arbitro

He was red carded so unless there is a successful appeal he will be in the stand.

Ayala hasn't played a game for a few months. Throwing him into a game like this would be crazy.

I really think the injuries to both full backs was critical tonight. I honestly didn't think it was a five at the back as Thomas got forward but, as he always does he covers well for the full back in this instance Carter. I was happy with the performance though as we played quicker than we have for a few games and at times were a cut above Coventry. I couldn't tell from where I was but I've been told their goal is a clear handball. As always getting a second goal would have been crucial but we just couldn't get it. We are still in there and hopefully we can put Nobbers out of it on Saturday by beating them.

Fielding is leaving.

There are so many permutations it's almost impossible to predict and football is full of variables anyway. Win tonight and then focus on Nobbers is the only thing in my mind right now. The players certainly have it in themselves to beat Coventry tonight but we have to force it, be bold and attack. We can play a part as fans by getting behind them but ultimately it's down to them and Tomasson to get the result we crave. The only certainty in my mind is that it's going to be a nervy evening.

I'm not sure there was any booing (for context there was some but completely disproportionate to the attendance) about it being nil apiece. I thought it was frustration at the pedantic way we were playing. If we played that way but we're one up I don't think there would have been a murmur.

It's off topic but Rovers are advertising for a new Head of Commercial. Does anybody know if it's to replace Paul Fielding, the guy we appointed from Hull who disrespected our history in a meeting with the Rovers Trust? Didn't he also insist that NFT's (or whatever) were the future?

If we play the slow, laborious football tonight we will make it difficult for ourselves and easier for Coventry. Tomasson has to set us up to go at them with an intensity to match how we played at Huddersfield. Adam Wharton simply has to start as he is the one who gets us on the front foot and can pick the right pass at the right time. If he doesn't start that to me will be a statement of intent from Tomasson and we can expect another night of frustration. The last time we scored first was against Reading on March 15th. I believe it's imperative we score first tonight to have any chance of winning. My heart says he will go for it, my head tells me otherwise.

Coventry have sold their original allocation of 2000 and have put another 566 on sale this morning. They can also pay on the night so they will have potentially 3000 supporters tomorrow.

A line from Broughton on the appointment. Does he do irony (in light of the O'Brien fiasco). “We would like to thank Celtic Football Club for dealing with Sean’s move as professionally and efficiently as possible.”

The laws of the game provide for time wasting or time consuming. The text below is taken from Law 7 - Duration of the Game. Every aspect of lost time is covered. Quite simply it's the referees who are choosing to ignore it. 3. Allowance for time lost Allowance is made by the referee in each half for all playing time lost in that half through: substitutions assessment and/or removal of injured players wasting time disciplinary sanctions medical stoppages permitted by competition rules e.g. ‘drinks’ breaks (which should not exceed one minute) and ‘cooling’ breaks (ninety seconds to three minutes) delays relating to VAR 'checks' and 'reviews' any other cause, including any significant delay to a restart (e.g. goal celebrations) The fourth official indicates the minimum additional time decided by the referee at the end of the final minute of each half. The additional time may be increased by the referee but not reduced. The referee must not compensate for a timekeeping error during the first half by changing the length of the second half.

It appears that Arsenal are bottling it in their quest for the Premier League title. In successive games they have been two up and ended drawing both squandering four points in the process. They go to the Etihad on April 26th which could effectively be a title decider.

I see that Robins has been nominated for the Championship manager of the year. He absolutely deserves it especially when you consider the pitch problems they had to endure at the start of the season plus the on going ownership farce and he has had no money to spend.

Have we actually scored from a corner this season? I can't remember any. Sky out a graphic up on Friday during the Middlesbrough v Norwich match and I think there were several teams who had or were close to double figures in goals from corners.

I think it's as much about technique as power and he seems to have neither.

I can only think there is some Chilean influence at Villareal because over the four year period at Rovers, one half season aside he has been poor to average. Not putting him up for sale was another huge error and the excuse of 'never met our valuation' is another piece of nonsense from the powers that be. A player is only worth what somebody will pay for him.

One little incident summed up the lack of urgency last night. After a tepid 45 first half minutes the board goes up for one additional minute and we get a corner. Dolan takes the ball to the corner but stands there with it waiting for Morton to literally amble over as presumably he is the only one on the pitch at that time who can take a corner. Morton has to set the ball again and eventually gives it to Dolan and they try and play Szmodics in on the edge of the box. It breaks down but we win another corner and the half time whistle is blown. Morton's corners were shocking last night but surely at that stage of the game we get the ball in or let somebody else take the bloody thing. Rovers infuriate me at times.

In my view he's done here now. Never the bravest for us his backing out of challenges is a real statement from him. Tonight I saw him cowardly turn his back in an aerial challenge rather than be prepared to take a knock. His form has been shocking, more than enough to justify leaving him out altogether.

We'll never know for sure but had Broughton delivered on what Tomasson wanted in January then I really think we would have been comfortable. Instead we are toothless with our two main strikers hardly scoring. I really feel Tomasson has just cause to feel absolutely let down by Broughton and his poor January recruitment.

Frustration doesn't even come close to describing the game tonight. Tomasson has to take a big share of the blame for me. After the best performance for years at Huddersfield there was absolutely no reason to change the team and that disappointed me. His set up was even stranger with only Dolan pressing with Gallagher, Szmodics and Brereton some ten or fifteen yards behind him. The Hull defenders had as much time as they wanted to step forwards and pick a pass. Individually there were some poor performances probably to numerous to name as the slow tempo, sideways football made an unwelcome comeback. Carter and Hyam had the most passes but out of a combined 211 passes 175 were in their own half. A shocking statistic. It was screaming out for change at half time with several strong candidates for the book but Tomasson simply left it far too late to replace under achievers on the night. Gallagher and Brereton were abysmal as time and time again they made poor decisions. I can accept that no players gets it right all the time but tonight they just didn't do anything at all, they didn't contribute anything worthwhile. In the current poll my vote was that we would get in the playoffs. I want to revise that because after tonight my faith has taken a huge bartering.

I've been told it's Pears.

His movement is a joy to watch.

James Corden's advice was invaluable then. 😂

Lamps working his magic again 👎👎