arbitro

That is pretty much what we gleaned at the game. The lad is 14 (only just 14 btw) though and is already huge. Incredible really that he was plying his trade with on league Irlam Town up to last year. Rovers would have had to get permission for him to miss school this afternoon 😂.

Really poor defending cost Rovers dearly this afternoon as they literally threw away after goal advantage on two occasions. It wasn't like there hadn't been warnings prior to Blackpool second comeback as over playing in the wrong areas really bit them hard. From an attacking point of view we were good and always posed a threat at corners but the opposite can be said from defensive corners. For one of the Blackpool goals they won the first and second headers from a corner to score and this gave them the belief to go on and win it. We did have a young side out but in fairness it looked like Blackpool did too. A lot is expected of Silver Eze but he looked cumbersome and slow today particularly in the first half. He did look a bit sharper in the second half though. The replacement for Valentin Joseph, Christian Mbonzale had us flummoxed but a quick search told us he was born in August 2011 (if the information was accurate) and signed last year from Irlam Town. Physically he didn't look out of place and showed some nice touches. The youngsters looked deflated at full time but the naivety in game management really cost them.

Given the reluctance to give first team squad players any game time I agree.

From afar (well the other side of the ground) it looked like Darragh Tuffy. The game itself wasn't much of a spectacle but to be fair it was one we could easily have lost. Our goal was terrific with an excellent touch from Mullarky-Matthews killing the ball which was a difficult one to control and playing in Boggan who made his mind up early and smashed the ball into the net. More worryingly was how sloppy we were in possession. Their goal came from Dunn trying to play a ball on the half turn without recognising that a Middlesbrough player behind him. There were many other examples of turning over possession cheaply through carelessness. Batty once again looked disinterested as he seemed to be going through the motions. On a night when the majority of players were worth 6 only Goddard rose above this. He was dominant when coming for crosses and made a few smart saves.

I haven't heard of it neither. If it's true it sounds a bit Pravda ish. There have been a couple of abandonments in the National and National League North this season and managers have spoken to the press. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/cz717vwg410t Comments from Paul Caddis after Herefords match at Sporting Khalsa was abandoned. Hereford manager Paul Caddis condemned the "disgraceful" racist abuse directed at Sporting Khalsa goalkeeper Ravan Constable, stating that anyone using such language is "not welcome at the club" and expressed pride in the way his team stood with Sporting Khalsa. He confirmed an individual was identified and the club would ban them while investigations are carried out, urging for public cooperation with the ongoing police investigation.

I wasn't aware that the managers weren't allowed to speak to the press in those circumstances. Where has this come from?

All good, clean fun though wilsdenrover 😂

The representatives from Preston, Middlesbrough and Norwich should be excluded as a potential conflict of interest with them being Championship rivals.

That is my expectation too.

One thing the EFL most definitely will want to avoid is lawyers becoming involved and their ruling (whatever it is) being challenged in some kind of court. Both clubs will present their case but this has the potential to run and run it the need arises given how open ended their regulations seem to be. I said in Saturday I have no faith in any current Rovers staff to present our case in a fit and proper manner.

But taking it one step further should Greaves start and then go off at the time he was sent off? There are so many worms in this particular can that arguments could ensue for some time yet.

I think it works both ways but you bring up a valid point. Watford were without arguably their best player against us recently after he was sent off late on in a match against QPR. It could be argued that QPR didn't really gain but Watfords next three opponents did. Natural justice would mean that Greaves shouldn't play against us when the game is replayed but I can't see that happening as I don't think there is anything in the FA's regulations that cover this (to be fair the circumstances are extremely rare). He will miss the next Ipswich match against Portsmouth on Saturday and his punishment deemed to have been served.

I think the logic is that, for example a player puts in a horrific challenge and hurts an opponent then he should be still punished. That is clearly an extreme example but for less serious offences they are seen as law transgressions and the deterrent of a yellow/red card will be enforced. In my view Greaves should be punished for his red card in Saturday but to be consistent that has to apply to all sanctions.

Disciplinary sanctions remain.

Logistically it doesn't help when it's raining so heavily that we are essentially in a valley. The rain coming down from the Bolton Road and Highercroft sides will just add to the swell of the River Darwen.

I said yesterday that Rovers have to put forward a case to put pressure on the EFL Board but it has to be reasoned and structured. Right now I don't think there is anybody capable of doing this down there so I personally would be speaking to our shirt sponsor to put together a letter that would put pressure on the people making the decision.

I heard that too. It's crazy that Rovers wouldn't want to be part of a globally successful brand - I can't think of one reason why. The obvious Rovers link between Adam and Gary has been utilised in this latest advertising campaign.

I felt that Rovers were poor in their communication yesterday. We only heard the PA twice. One to say the game was suspended and another to say it's been abandoned. The Rovers safety officer should have been in constant communication with the match officials and this relayed over the PA system.

There does seem to be a growing 'victim culture' in football with fans of many clubs believing the authorities are against them. After conceding a blatant penalty last week Burnley fans were chanting 'Premier League, corrupt as f***)', a chant which I have heard many times when decisions go against teams.

I didn't think you would. Alebiosu slid into a challenge and couldn't stop and Miller did likewise and in my view should have been cautioned. I'm not saying they were deliberate but more because of the surface. Whether you agree or not it's a fact that the pitch had become dangerous which, according to reports (I personally haven't read them) Ismael accepted on those grounds. The pitch was fine at kick off. The persistent rain and nowhere for it to go caused the problem.

Adam has teamed up with Rovers fan Gary Aspden for the launch of the new Adidas SPZL.

I would be mindful of the ball holding up in the water when players are fully committed to a tackle. Alebiosu went into a sliding challenge yesterday and couldn't stop. Had he caught the Ipswich player it could have resulted in an injury. And the farcical aspect too. The straw that broke the camel's back was when the referee called a halt. An intended pass just stuck in the water.

From the referees perspective he would have been mindful of the potential of litigation should a player have sustained a serious injury. Many years ago I was contacted by a firm of solicitors concerning a game I had refereed some time before. A player in the match was suing Blackburn Council as he said he had got injured on a pitch that was unfit. As the referee I had passed the pitch fit so I was implicated. They asked me about the player getting injured and going off because of it. I genuinely couldn't recall anything. I never heard any more about it but I reappraised my inspection method and from then always included managers or club representatives by taking them on the pitch and gauging their opinion.

It was lip service for the benefit of the media and people in the ground. I'm pretty certain that the referee would have known when they went off that the game was finished as most of us did. How long was it before the ground staff appeared on the pitch for the forking token gesture? If was almost like Canute trying to hold back the tide.

I'm pretty certain in my mind that had the situation been reversed and we were down to the men and losing you would be saying the opposite. And I'm also pretty certain you'll deny this.