Andy

Pleased to see Garrett get his chance. Hedges at LWB is interesting, but happy to see it in action before I pass any judgement.

I actually remember that - I was only a kid, but remember offering Tim Flowers a bit of my Yorkie in the warm up. Declined, for some reason. Sure we got beat 0-2 at their place in the cup, around the same time as well.

This. I can't make Tuesday due to work commitments, but he'd get a brief applause pre-game from me, in recognition of the good things he did for us (and there were some big ones). However, hopefully he'll be serenaded with a 'Tony, what's the score' by the end of the 90 minutes. We're a point off top and playing a newly promoted side; it's a game we must win.

I've said all along, if you put him in the right positions and supply him, he will score goals. He's far removed from the Chris Browns and Ashley Wards, however limited he is in certain areas. I like Sam; he's honest and hardworking, a nice lad and will end the season on 10-15 goals - to say he's playing mainly as a 'wide forward', that's not bad at all.

He really is, I've been very impressed with him.

Fulham at home last season was the first time I'd encountered anything like that as a Rovers supporter, in my lifetime. Seen us dish out plenty of thrashings, but it was a new event to see it happen to us - one I have no desire to see anytime soon again.

Excellent point. The world was imploding at one point, if you listened to the noises from some quarters - even after we'd done our business. But on these two in particular, they are both clear upgrades. And, for what it's worth, I'd rather have A.Wharton over Rothwell every day of the week.

First half he was very good - and he's been very solid for a number of weeks now. Introduction of Jones down their right in the second half, Pickering struggled for sure.

If it wasn't for that defensive lapse at the end of the first half (or if SG buries that header for 3-0), that second half would have been a lot more comfortable. But we hung on - 3 points. We'd have all taken that today. Icing on the cake being a Lenihan OG.

It's astonishing how consistently terrible the standard is at this division.

I have to say, I'm not unhappy about that today - we're not chasing a goal and need more mobile bodies in this half. I'd have brought on Garrett for some steel in midfield at some point, though.

Dolan should score there.

He should score, of course - but it was a good save by their GK.

Shame to concede when we did, but otherwise, very good first half. Really pleased for Gallagher, I've always said he'd get a good 15-20 goals if he was played as an out-and-out striker in this division (and you gave him the ammunition). But for their GK, he has 3/4 in that first half alone. A.Wharton is a class above, even at this age. Boro are shite and their fans are on their backs. We'll go on and win this one quite comfortably.

Appreciate the level, but surely Garrett has to get a chance - particularly when Travis is currently looking out of sorts? Just from the highlights, he moves the ball quickly and intelligently. The unpredictability of Markanday is also surely going to be more effective than anything that Hirst has shown so far?

You're probably right, but the issue is the player choosing to dribble around his own area. We're not Barcelona; if it's at the back, get it out the middle of the pitch at least. Law of averages dictates that the longer you piss around with the ball at the back, the higher the chance of something like this happening.

Beyond dreadful. Wigan probably the worst team we've played to date and we've gifted them the easiest 3 points they'll get all season. Bit of a recurring theme recently, but only Pickering can leave that pitch with his head high. The rest were a disgrace.

Most telling: against Wigan.

I'm sure they've just brought a girl on. Properly taking the piss.

Harry Pickering being our creative spark (and, to be fair, he's been pretty consistently decent for a while now).

Agree with this. It's like his brain is slower than his feet (or vice versa) - but something doesn't seem quite right with him.

Pretty dreadful first half, the amount of basic passes missing the target is genuinely surprising for this level. Szmod has been one of the most wasteful, surely Dack in the 2nd half couldn't be any worse. A.Wharton and either Dolan or Gallagher for Hirst and we'll have half a chance.

If we want to achieve anything meaningful this season, we have to be beating the Wigans. Keep it tight at the back, no pissing around in the wrong areas and quick decisive attacking, like we saw in the second half against Rotherham, and we should be heading back with 3 points.

Heard from a genuinely very reliable source that it was on the table at one point, when TM was in charge. Club told him/his agent that we needed to move some bodies out and free up some salary before we could move, but in the end it never materialised. Looked handy today, thought he did well for them - first half in particular.

Really pleased to see Sam S get a goal and an assist today - I think he's a very decent player at this level, but needs to keep that kind of return up. Hedges seem to put a decent shift in wherever he plays and Morton was very good today. Pleasing to see the back 3 looking solid, Pickering did well again and 2 goals for BBD. All in all, good day for us. Hopefully we can break our WLWLWLWLW run against the pie eaters in midweek and keep pace with the top couple of teams.