A Legend Departs

                           CAPTAIN MANSE LEADS THE PROTESTS

It does seem that it's pot luck regarding the standard of refereeing that can be expected for Conference games, with a considerable divergence between the reasonably competent ones and those who appear to make it up as they go along.

Rovers are still smarting over the penalty given against them at Braintree. The very start of the video more or less covers the three blows inflicted (via the back of the net) to a Braintree player, and it's understood that this has featured in the referee's match report, so we'll see what if any consequences result. Then it was over to Cap'n Manse to make his displeasure known and, in his own words, indicate to the officials that:'you don't know what you're doing' 

Sometimes it isn't immediately obvious what separates a good Captain from a legendary one. But clear evidence was there for all to see at Sincil Bank yesterday.

We can envisage the scene: only a couple of minutes to go before the 90 are up, the team haven't won away from home all season and then....you get awarded a penalty !

This is it surely, your first away 3 points of the season, but calamity strikes as your penalty taker misses the spot kick. Heads are down, the glorious late chance thrown away. Rookie Manager Darrell Clarke prepares for the disconsolate walk along the touchline to the dressing rooms. The spirit of the team seemingly broken....that is except for one man: Captain Manse.  

Seeing the disappointed looks on the faces of his teammates around him, we can only guess at the Churchillian motivational words that the great captain came up with in the immediate aftermath of that missed penalty, delivered no doubt with an expressive double fist pump gesture to underline the level of effort he was urging his players to display during the inevitable few minutes of injury time before the final whistle blew.

Manse's words had such a profound affect on his team that not only did it spur them on to score a winner during injury time, but also to defend like demons as their Captain's motivational words were still ringing in their ears. Rovers' Assistant Manager, Marcus Stewart, spectating from the sidelines, gave some idea of the effect Manse's late rallying cry had on the Rovers team:

So it's an away win at last for Cap'n Manse and his Pirates. Not quite form that compares with a side such as, for example, Torquay United who seem to have won 3 successive away games in the blink of an eye. However, Rovers have an eminently winnable game on Tuesday evening when Nuneaton visit the Memorial stadium, and that's followed by another home game at the weekend when the visitors are Woking, already softened up by the battering they received at Plainmoor during the week (we hope).

Kev's Harriers taste defeat again, with their inability to score being an understandable concern to their manager. Kidderminster have now slipped back and occupy one of the mid-table places alongside Manse's Rovers. Next Saturday Nico and his new team are scheduled to entertain Grimsby. Surely the least he'll get this week is a phone call from an old friend and teammate telling him the best way to go about beating The Mariners.