JamesB
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Post by JamesB on Dec 23, 2013 16:06:45 GMT
Bristol Rovers' home form is keeping them just above the relegation zone at the moment. Their win at the Mem on Saturday against Portsmouth was their 6th match unbeaten at home stretching back to the end of October, in which time they've drawn with Chesterfield, York, Bury and Crawley, and beaten Wimbledon as well as Pompey. However, their away form has been inconistent - their last competitive away win was at York in the FA Cup, with their only league away win coming at league leaders Oxford on 2nd November. Since then, they've lost to Burton, drawn with Cheltenham and lost to Morecambe. Nonetheless, John Ward's side remain a threat, with an attack that includes the dangerous Matt Harrold and Eliot Richards
Line-up vs Portsmouth:
Gk Steve Mildenhall
Def Michael Smith
Def Tom Parkes
Def Lee Brown
Def Mark McChrystal
Mid Oliver Norburn
Mid Ollie Clarke
Mid Jonjo O'Toole
For David Clarkson
For Matt Harrold
For Eliot Richards
Subs: Conor Gough (Gk), Pat Keary (Def), Josh Southway (Def), Alefein Santos (Mid), Ellis Harrison (For), Mitch Harding (For), Chris Beardsley (For)
Head-to-head:
Bristol Rovers wins: 34
Torquay wins: 22
Draws: 18
Last match: Torquay 3-3 Bristol Rov (Hitchcock 31; Benyon 52, 68; OG Jarvis 55; Jarvis 62; Harrold 90), League Two, April 2013
Last Bristol Rov win: Bristol Rov 3-2 Torquay (Eaves 15, 76; Lund 17; Howe 53; Downes 59), League Two, October 2012
Last Torquay win: Bristol Rov 1-2 Torquay (Atieno 11; Howe pen 15; Anthony 56), League Two, August 2011
Last Bristol Rov win at Plainmoor: Torquay 2-3 Bristol Rov (Constantine 21; Hewlett 58; Agogo 74, 87; Walker 90), League Two, August 2005
Last Torquay win at Plainmoor: Torquay 2-1 Bristol Rov (Graham 31; Taylor 45; Street 63), Division Three, September 2003
Bristol Rovers are unbeaten in their last 4 visits to Plainmoor
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Jon
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Post by Jon on Dec 23, 2013 23:48:39 GMT
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 24, 2013 8:27:37 GMT
The 2005 match was bloody painful to watch, as it was our usual capitulation in the final ten minutes or so of a match! I seem to remember watching it from behind the goal of the now family stand, but as I've never been in the family stand, was it still the mini-stand, or is my mind slowly giving up!
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petef
Match Room Manager
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Post by petef on Dec 24, 2013 13:52:07 GMT
Now theres a turn up for the books went to order a ticket over the phone today as I wasn't sure if I could make it with family commitments and the TUFC answer phone tells me closed till after Christmas. Surely they should be selling today for collection as a few will be in my position.
To me the whole situation is crazy and throwing income down the toilet.
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Post by Ditmar van Nostrilboy on Dec 24, 2013 14:23:02 GMT
Closed at noon today Pete (something to do with Christmas I guess, Bah! Humbug!). Can you not do the online booking thing for collection on the day?
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Post by Ditmar van Nostrilboy on Dec 24, 2013 14:24:24 GMT
The 2005 match was bloody painful to watch, as it was our usual capitulation in the final ten minutes or so of a match! I seem to remember watching it from behind the goal of the now family stand, but as I've never been in the family stand, was it still the mini-stand, or is my mind slowly giving up! Im sure we had the family stand by then Reg |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 24, 2013 20:37:27 GMT
The 2005 match was bloody painful to watch, as it was our usual capitulation in the final ten minutes or so of a match! I seem to remember watching it from behind the goal of the now family stand, but as I've never been in the family stand, was it still the mini-stand, or is my mind slowly giving up! Im sure we had the family stand by then Reg Oh well, mind giving up it is then! |
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Post by hullgull on Dec 25, 2013 3:57:10 GMT
A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL,always one of my fav fixtures of the season,brings back memories when a ex manager left us to join them,anyway sure we will continue our recent form with 3 points.....si
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rjdgull
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Post by rjdgull on Dec 26, 2013 9:02:28 GMT
Alas, family commitments mean I can't make this one but will be keeping a close eye on the score and hopefully we can keep this mini-run going! Same line up please, despite Jayden back with us.
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rjdgull
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Post by rjdgull on Dec 26, 2013 14:59:14 GMT
I'll take a 1-1 draw but await with interest people's thoughts on this game!
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Post by hullgull on Dec 26, 2013 15:13:24 GMT
Take that,7 points from possible 9, seems we moving in right direction....enjoy your Boxing Day fellow gulls......si
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Post by Ditmar van Nostrilboy on Dec 26, 2013 15:34:46 GMT
Your typical Boxing Day fare of a battle on the pitch with quality a bit scarce. I was hoping the pitch would have drained a bit better but it was quite bobbly and slippery underfoot. Plenty of times someone was running with the ball only to lose control or slip a bit. Not blaming the groundstaff as the rain over the last few days has been downpouring regularly.
Harrold was his usual niggly self with digs, pushes and tugging but he disguises it well from the ref. That gave Downes and OConnor a torrid time but most of the game was a middle third battle. Roll on Sunday as I would be happy with 5 points from the 3 games. I expect with the weather forecast that will be even worse conditions but hey ho, rough with the smooth....
Did anyone get a view of O'Toole(?) shoving Mozika in the face? Looked like Poke was impeded for their goal as well..
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Post by Swanny on Dec 26, 2013 16:11:56 GMT
A disappointing performance as Torquay struggled for long periods to get anything going. Bristol Rovers played the better, more incisive football but luckily did not punish Torquay who escaped with a point. Crowd a pathetic 3,461, 700+ from Bristol Rovers but I've given up complaining about making these matches all tickets with no purchases on the day. Last season we had 5,500+ for this fixture when it was not all ticket. Sponsors MOTM Mozika who was sporting a Terry Butcher type head bandage in the second half after a nasty head collision.
As with many other home games this season, Torquay's best spell was the first 10 minutes of the game as they took the game to Bristol Rovers. Torquay's penalty came as a result of a free-kick just outside the penalty area in a central position. Bodin struck it, the ball apparantly hit an arm and the referee pointed to the spot. Marquis calmly slotted the ball home sending the keeper the wrong way. So 1-0 up, playing well against a Bristol Rovers team who had barely got out of their half. But as on so many occasions this season that was as good as it got. Bristol Rovers got their act together and had Torquay hanging on in there. Poke came to the rescue a couple of times saving well with his feet when rovers were clean through. Harrold scored with a header from close range from a corner. Mozika nearly scored after the equaliser but that was a rare attempt from Torquay.
The second half evened out more with neither team creating much but Bristol Rovers had most of the pressure. Torquay's game got ragged with loads of basic errors creeping into the game. Players like McCourt, Chappel, Bodin could do little right and the disease seem to spread to players like Downes. But we hung in there and luckily Bristol Rovers could not capitalise. Stockley came on late for Chappel but still it seemed we played with only one attacker? Torquay's best second half moment came from a decent McCourt cross that was headed against the post by Mozika. Craig later still replaced McCourt. After 7 minutes of added time the referee thankfully blew the final whistle.
The biggest praise today has to go to the new drainage system and groundsman for getting the match on. The pitch did cut up towards the Bristow Bench but the pitch considering the amount of rain we've had was excellent. I'm fed up with making these games all ticket as yet again there were supporters who were turned away today with no tickets. 3,461 for a Boxing day match is pathetic. I have not got our tickets yet for the Exeter game and I'm not sure I want to go through all that extra hassle. And do I really want to sit through more of the same on Sunday? It was good to see Poke back today and we defended pretty well. But our attacking moments were few and far between with too many basic errors from too many players. At least we escaped with a point but it was pretty uninspiring stuff. Knill hardly changed things around to try and improve matters either, so no change there then.
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rjdgull
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Post by rjdgull on Dec 26, 2013 19:16:16 GMT
Thanks for your thoughts there gentlemen, nice to hear from you Swanny- did you miss the Southend match?
Very much agree about the ticketing process as those casuels most likely to turn up today won't follow club announcements closely and making a match all ticket but only getting 60% attendance is killing the club and does seem crazy considering the lack of trouble at our ground or with our fans generally.
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Post by Swanny on Dec 26, 2013 19:44:05 GMT
Yes I did miss the Southend match, Rob, due to being in the Midlands visiting family pre-christmas. I'm afraid I saw little today to suggest we are going to pull away from another relegation battle. I cannot knock the effort and the players seem pretty united but as for their basic rudiments of the game like control and passing - oh dear. Again I'm disappointed Knill was not more pro-active when things were clearly not working. It was pretty painful viewing for much of the match, you did not miss much, Rob.
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