Rovers v City

Given we've just won one of the toughest fixtures in the competition this year, is it inconceivable we could go on and really achieve something in this competition this season?

Corstonian wrote:Great battling performance by the team, who undoubtedly wanted it more than Rovers and matched them everywhere on the pitch. Team spirit very much in evidence from start to finish. Difficult to single out any particular player for praise as everyone played well, but I'd have to say that Simpson had a fantastic game, even by his high standards.

I thought that Mellor and Hemmings also deserve mentions as well.

Also great support from the travelling faithful throughout the game - by contrast Rovers' fans were pretty much inaudible (apart from a quick chorus of "What a load of rubbish" near the end).

I think that was the City fans. They were in fine fettle. At one point, we thought the Rovers support had suddenly piped up but it was City.

London Calling wrote:Given we've just won one of the toughest fixtures in the competition this year, is it inconceivable we could go on and really achieve something in this competition this season?

No, we are getting knocked out away to North Ferriby United

Marc Monitor wrote:

London Calling wrote:Given we've just won one of the toughest fixtures in the competition this year, is it inconceivable we could go on and really achieve something in this competition this season?

No, we are getting knocked out away to North Ferriby United

Having been to North Ferriby that would be a depressing exit!

Well done to the players, management and travelling supporters......great result.

Alistair Durden has replied to my tweet to say he will
Investigate why it wasn't mentioned

Super performance from all concerned. Poor Dave Pratt gave his all despite an evident injury. Dan Ball was commanding at the back. there was a little lack of width in midfield which resulted in Simmo and Gallinagh having an awful lot to do but they coped admirably. Rovers resorted to fouling which shows that we got amongst 'em.

What a fantastic day for everyone connected with the club! Yuffie wrote in his report that it was one of our greatest days in the Trophy - I always thought the 3-2 replay win at Yeovil 19 years ago was our finest hour, but today was better. So pleased we had such a good turn out of fans - there hasn't been much in the last couple of years to get excited about, but our patience was repaid today.

And great that Ricko, manager of that Yeovil win, was in attendance, with a warm reception at half-time.

From the GasChat Rovers forum - the originator is giving their players marks out of 10 for their performances today and no surprise that there are plenty of 2's and 3's being dished out. However City plus supporters do much better :-

Bath 8 - Really up for it, their forwards (7 and 9) caused us problems all afternoon. Impressed with their fans who outsung us all afternoon. The "Blackthorn" quiet as a library and not one version of "Goodnight Irene" heard at all.

Fair play to them. Does anyone know how strong a side that was that they sent out because there genuinely was no gulf in class between us at all (apart from the two goals naturally).

According to their forum it was just about full strength. During the week many on there seemed to think that if they took the competition seriously, a place at Wembley was there for the taking. Presumably that complacency spread to their team, who on the day suggested this won't be a one off season in the Conference. We certainly played far better teams in our time there.

Amazing day, if not the best in my time following the stripes. Peace love and respect to all u beautiful stripes who were there this arvo

I just want it noted by Luton Roman that I take full credit for the win by not turning up!

Duly noted. I wasn't there either so perhaps its me though my record this season is W4 D1 L3 suggests its probably you ! Lol

Great day for the club, the type we all live and hope for amidst the disappointments, lets hope its a springboard for league success as its there for the taking this season.

I thought everyone played well but that Walsh, Hemmings and Artus were outstanding. Mellor had his best game for sometime and looked confident. Kington looked a little of the pace at the start but warned to it. For once we played to our potential and the tactics were right. Rovers fans say they were poor but some of that has to be down to the fact that we did not let them play.
Great celebrations at the end. I did not see Adie or Howells come over to the supporters in the corner along with Rollo, Freeguard and Physio to join in. Was told later Adie turned and waved to supporters before goin off, assume this was Yuffies picture. Do not want this to spoil a good day but some bridges could have been built.
This club has a massive survival battle on its hands, still not sure that everyone appreciates how big, but it is days like yesterday that make it all worthwhile and this must be the inspiration when the call to arms comes. Maybe this will be the catalyst to change things, if the club is allowed to slip away there will be no more 'I was there' memories'. A great day and I am realistic not negative.

from the Chronicle's website...

Howells added that City’s travelling army of 404 – who out-sang their Rovers counterparts throughout – had played a part in a famous victory.

“There was quite a few there and it was fantastic,” he said. “It helps when the pricing is reasonable for people’s pockets. We have had eight games this season in the FA Cup and Trophy and a lot of replays and that is a lot of money for people to turn out.

“They have been fantastic and the result is for them as well.”

Sorry to have missed it.  Sounds like City got the tactics spot on.  Howells said in the Non League paper he just told them to enjoy themselves so whether there was a plan, I don't know.
And if I can just drag up the Ross Stearn debate for a mo' .......
Obviously didn't get much time again yesterday.  Listening to the commentary he did get into a couple of promising situations though, only to make poor decisions.
Maybe the management are handling him correctly?  He's a mercurial player.  Makes a real difference sometimes but no effect in some games.  I'd like to see him get more time personally as he's the type of players people will pay to see.  Only just turned 24 so still time for him to develop?

Good to hear the NLP mentioned the game, which is more than can be said for the website of the competition's organiser...

http://www.thefa.com/news/competitions/fa-trophy/2014/dec/first-round-proper-round-up-131214

Did Dover's win at Lowestoft, Stockport's at Ramsbottom and Oxford's at Wimbourne really merit mention ahead of our achievement?

As for the BBC, I'd like to think our club would tell them where to go should we go a long way in the competition and they jump on the bandwagon.

Great result!
I am gutted I couldn't be there, but just can't bring myself to do so after the manager's comments in the paper. Fell like I'm cutting my nose off to spite my face, but I am really struggling to know what to do about it all at the moment.
Happy to give credit where it's due for yesterday's result, however as the management refuse to take any responsibility for the poor results, they don't get a pat on the back from me for one good performance.

2weirdtown wrote: Listening to the commentary he did get into a couple of promising situations though, only to make poor decisions.

That was a fair summary of Stearn's contribution - he gave it a real go in the time he was on the pitch but it didn't quite work out for him. But I was encouraged by his attitude and body language throughout - he was enjoying the interaction with the supporters when warming up, and very exuberant at the end. He didn't look like a player at odds with the management or with his team-mates, and that's a good sign for the whole club.

Fantastic result - great to see (and hear!) the good away following. That's what real football is all about.

Hopefully a good home draw in the next round.

2weirdtown wrote:And if I can just drag up the Ross Stearn debate for a mo' .......
Obviously didn't get much time again yesterday.  Listening to the commentary he did get into a couple of promising situations though, only to make poor decisions.
Maybe the management are handling him correctly?  He's a mercurial player.  Makes a real difference sometimes but no effect in some games.  I'd like to see him get more time personally as he's the type of players people will pay to see.  Only just turned 24 so still time for him to develop?

Actually, I am going to be uncharacteristically critical of him yesterday. Not on the pitch - he could have made a couple of better decisions but coming on late in the game, he tries to do a lot himself which sometimes works (as in the Gloucester City game) and sometimes doesn't. However, when he was warming up yesterday, he took a lot of applause the first time he came out and rightly lapped it up. I felt that, after that, he made a bit much of it whenever he was next warming up.

However, I think that the management's handling of him has created this cult hero status about him. Get him on from the start for a run, let him have a couple of good games, a couple of ordinary games, a couple of bad games - just like any player - so that his very non-appearance isn't becoming bigger than the player himself and, indeed, many other players. Starting him more would also reduce the chance of him feeling that he has to do so much on his own when he comes on late. While an exciting player and a fans' favourite, he isn't the best player at the club presently and the management's odd decisions are blowing his position up into much more than it should be. He should be allowed to have variable performances like everyone else without having so much scrutiny of him. Indeed, even I am getting bored of talking about him so regularly but it is the management that is causing the situation where we end up doing it.

Slightly apropos of this, I though McCooty was the only one who had a very poor game yesterday. I didn't agree with him coming for Watkins, I think that McCooty>Pratt/Stearn>Pratt is a better substitution but, obviously, we ended up with that. However, when McCooty came, I expected a sub with fresh legs to be closing down defenders and chasing for balls more than the tiring Pratt not less. I am not expecting him to track back but I am expecting his to pressure the back line, make them play the ball before they want to and force mistakes. It could be argued that, similar to Stearn's ill-advised decision, it didn't do us any harm as we didn't concede a goal after and looked fairly comfortable but I would want to see much more commitment from him coming on. The contrast between his and Pratt's workrate is pronounced.

Anyway, it just goes to show that even the pure feelgood factor of yesterday reduces over 24 hours but we still have the league to think about ad wouldn't want yesterday's brilliant performance to paper over any cracks or next Saturday be a "After the Lord Mayor's Show" game.

Great picture of city on the front page of the Bristol & Somerset Independent today!. Rovers boss said "We got exactly what we deserved from a below par performance - nothing. I don't want to take anything away from Bath City, because they played really well on the day while we were really poor..... and we found it hard to break Bath down"

[quote="comrade powell"]Good to hear the NLP mentioned the game, which is more than can be said for the website of the competition's organiser...

"Bath Pull Plug on the Gas" (front page) and "Ex Landlords Cut Off the Gas" (report) being their choice of headlines.