Post by stevewood on Sept 16, 2013 22:39:28 GMT
Saturday 14/09/2013:
Rovers 5 – 2 Old Ashtonians Reserves
Rovers Starting XI
1. Tony
2. Anto
3. Mike
4. Ade
5. Brads
6. Patterson
7. Bills
8. Damo (c)
9. Woody
10. Mo
11. Andrea
Subs:
12. Sanjay (on for Andrea 75’)
14. Nathan (on for Woody 70’)
16. Manu (on for Patterson 60’)
Rovers’ went into the third game of the season looking to build on their impressive start to the season which had seen them take maximum points from the opening two games against last year’s Division B winners and runners-up. In the corresponding fixture against Old Ashtonians last year Rovers walked away on the wrong end of a 3-2 result after being 1-0 and 2-1 up before half-time and were left wondering how we lost the game after dominating play for the majority of the match. In stark contrast to last year Rovers went into this game with confidence and momentum and we were set the challenge by Stu of making it three wins from three. Challenge accepted.
First Half
Rovers began the match with the same intensity and attacking play that worked so well in the previous two games and took Ashtonians by surprise, putting their midfield and defence under pressure and making it difficult for them to keep possession. The early pressure almost paid off with attacking runs from Bills, Mo and Woody getting in behind the defence only to be questionably given offside. The breakthrough came for Rovers when Bills determinedly battled to keep possession in the Ashtonians box, and won a penalty after his quick feet were taken from beneath him by a lunge from the centre back. Bills stepped up to calmly slot away the spot-kick into the bottom left corner of the net in the same fashion as the previous match against Milton.
It wasn’t long before the game began to get heated and possession became hotly contested with some trademark challenges by Damo bringing a few of the Ashtonians players to breaking point. Their centre midfielder, on the receiving end of a hard challenge moments earlier, took his opportunity to get one back and went in dirty and late on Damo after the ball had been played. This understandably bought a reaction from the Rovers captain and resulted in a number of players getting involved. After a long wait, the ref deemed the Ashtonians player’s challenge to be a red card offence and he walked. Damo was then summonsed to be spoken to by the ref with many of us expecting him to go as well. However, the ref recognised his part in the incident was simply a reaction to the initial challenge and raised his yellow card instead. This only served to wind up their younger players who would probably be restarting the match at this point if it had been played on FIFA and their whinges resulted in a further two yellow cards being shown to their right winger and left back. At this point Rovers looked to be in control of the game.
However, our intensity inexcusably dropped and when we should have been looking to put the game to bed we saw ourselves concede a sloppy equaliser through a basic ball down the wing being pulled back across the face of goal for an easy tap in. After controlling the game to this point and now having the extra man, this goal took Rovers by surprise and led to a poor spell of play by the greens with half-time approaching. Thankfully, a long throw by Anto in line with their penalty area was flicked on by an Ashtonians head and dropped perfectly for Andrea to seize the opportunity and side-foot volley past the keeper to spare Rovers’ half-time blushes and avoid the hairdryer treatment from Stu.
Half-Time: Rovers 2 – 1 Old Ashtonians
The second half should have seen Rovers take advantage of the extra man by keeping the ball on the ground and maintaining possession. Making use of the spare man was something repeatedly covered throughout pre-season training and this was the chance to put that into practice. Frustratingly, rather than patiently building up attacks and making them do the leg work, Rovers seemed to be overly eager to get the two goal advantage and secure the win. This left gaps in defence and Ashtonians equalised for a second time when a good corner was well-headed into the net, annoyingly by one of their gobby younger players. The equaliser was deserved and the fantastic opportunity Rovers had to get the third win – being 1-0 up and playing against 10 men – was hanging in the balance at 2-2.
Up until this point Rovers were the source of their own problems as the space was there to attack Ashtonians but there was a lack of discipline and patience in the attacks, which were becoming too one-dimensional and direct. A change was required and, despite being one of Rovers’ better performers, Patterson made way for Manu on the hour-mark to bring a fresh approach to Rovers’ play. The change paid off within a matter of minutes when the Frenchman found himself in space to run at the tiring defence and after turning one defender inside out, pulled the ball back onto his right foot and placed it into the bottom right corner from just inside the box. After letting two leads slip already Rovers knew it was important to keep the ball and control the game at this point.
Conceding again visibly frustrated Ashtonians, particularly their younger players whose tempers were being tested whilst on yellow cards. Things reached boiling point for Ashtonians when Andrea was barged down by their right winger (no 10) after passing the ball off. It was late, deliberate and vicious and the ref rightly showed him a straight red despite him already being on a yellow. He and his teammates somehow tried to contest the decision before the no. 10 shouted threats towards Stu on the side-line and, more disgracefully, the referee – who respectably remained calm despite the aggressive behaviour directed towards him. Then, a further two red cards – both second yellow cards for dissent – were shown to two more Ashtonians youngsters. It was probably the most bizarre chain of events any of us had witnessed on a football pitch, and left Rovers – with a full complement of players still on the pitch – playing against the SEVEN men of Ashtonians. Despite the remaining Ashtonians players not being of the same vile ilk as those who had already walked, Rovers needed to be ruthless and everybody knew that there were goals to be scored in the remaining twenty minutes.
Stu then made a further two changes in quick succession, bringing Nathan and Sanjay on as straight swaps for Woody and Andrea on the wings. Somehow, Rovers still found it hard to find the net and were frustrated by some dogged defending by Ashtonians and a number of offside decisions by the referee. The tempo of the game had understandably dropped following the successive red cards and had the feel of a training match due to the space available because of the lack of opposition players! Although Rovers’ fourth goal should have come from open play by making use of the extra men, it finally came in the 80th minute when Ashtonians struggled to clear a corner and Manu, in the words of Stu, “shinned it in” at the back post for his second goal of the game as a substitute. It wasn’t long after that the 5th goal came, which was also scored from a corner. Bills this time getting his second of the game with a superb header.
Full Time: Rovers 5 – 2 Old Ashtonians
Before the game Stu set the challenge of winning three from three and Rovers got the win required despite the performance not being of the standard needed for the rest of the season. Although the events of the second half took the competitive edge off the game and should have seen more goals scored by Rovers, the three points puts Rovers top of the league as the only side to have won all three opening league games in Division A. Next up for Rovers is an opportunity to really make a mark in the Division with an away trip to Parrswood Celtic who occupy 2nd place on 7 points.
Man of the Match:
I can’t actually remember who was voted MOM this week, although I personally think Dave Patterson and Manu are contenders. This may have to go to a vote though unless somebody can remind me and I will update the report!
League Table:
We are top of the league…
full-time.thefa.com/ProcessPublicSelect.do;jsessionid=2DC23BF3E5FA206E7E2CBB11B94A7023?psSelectedSeason=462663928&psSelectedDivision=6812786&psSelectedCompetition=0&psSelectedLeague=3194634
Rovers 5 – 2 Old Ashtonians Reserves
Rovers Starting XI
1. Tony
2. Anto
3. Mike
4. Ade
5. Brads
6. Patterson
7. Bills
8. Damo (c)
9. Woody
10. Mo
11. Andrea
Subs:
12. Sanjay (on for Andrea 75’)
14. Nathan (on for Woody 70’)
16. Manu (on for Patterson 60’)
Rovers’ went into the third game of the season looking to build on their impressive start to the season which had seen them take maximum points from the opening two games against last year’s Division B winners and runners-up. In the corresponding fixture against Old Ashtonians last year Rovers walked away on the wrong end of a 3-2 result after being 1-0 and 2-1 up before half-time and were left wondering how we lost the game after dominating play for the majority of the match. In stark contrast to last year Rovers went into this game with confidence and momentum and we were set the challenge by Stu of making it three wins from three. Challenge accepted.
First Half
Rovers began the match with the same intensity and attacking play that worked so well in the previous two games and took Ashtonians by surprise, putting their midfield and defence under pressure and making it difficult for them to keep possession. The early pressure almost paid off with attacking runs from Bills, Mo and Woody getting in behind the defence only to be questionably given offside. The breakthrough came for Rovers when Bills determinedly battled to keep possession in the Ashtonians box, and won a penalty after his quick feet were taken from beneath him by a lunge from the centre back. Bills stepped up to calmly slot away the spot-kick into the bottom left corner of the net in the same fashion as the previous match against Milton.
It wasn’t long before the game began to get heated and possession became hotly contested with some trademark challenges by Damo bringing a few of the Ashtonians players to breaking point. Their centre midfielder, on the receiving end of a hard challenge moments earlier, took his opportunity to get one back and went in dirty and late on Damo after the ball had been played. This understandably bought a reaction from the Rovers captain and resulted in a number of players getting involved. After a long wait, the ref deemed the Ashtonians player’s challenge to be a red card offence and he walked. Damo was then summonsed to be spoken to by the ref with many of us expecting him to go as well. However, the ref recognised his part in the incident was simply a reaction to the initial challenge and raised his yellow card instead. This only served to wind up their younger players who would probably be restarting the match at this point if it had been played on FIFA and their whinges resulted in a further two yellow cards being shown to their right winger and left back. At this point Rovers looked to be in control of the game.
However, our intensity inexcusably dropped and when we should have been looking to put the game to bed we saw ourselves concede a sloppy equaliser through a basic ball down the wing being pulled back across the face of goal for an easy tap in. After controlling the game to this point and now having the extra man, this goal took Rovers by surprise and led to a poor spell of play by the greens with half-time approaching. Thankfully, a long throw by Anto in line with their penalty area was flicked on by an Ashtonians head and dropped perfectly for Andrea to seize the opportunity and side-foot volley past the keeper to spare Rovers’ half-time blushes and avoid the hairdryer treatment from Stu.
Half-Time: Rovers 2 – 1 Old Ashtonians
The second half should have seen Rovers take advantage of the extra man by keeping the ball on the ground and maintaining possession. Making use of the spare man was something repeatedly covered throughout pre-season training and this was the chance to put that into practice. Frustratingly, rather than patiently building up attacks and making them do the leg work, Rovers seemed to be overly eager to get the two goal advantage and secure the win. This left gaps in defence and Ashtonians equalised for a second time when a good corner was well-headed into the net, annoyingly by one of their gobby younger players. The equaliser was deserved and the fantastic opportunity Rovers had to get the third win – being 1-0 up and playing against 10 men – was hanging in the balance at 2-2.
Up until this point Rovers were the source of their own problems as the space was there to attack Ashtonians but there was a lack of discipline and patience in the attacks, which were becoming too one-dimensional and direct. A change was required and, despite being one of Rovers’ better performers, Patterson made way for Manu on the hour-mark to bring a fresh approach to Rovers’ play. The change paid off within a matter of minutes when the Frenchman found himself in space to run at the tiring defence and after turning one defender inside out, pulled the ball back onto his right foot and placed it into the bottom right corner from just inside the box. After letting two leads slip already Rovers knew it was important to keep the ball and control the game at this point.
Conceding again visibly frustrated Ashtonians, particularly their younger players whose tempers were being tested whilst on yellow cards. Things reached boiling point for Ashtonians when Andrea was barged down by their right winger (no 10) after passing the ball off. It was late, deliberate and vicious and the ref rightly showed him a straight red despite him already being on a yellow. He and his teammates somehow tried to contest the decision before the no. 10 shouted threats towards Stu on the side-line and, more disgracefully, the referee – who respectably remained calm despite the aggressive behaviour directed towards him. Then, a further two red cards – both second yellow cards for dissent – were shown to two more Ashtonians youngsters. It was probably the most bizarre chain of events any of us had witnessed on a football pitch, and left Rovers – with a full complement of players still on the pitch – playing against the SEVEN men of Ashtonians. Despite the remaining Ashtonians players not being of the same vile ilk as those who had already walked, Rovers needed to be ruthless and everybody knew that there were goals to be scored in the remaining twenty minutes.
Stu then made a further two changes in quick succession, bringing Nathan and Sanjay on as straight swaps for Woody and Andrea on the wings. Somehow, Rovers still found it hard to find the net and were frustrated by some dogged defending by Ashtonians and a number of offside decisions by the referee. The tempo of the game had understandably dropped following the successive red cards and had the feel of a training match due to the space available because of the lack of opposition players! Although Rovers’ fourth goal should have come from open play by making use of the extra men, it finally came in the 80th minute when Ashtonians struggled to clear a corner and Manu, in the words of Stu, “shinned it in” at the back post for his second goal of the game as a substitute. It wasn’t long after that the 5th goal came, which was also scored from a corner. Bills this time getting his second of the game with a superb header.
Full Time: Rovers 5 – 2 Old Ashtonians
Before the game Stu set the challenge of winning three from three and Rovers got the win required despite the performance not being of the standard needed for the rest of the season. Although the events of the second half took the competitive edge off the game and should have seen more goals scored by Rovers, the three points puts Rovers top of the league as the only side to have won all three opening league games in Division A. Next up for Rovers is an opportunity to really make a mark in the Division with an away trip to Parrswood Celtic who occupy 2nd place on 7 points.
Man of the Match:
I can’t actually remember who was voted MOM this week, although I personally think Dave Patterson and Manu are contenders. This may have to go to a vote though unless somebody can remind me and I will update the report!
League Table:
We are top of the league…
full-time.thefa.com/ProcessPublicSelect.do;jsessionid=2DC23BF3E5FA206E7E2CBB11B94A7023?psSelectedSeason=462663928&psSelectedDivision=6812786&psSelectedCompetition=0&psSelectedLeague=3194634