'd hope we'd go for a win. Preferably one of Cardiff proportions!
  17. PLAYER WATCH v Fulham Each incident in the match was rated on the following scale: +5 GOAL +4 Excellent play +3 Very good play +2 Nice/good play +1 Decent play 0 Routine stuff -1 Sloppy play -2 Disappointing/poor play -3 Very poor play -4 Terrible play -5 Own goal The ratings for each player were then combined to produce a measure of the players overall contribution to the match. Ratings Key incidents per player = coloured stars Overall contribution = number Kaminski ****** ***** 7 Nyambe *************** ******** 9 Lenihan ************ **** 15 van Hecke (32) ** *** -3 Edun *********** ********** -2 Johnson ************ *** 9 Travis ************* **** 14 Buckley *** *** 3 Rothwell (61) ******** ******** -2 Dolan (61) ****** ***** 3 Diaz *** ******* -7 Carter (32) **** **** 1 JRC (61) **** *** 2 Butterworth (61) ** -5 Highlights and Lowlights (A justification for the main ratings given above) I wasn’t going to do this but decided it was my duty! It’s the most difficult one I’ve done because so many players were culpable for the goals that it was hard to allocate blame. But I tried my best! Let me know what you think! 03 Johnson passes straight to Mitrovic on halfway who notices that Kaminski is off his line and tries a long shot. Off-target fortunately. (Pathetic, half-hearted attempt by van Hecke to block by the way.) Rothwell picks up a loose ball and runs towards the box, he lays off to Edun near the byline but his cross is too close to the keeper. 05 Good, robust challenge by Nyambe wins the ball from Kebano but Rothwell presents the ball back to Fulham with a woeful short pass. They sweep it out to the wing and Reid drives it to the line where he goes past Rothwell with ease and Edun is scared to put a foot in inside the box. Reid puts the ball on a plate for Kebano, near the penalty spot, who gleefully smashes it into the net. 07 Unnecessary risky play around our own box as Fulham put on the press and inevitably Edun gives it away. After many Fulham passes Edun makes a good interception to win the ball back. 10 Decent long ball down the channel from Lenihan but Diaz is offside. 12 Blimey, they’re passing us to death at the moment! 16 Nyambe is done comprehensively by Kebano near the corner flag and the cross comes in. van Hecke hoofs away. But it comes back! Fulham are tearing us apart around the box until Rothwell gets a foot in and a foul on Buckley halts the torment! 17 Impressive attack down the Fulham left but Lenihan is in place at the near post to intercept the cross for a corner. 18 The corner comes in to the near post and Mitrovic swats Nyambe aside to smash his header into the net. What’s that all about? Why put Nyambe on the most dangerous header in the opposition team. Who made that decision? Mowbray before the game or was it the captain’s decision on the field? Dumb! 19 Travis to Nyambe on the wing and he plays a nice ball to Dolan just to the right of the box. Dolan wriggles into the box but his shot is weak and straight at the keeper. Disappointing finish. 23 Travis wins the ball half way in the Fulham half and passes to Buckley who slides a lovely pass through to Diaz inside the box, tight on the right, but his shot, from that angle and distance, is ambitious and well over. 29 van Hecke leaps and attempts to decapitate the Fulham man. Dearie me! Red card all day long. It’s a nightmare from here! Buckley off, Carter on! I’m not sure I would have taken off our most creative player in these circumstances but there you are! 34 We haven’t touched the ball since the re-start. Kebano beats Nyambe again and puts in a flat cross which Lenihan intercepts for a corner as Mitrovic hovered. 38 More neat play from Fulham and this time it’s Nyambe who blocks the cross at the expense of a corner. 41 Neat footwork as Edun beats his man and launches a long ball down the wing but Diaz is offside. That’s hard to forgive as we aren’t creating much and to waste it like that……………. 43 Deja vu. Just like the first goal but this time it’s Wilson who drives to the line and it’s Edun who is done all over before Wilson lays it on the penalty spot and Reed fires at goal. This time Kaminski makes an excellent save. Should be 0-3. 44 Lenihan is caught stranded upfield and Fulham stream forward. Mitrovic runs into the box and Kaminski saves his shot. This time Nyambe out-muscles Kebano and comes away with the loose ball. Half time. 46 Good long run out of defence by Edun, he passes to Dolan and heads for the Fulham D but the return pass is poor and the keeper collects. This is weird; the keeper boots the ball to halfway and Rothwell gets into a minor physical tussle with Wilson and the Fulham man comes away with the ball. Instead of chasing him down Rothwell stands there with his arms spread, complaining pathetically, while Wilson spots Kaminski off his line again and tries his luck. Kaminski scrambles back in vain but luckily the shot, from halfway, is a couple of metres wide. Fulham have obviously talked about Kaminski’s habit of pushing up, he needs to be more careful! 49 A long ball from Lenihan reaches Dolan with the help of Johnson and hares away towards the box. He tries to lay off a short pass to Diaz but again it’s not good enough. Diaz was offside anyway! 50 Fulham the first to every ball. Mitrovic receives the ball in the middle of our half and there’s no one anywhere near him! He puts a perfect through ball into the box for Reid to chase but Kaminski saves the shot. LUCKY! 52 Poor passes from Johnson and Rothwell stunt all momentum as Fulham continue to pass it around with confidence. They stroll through midfield with ease, Travis and Lenihan fail to stop them and Robinson fires wide from inside the box. A bad miss! 53 Carter and Lenihan are defending high up the pitch and Carter is drawn well into the Fulham half. Mitrovic leaves him stranded with a wonderful crossfield ball to Wilson on the opposite wing. Wilson goes past Edun far too easily and nutmegs Kaminski and it’s 0-3. Edun is holding his head in his hands. 55 Nice control by Travis and he finds Diaz just inside the box but he’s offside AGAIN! 57 Nyambe is dispossessed on halfway and a lovely ball through the middle of our defence creates chaos. Edun is drawn right across the field leaving Wilson completely unmarked on Fulham’s right. Mitrovic finds him in the box and he smashes the ball into the net. 59 Nice long ball from Lenihan finds Diaz on the wing and his header finds Edun in the box, he’s tackled near the byline but wins a corner. 61 Rothwell and Dolan off, Rankin-Costello and Butterworth on. 64 Edun wins the ball in midfield and runs forward, then finds Diaz on the wing with a lovely pass. Diaz crosses to Butterworth in the box but it’s intercepted. Apart from rare sorties like this, Fulham are in complete control, different class. 69 We win a free-kick deep in the Fulham half. We send up the big guns but Diaz and Butterworth decide to take a short one and it falls to pieces and the free-kick is wasted! Lenihan and Carter trudge back. But we still have the ball, Diaz receives it near the right corner and beats 2 men and runs into the box. His attempted cross is cleared. From the throw in there’s more neat footwork from Travis and JRC gets a decent cross in but Diaz’s header loops gently into the keeper’s hands. 73 Edun pulls back the winger by his neck. Yellow card. 77 Edun intercepts near our box but he then fouls a Fulham man….again around the neck! It’s a short free-kick and there’s some lovely inter-passing until Kebano gets it deep in the box. He turns so fast that Edun is left for dead and his deflected shot crashes into the net. 80 Fulham totally dominant. Kebano, with the ball, stationary on the wing teases Butterworth then darts past him to deliver a beautiful cross into the 6 yard box. Carter is done by Muniz who puts the ball in the net. 84 Fulham continue to give us a football lesson in all areas of the pitch. Kaminski has had to be agile a couple of times. 89 Reckless sliding challenge from JRC earns a yellow card. Neat football from Fulham again as they sweep the ball across the pitch. JRC is watching Robinson on the wing but allows himself to be drawn towards the ball and Robinson is away when the ball is switched wide. His cross is excellent but Lenihan and Carter have to do better as Muniz beats them to the ball and it’s 0-7. The humiliation is complete!
  18. Setting the Scene Wednesday’s match sees Blackburn facing off against one of the championship’s form teams in Fulham, who have won the last four on the bounce. This includes their latest match, a 3-0 victory over fellow favourite West Brom. However, Rovers also come into the game with two recent victories against Derby and Reading, so we should be in with a chance. With Fulham in 2nd and Blackburn in 7th, the match is great opportunity for us to stake a claim for the playoff positions or for Fulham to cement their status as one of the favourites to go up. The Opposition Having been relegated from the Premiership in 18th position, by a margin of 9 points, Fulham are hoping to return to the promised land at the first attempt. At the end of the season, manager Scott Parker left the club to take up the manager position at fellow Championship favourite Bournemouth. In his place, Fulham brought in Marco Silva, the former Hull City and Watford manager. In the summer, and unlike some relegated clubs, there was not a large exodus of players and in fact Fulham spent ~£12.5 million on bringing in Harry Wilson from Liverpool to add to their attacking options. With all the talent at the club, Fulham were predicted to be towards the top of the Championship. 10 wins in their first 15 games and boasting the league’s highest scoring attack, they are looking likely to fulfil their aim at the first time of asking. Star Man Too good for the Championship (60 goals in 97 games) but perhaps not good enough for the premiership, Serbian striker Aleksandar Mitrović is the man to watch. Having a tremendous year (18 goals in 15 games), we will have to keep him quite to have any chance in obtaining the 3 points on Wednesday. However, just behind Mitrović in the scoring charts, one Ben Brereton-Diaz is having a career reborn (12 goals in 15 games) and let us hope his form continues. Player Connections Fans will be able to spot quite a few former Rovers in the current Fulham team: former loanees Tosin Adarabioyo (red card suspension) and Harrison Reed as well as Fulham captain Tom Cairney. Looking back over the last twenty years I will start off with my least favoured shared connection. Midfield morons Dickson Etuhu and Danny Murphy, and his reported £50k a week contract, enjoyed successful careers at Fulham before we were unfortunate enough to witness them at Ewood. Clinical finisher Andy Cole left Blackburn, after relations between him and manager Graeme Souness deteriorated, to enjoy a successful one year with Fulham. Former Rover Damien Duff enjoyed successful spells with both clubs, making over 100 appearances for each. Premier league winning centre half Ian Pearce finished his league career at Fulham before retiring to non-league football. Competitive Record The first time the two clubs played each other was in the 1920/1921 FA Cup in a 1-1 draw. Since then, Blackburn have played Fulham in 93 total competitive fixtures having won 38, drawn 25 and lost 30. The largest scoring game between the two was when we unfortunately lost to Fulham 7-2 on a Boxing day fixture in Division Two 1956. Our recent record against Fulham has been quite poor, winning none of the last four games, with our last win being a 3-0 victory at Ewood in 2016 with Ben Marshall, Shane Duffy and Danny Graham making up the scorers. Final Thought There is nothing quite so satisfying as a well hit volley Come on you blues!!
  19. PLAYER WATCH v Derby County Each incident in the match was rated on the following scale: +5 GOAL +4 Excellent play +3 Very good play +2 Nice/good play +1 Decent play 0 Routine stuff -1 Sloppy play -2 Disappointing/poor play -3 Very poor play -4 Terrible play -5 Own goal The ratings for each player were then combined to produce a measure of the players overall contribution to the match. Ratings Key incidents per player = coloured stars Overall contribution = number Kaminski *** * 6 Buckley ********* ***** 11 Lenihan ************************** ******** 34 van Hecke **************** *** 23 Edun ********* ***** 10 Johnson ****************** ******* 15 Travis ******** **** 11 Rothwell ************ **** 15 Dolan (74) ******* *** 4 Diaz ************ ***** 19 Gallagher (85) *************** ******* 10 Khadra (74) ** * -1 Poveda (85) * -1 Highlights and Lowlights (A justification for the main ratings given above) 01 Edun receives high up, on the wing, and puts in a great, first-time cross. Gallagher rises at the far post but his downward header goes wide. That’s a bad miss, it should, at least, have been on target. 03 Nice ball down the left wing from Johnson to Gallagher. Sam carries into the box but his shot is weak and wide. 05 Lenihan has to cover the right full-back position as Derby attack. Dolan is drawn in too and is bamboozled near our own corner flag allowing the winger to put in a dangerous cross. Lenihan is still out of position. Thankfully, Edun gets there first but it’s up in the air. Van Hecke hoofs clear. 07 Some nice approach play from our own box, involving half a dozen players. Finally it’s Dolan to Buckley on the wing, 20m out. His cross behind the defence across the face of goal is sublime. Diaz leaps in at the far post to meet it (with his shin I think) but the goalie saves. Diaz follows up and just manages to push it over the line. Derby try to play on but the ref isn’t fooled! 11 Hmm, Lenihan is being drawn forward to challenge more often than usual. No big problem yet but, without Ayala, it’s risky leaving a hole at the back. 13 Gallagher wins a corner on the left. Rothwell delivers to the far post and, under heavy challenge, van Hecke gets in a good header which grazes the right post. 14 Buckley is nutmegged by the winger but the attempted cross is cut out well by Lenihan. 19 Buckley wins the ball and drives over the halfway line drawing defenders towards him. He passes to Gallagher who lays it off nicely to Dolan. Dolan threads the ball through the defence towards the D, Diaz chases and collects and moves into the right side of the box. It’s quite a tight angle but Diaz slips the ball expertly under the keeper and into the net. Great finish! 22 Travis picks up in the middle of the Derby half and plays a neat 1-2 with Gallagher. Travis slips the ball square to Diaz just inside the box but his shot is scuffed and the goalie collects easily. Shame! that was hat-trick time Ben! 24 Good pressing from Rovers. 25 Lenihan leaping out of the line again, this time it’s a foul. Rothwell just seems to be running around at the moment - he’s not contributing much. No tackles, no passes. 27 Shinnie scythes down Gallagher with a crude challenge…..he’s lucky it was just a yellow. The Rovers players are incensed. At least Rothwell’s set-pieces are decent; the free-kick is met by Lenihan who heads back into the box but it’s cleared well by the defence. Corner. 31 Derby attack down their right and Johnson can’t stop the cross coming in from the edge of the box; Sibley brings it down but Lenihan intercepts, in the nick of time, and boots clear. A high ball comes back towards our box and Rothwell allows it to bounce, Lenihan is out-jumped and Travis tries to run clear but is dispossessed. Chaos! Eventually Buckley puts it out for a throw. 36 The commentators mention that Lenihan comes forward again, on the right, to challenge for a header…... further forward than we’re used to. It could be a conscious thing to protect Buckley? 37 Neat footwork from Rothwell midway in Derby’s half and it’s back to Johnson who slides a lovely pass down the wing to Diaz. He approaches the box and lays a beautiful pass behind the last 2 defenders to Gallagher on the far post. Sam fluffs his lines and puts it behind. Bad miss! 38 Bird picks up the ball in his own half and goes past Edun and Rothwell effortlessly. He slips it to Morrison in the box, van Hecke can't get there but his shot is too close to Kaminski and it’s well saved. 45 A loose pass from the Derby goalie is picked up by Diaz who squares the ball to Gallagher on the left edge of the box, he squares to Johnson inside the box but his side-footed shot is saved by the keeper’s legs. It falls to Dolan who takes a touch but then nudges it past the right post. We should be 4 or 5 up! 54 Lenihan brings down a Derby man just to the right of our D. The powerful free-kick goes through the wall and a diving Kaminski palms it round the post. 58 Lawrence beats Lenihan on the edge of the box and the Rover has to foul his man. Yellow card. Similar position to the last free-kick but the shot is well over the bar. 62 All a bit sloppy this half. We’re sitting back more too. 73 Not much happening. 74 Derby having all the possession. Lawrence shoots from just outside the box but it’s wide. Khadra on, Dolan off. 76 A long bit of Derby possession but no real danger. 77 Long Derby throw and Davies beats Lenihan on the near post and manages to flick the ball over his head. Edun brilliantly gets ahead of the attacker on the edge of the 6 yard box to head clear. It comes back though and Johnson heads clear. 79 Derby the first to every loose ball at the moment. 85 Buckley brings down the Derby man and stops a dangerous run but it’s a yellow card. Gallagher off, Poveda on. The free-kick leads to a lot of Derby pressure. Khadra is left for dead on the Derby right wing, he rugby tackles the attacker and it’s a free-kick just outside the box. Yellow card. The free-kick comes in, bounces off a head back to the edge of the 6 yard box and Davies hooks it into the net. That same old feeling! 91 More panicky, chaotic play from Rovers. Eventually Travis takes out a Derby man midway in our half. Yellow card. The free-kick comes in, Diaz loses the aerial challenge on the edge of the box and the ball reaches the penalty spot where Morrison brings it down and Richard’s shot hits the post. Lenihan helps to bundle the ball out of play. Pure panic! van Hecke heads away the resulting corner. Another cross comes in and this time Lenihan heads away. 93 A long hoof downfield from Derby and Edun is beaten in the air and the ball flies into the box. Van Hecke can’t prevent Richards charging on to the ball but his shot flies past the right post. Rovers living very dangerously as usual…..Richards pounding the ground in frustration! Outrageous time-wasting from Kaminski! 96 The whistle goes and Diaz punches the air! Phew!
  20. I thought I would start a match day thread for tomorrow game, any going to the game? Sadly I'm not due work commitments but good journey to anyone going. What would people starting 11 be? Kaminski Carter Lenihan Van Hecke Edun Buckley Travis Rothwell Gallagher Brereton Dolan I wouldn't play any Nyambe, Ayala and Pickering as we got 3 games this week.
  21. If ever there was a must win fixture this is surely it. After the frustration of throwing away a two goal half time lead again, in the last home game, for the second time this season, the frustrating theme, seemed to be the order of the day, even before the game started on Tuesday night. Reading sit above us in the league and have won two of their last 3 away fixtures, including an impressive 2-1 victory at Fulham. Given that I don’t want to big up the opposition, I am hoping we set off on the front foot and go at them, as I would settle for a 2-0 half time lead again, with the half time team talk being, go for a third, not sit back and protect what we have got, which seemed to be the case, with both the Luton and Coventry fixtures. If we fail to win this one, then I think the fans will start to look over our shoulders. A win, could just settle the nerves and give a tiny bit of hope to even the staunchest of fans, who seem to be losing their faith. Sadly I don’t see us winning it and predict another frustrating afternoon and go for a 1-1 draw.
  22. PLAYER WATCH v Reading Each incident in the match was rated on the following scale: +5 GOAL +4 Excellent play +3 Very good play +2 Nice/good play +1 Decent play 0 Routine stuff -1 Sloppy play -2 Disappointing/poor play -3 Very poor play -4 Terrible play -5 Own goal The ratings for each player were then combined to produce a measure of the players overall contribution to the match. Ratings Key incidents per player = coloured stars Overall contribution = number Kaminski *** ** 2 Nyambe (59) ************* ***** 18 Lenihan ******************* ***** 26 Ayala (37) **** * 3 Edun ********** **** 12 Travis ***************** *** 24 Rothwell (87) *********** ******* 13 Buckley ***************** ***** 23 Dolan ************** *** 29 Diaz ********* *** 8 Gallagher ******************* ***** 31 van Hecke (37) **************** ***** 22 Poveda (59) *** ****** -4 Johnson (87) ** * 1 Highlights and Lowlights (A justification for the main incidents above.) 05 Edun physically ushers out the Reading attacker and wins a throw. Blimey, opposition throw and we can’t get a touch as Reading attackers pass it about with impunity on the edge of our box! A shot goes narrowly over the bar! 06 Hmm! I think that’s the 3rd Gallagher flick on header from long balls already! Now Dolan is off down the wing, he avoids the defender and makes it to the byline, gets a cross in but it’s headed away by the defender on the near post. 07 Lovely long ball from Lenihan down the wing to Nyambe who controls brilliantly on his chest. He manages to get a cross in but it’s straight at the goalie. 16 Rahman turns Nyambe inside out in the box before firing off a shot but it’s over the bar. 17 Travis loses the ball in midfield and and Laurent hares down the wing. Nyambe makes up a lot of ground to challenge in the box and Laurent goes down. Cheat! 19 Rothwell is off on one of his runs but his attempted cross into the box fails to beat the first man. 21 Nice ball from Buckley to Gallagher in the box; Sam shields the ball well and lays off to Rothwell but his ball into the box is poor and the keeper collects. 22 Nyambe tries to clear a long ball but it falls at Laurent's feet and he tries a shot from 30m. Fortunately it’s well off-target. 23 Reading carry the ball all the way downfield, Nyambe can’t stop the cross coming in and Edun is beaten in the air but Yiadom’s header, from the penalty spot, is straight at the, well-positioned, Kaminski. 24 Buckley sends a lovely ball down the inside-left channel to Gallagher who chases it to the byline but his cross is delivered straight into the keeper’s hands. Rothwell steals the ball and puts in a short ball to Diaz on the edge of the box….but it’s a poor pass and Reading collect. 28 Turgid stuff. Reading dominating possession and when we do get the ball we are passing it from one defender to another in our own half! 30 At least it’s good to see Travis getting back to his normal self. Another good interception. 31 Rothwell picks up the ball in our half and he’s off again! From the centre-spot he releases a beautiful, defence splitting ball for Gallagher to run on to 35m out. He carries it into the box, cuts inside a defender and bends the ball round the diving keeper but it hits the joint of crossbar and right-hand post. So close to a fantastic finish by Sam. 33 Nyambe collects high up the pitch on the wing. He teases the full-back then drops his shoulder and sprints to the byline, gets a cross in but it’s headed away at the near post. 37 Needless foul by Buckley earns him a yellow card and it’s a dangerous position. Oh! Ayala walks off injured! The free-kick crashes into the wall and the danger passes. 39 Nice pass by Nyambe to Dolan straight down the wing. Dolan beats his man with ease and passes to Buckley. He crosses into the box where Gallagher challenges but the goalie was always favourite. 42 Nice ball from Nyambe to Gallagher 25m out, Sam turns his defender expertly and unleashes a shot from the right edge of the box but it’s 2m wide at least. Disappointing ending. 47 Reading pass their way through the middle of our defence too easily but it’s Lenihan to clear up again. A very poor half of football to be honest! 49 Rovers corner. Rothwell slides a flat ball across the ground to Gallagher unmarked to the right of the penalty spot but he puts it well over the bar. Training ground move but Sam should have been on target. 52 Lots of Rovers inter-passing in our attacking third, then Buckley neatly side-steps round his marker on the wing and passes inside to Nyambe who does a clever 1-2 with Dolan and Nyambe collects deep in the box at the byline. His cross is deflected luckily by a defender’s chest into the keeper’s arms. Good move. 54 Fantastic long ball by van Hecke finds Gallagher just onside in the inside left channel. He heads for goal but his flicked shot is at a narrow angle and straight at the keeper. 56 Buckley’s playing well at the moment, getting his foot in and showing good control in tight situations. 57 The second poor pass, in quick succession, from Rothwell as his ball to Dolan goes straight into touch. Now Reading attack and our defenders are back-pedalling. Diaz is chasing and manages to get his body into the box to block out the dangerous final pass. Foul given to Rovers. 59 Nyambe off injured. Poveda on. Buckley drops to right back! 60 van Hecke wins the ball on halfway and Poveda slips it to Rothwell midway in the Reading half and he’s off towards the box. Dann almost gets a tackle in but Joe just keeps control and his shot nutmegs another defender, hits the post and runs across the face of goal. Gallagher has a tap-in. 62 Reading almost level immediately. They cut through the centre of our half again. Poveda, Lenihan, Buckley and van Hecke all struggling to get near the ball. Puscas, sliding in, somehow manages to miss the final touch. What a let off! 64 Rovers work it nicely upfield and Dolan picks up midway in Reading’s half on the left wing. He heads straight for goal, cuts inside a defender and fires a fantastic shot from just outside the box. It bends round the keeper and into the right corner of the net. Super goal. 66 Dolan robs the fullback and steams into the box. He slips the ball towards the penalty spot but it’s between Poveda and Rothwell and the chance is gone. Van Hecke can’t keep pace with Puscas and we’re in trouble but Lenihan again comes across to intercept. He wins the foul. 68 Reading free-kick. Lenihan seems to miss his header, the ball bounces and it’s chaos but Travis hooks away for a corner. We’re missing that commanding Ayala presence as no one attacks the high ball from the corner, it’s bouncing around again and, this time Lenihan clears. 69 Danger again as Puscas crosses from the wing but Buckley gets up well to clear. 71 van Hecke is struggling and brings down the Reading man just to the left of the box. Yellow card. The free-kick comes in low and flat to the edge of the box and Buckley does well to rush out and block the shot. Eventually Gallagher wins the ball and clears. 76 We're inviting Reading to attack! There’s no out-ball. I’ve seen this before! 78 Poveda is dispossessed in our own half. He has to foul the Reading man. Poor play and a yellow card. 80 Dolan, on the wing, brings the ball out of defence and beats Drinkwater. He’s by the corner flag and this time nutmegs Drinkwater and slides the ball to Poveda in the box. Poveda tries to beat 3 defenders with the inevitable conclusion. Reading hoof clear. 84 Travis makes an important challenge in the box and van Hecke picks up the loose ball and lofts a nice long ball for Poveda to chase. Van Hecke keeps running. Poveda crosses to Diaz who heads the ball back across goal to the charging van Hecke. It bounces on the 6 yard line but van Hecke can’t direct it on goal and it’s just wide. What a fantastic goal that would have been! 86 Rothwell off, Johnson on. 88 Gallagher and Johnson combine to win the ball on halfway. Dolan picks up and gallops down the wing. He cuts inside and shoots trying to repeat his earlier success but this time the keeper brings out an excellent save. Diaz wanted the pass! Buckley takes a short corner to Travis who immediately loses the ball! Reading stream forward but Johnson takes one for the team. Yellow card.
  23. Games coming thick and fast! I can’t seem to find anything on tickets? All sold out? Rovers site only seems to have coach tickets available?
  24. PLAYER WATCH v Coventry City Each incident in the match was rated on the following scale: +5 GOAL +4 Excellent play +3 Very good play +2 Nice/good play +1 Decent play 0 Routine stuff -1 Sloppy play -2 Disappointing/poor play -3 Very poor play -4 Terrible play -5 Own goal The ratings for each player were then combined to produce a measure of the players overall contribution to the match. Ratings Key incidents per player = coloured stars Overall contribution = number Kaminski ******* ** 10 Nyambe ******************* ** 32 van Hecke *********************** ********* 20 Lenihan ****************** * 30 Ayala ***************** * 26 Edun ********************* ****** 23 Travis ********** ****** 5 Rothwell ***************** ***** 27 Buckley (64) ******** **** 10 Dolan (64) ******** ** 13 Gallagher (72) ******************* ********* 18 Poveda (64) **** ** 5 Davenport (64) **** ** 4 Diaz (72) *** * 5 Highlights and Lowlights (A justification for the main incidents above.) 00 Edun receives from Lenihan on the left wing in our half but Dabo confronts him and he turns back and tries to pass back to Ayala but it clips a Coventry heel and falls to danger-man Gyokeres on the edge of the box. He advances, Ayala backs off and Travis and Edun manage to block his effort. Rothwell boots clear. 04 Nice ball from Rothwell to Travis who steams towards the box, he slips it through to Gallagher who’s offside. 05 An excellent long ball down the right channel from Lenihan allows Gallagher to make a good run behind two defenders and into the box. His attempt to cross is poor and rebounds for a corner. 07 Buckley slides a neat ball through to Dolan who collects and runs into the box. There’s the usual fancy stuff, a defender has a handful of Dolan’s shirt and he goes down. But Dolan is given offside. 08 A good ball down the line by Dolan for Nyambe to chase. Nyambe does well to get to the byline but his attempted cross is blocked. 10 Edun is done by the winger but Lenihan sweeps across reassuringly to bundle the ball into touch. 17 Nyambe wins a long-ball header and Travis gets a secondary header to Buckley who turns Kane expertly. Kane is embarrassed and hauls Buckley down. Should have been a yellow card! 19 van Hecke wins the ball in the middle of the park and feeds Nyambe on the touchline. He plays an excellent 1-2 with Gallagher and Nyambe crosses from the edge of the box but it’s blocked again. Eventually Coventry clear. 20 Coventry corner, the heads go up and the ball lands near the 18y line and Rothwell is wrong-footed, allowing the Coventry man an unchallenged shot on goal but it’s deflected I think and Kaminski saves nicely, he must have seen it late but got down well. van Hecke hoofs clear. 22 Edun spreads the play nicely to Buckley who threads a wonderful ball behind Kane to the on-rushing Nyambe. Nyambe beats Kane again in the box and fires in a powerful shot but the keeper makes a good save. Great move. 25 Edun loses the ball in Coventry’s D and defenders are caught up-field in no-man’s land. City stream forward. Lenihan makes a decent challenge but the ball runs for Coventry. Travis and Buckley aren’t chasing back hard enough. There’s a shot on goal and Kaminski saves well at the near post. Rothwell hoofs away. It’s not safe though and a City man gets a second shot but it’s too high. 26 Edun blocks a clearance and the rebound lands nicely for Gallagher near the box but he’s offside for the second time. 27 Buckley booked for a needless foul. Dolan wins the ball in our half but Gallagher’s poor ball hands the advantage back to City. Ayala slices the ball for a corner but redeems himself by heading the ball clear. 31 Nice ball deep into the box by Dabo and Ayala is there again to clear the danger. 34 Buckley, on a yellow, treading dangerously as he brings another City man down. He's not been so effective since he was booked. 38 Nice flick on by Gallagher to Dolan who fires off a shot from the edge of the box but it’s straight at the goalie at the near post. 39 Rothwell picks up the ball midway in City’s half but there’s five or more defenders between him and goal. He solves the problem by passing to Gallagher who flicks a brilliant 1-2 behind him and into the box, splitting the defence wide open. Joe races on to the ball at full pace, tips it over the keeper and follows the ball into the net. Amazing goal. 40 From the kick-off Gallagher dispossesses the City man and heads to goal. The challenge comes in but it’s a corner. 41 Eventually Gallagher picks up the ball just outside the box, shows good strength to hold off 2 defenders and, from 25m, unleashes a rocket but it smashes against a defender. Good effort from Sam, it looked on target. 42 Edun picks up a loose pass in midfield and feeds Rothwell who returns it perfectly to Edun near the D but he’s dispossessed and it runs to Dolan in the box but his shot too is blocked. Hectic! 43 Travis drives into the box but his pass to Gallagher is poor and it's out for a goal-kick. He had the chance to shoot…….would have been the better option I think. 44 Sloppy play by City and Rothwell picks up the ball and, as we’re becoming accustomed to, he drives forward into the box. From the left of goal he cuts back the perfect pass to the onrushing Gallagher who sidefoots it into the net. The keeper got something on it but it had enough power to do the job. 46 After a series of half-challenges by Rovers' defenders, Walker manages to put the ball in the net but he was offside! 51 Not a lot happening so far this half. Dolan just had a weak shot saved easily by the keeper. 52 Lenihan cleans up nicely but his long ball finds Gallagher a mile offside again. 53 Coventry having the better of this half so far. 54 Nicely, Nyambe shepherds the ball out for a corner frustrating the City attacker. 56 Great defensive work by Nyambe ushering Dabo further back towards his own half and his challenge sees the ball reach Gallagher who’s pass is awful but Travis clears up. 58 Gallagher receives a throw but passes directly to a Coventry man in the middle of our half! It’s danger. Poor control by Travis and the attacker drives across goal deep inside the box but Ayala gets a foot in and it’s cleared! Then Dolan gives it away. Poor stuff! 61 Gallagher gives the ball away again in the middle of our half and we’re on the back foot, the ball goes out to the City right wing and the cross to the near post, where Lenihan usually is, is met by Walker and it’s 2-1. 65 The City player stumbles and Gallagher is able to drive down the right wing but a chasing defender easily dispossesses him. Disappointing. 67 The excellent Gyokeres receives the ball in our half and holds off van Hecke’s challenge, he waltzes past Davenport as if he isn’t there, holds off Nyambe and squares the ball to Kelly 20m out who hits a good shot that beats a diving Kaminski and hits the post. The rebound hits the keeper and it’s in the net. Deary me! 69 Good response. After some good approach play, Edun puts in a great cross but Nyambe can’t get there. 71 Great long ball down the left wing from Lenihan to Gallagher but his cross is disappointing as Poveda charges in. 72 A tired van Hecke hauls an opponent down in desperation. Super Diaz comes on to rapturous applause, Gallagher off. 74 Rothwell puts a good free-kick into the box and Ayala puts his header square across the goal but van Hecke can’t quite get to it. Edun gives the ball away on halfway. Danger! Everyone is rushing back. Nice football from City and, unmarked, Gyokeres receives the ball on the penalty spot but van Hecke slides in from behind and brings him down. How was that not a penalty? BIG let-off. 78 The only way Kane can stop Rothwell’s run is to haul him back by his shirt. Yellow card. Rothwell takes the free kick and Lenihan rises to challenge two defenders and the goalie and it’s chaos. The ball is loose and it’s cleared off the goal line as Ayala closed in for the kill. 81 Gyokeres tries a shot from the left side of the box. van Hecke doesn’t do enough to close him down. 87 Edun slides a good ball out of defence on the left wing to Poveda. He turns inside nicely evading the defender and lobs the ball forward beautifully for Diaz to chase. He crosses into the box and amazingly Edun has continued running but the defender just gets there first, at the near post, to put it out for a corner. Edun is lying on the ground with his head in his hands. It was that close! Not quite enough weight on the ball from Diaz. 91 Rothwell receives the ball on the right and drives into the box. He puts in a fantastic cross to the far post and Diaz rises above the defender beautifully to meet it with his head. The goalie spreads and saves; it’s panic stations but the goalie eventually grabs the ball. The Rovers players can't believe it; now Ben is holding his head. Oh! It was offside apparently!
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