We are all in for a treat on this thread, as Romfordkev was down with all his brand new expensive lenses for his camera. Many thanks to Ales Rowe who agreed to let Kev take photos on behalf of the forum, as it was a friendly.
Kev had to wear a yellow bib thing? (What do you call them) and sat on the other side of the fence, he had no stool to sit on and got a bit uncomfortable, but I’m sure he was just pleased to try out his new gear. Not sure if he is down for the whole weekend or not, but he will get them up as soon as he can.
Firstly the pitch really is not looking that good, as was posted on the forum the groundsman is no longer at the club. I know very little about how to look after a football pitch, but it was explained to me by someone who does know.
What I noticed when I first got inside the ground, was all the long six inch bits sticking up everywhere, not just one but I expect hundreds if you walked over the whole pitch and counted them. It seems there a few important backroom staff places that need to be filled before we start our season proper.
I do want to make a few points about our so called singers, but will leave that for the end of the post, where I will also put up a photo of Romfordkev in action.
First half we lined up as on Wednesday 4-1-4-1 with the same players
Rice
Nicholson Robertson Todd Mansell
Hodges
Carlisle Wroe Stevens Carayol
Sills (capt)
I was really impressed with how we played for the first 15 minutes, we kept the ball on the floor and played a really neat passing game, the only thing that was missing was the killer pass where it would have mattered.
That said Carayol was having a fine game, he had the beating of the full back and took the ball into the box always looking to get a shot off. One such shot he hit clean and hard and while the keeper made it look a good save, it was close to him, with the power on the shot, if it had been either side of the keeper he would have been beaten.
Only three long high balls were played from the back during the first half and we lost the ball each time, yet with the ball on the floor we enjoyed good procession if not in the areas we would have liked.
I thought as the game went on in the first half that playing this style did not suit Tim Sills game, we all know his strength is winning high balls in the box and scoring from them. I said in a post earlier that I did not think Benyon and Joyce would be a good combination and that we need to have Sills up front, but now I’m not so sure if we will be playing the ball on the floor like today.
I felt that Matt Green would have been the best player to benefit from our passing game today, he would have had the pace to get onto the balls played from midfield, still we know he won’t be playing for us this season.
After such a good start the first goal came against the run of play, we had too many players up in and around their box, the ball came to back out to the edge of their box and try as he did, Carlisle just lost out on what was a 50/50 ball. It was knocked straight up to their front man, Mansell had to come across to the right-hand side but was beaten with ease and the ball was then rolled across our box for a player who ran in and placed it past Rice.
Soon we were two down, once again it was pace that beat us at the back, Nicholson got beat again with ease and a simple ball into the box to a Rovers player gave him and easy shot into the net. I should say that Rice could not do too much about the goals, he also did not have any crosses as such to deal with, the only one was for Rovers third goal.
I did think after the first goal a few heads dropped, it was if our players felt their good play did not deserve to see them go a goal down, mind you with Carayol still having the beating of his man and running into the Rovers box, we always stood a chance of getting a goal back.
That’s how it came with another good Carayol run into the box and he was brought down and the penalty awarded. Wroe made no mistake from the spot, sending the keeper the wrong way and driving it into the right hand side of the goal.
Mansell was having a very bad time with the Rovers winger, who had so much pace and time after time went past him with ease, he beat Mansell yet again and send in a good cross and the forward rose and headed it downward into the net. I do feel Rice should be coming for crosses like that, it was not that far out and he should be looking to get a punch on the ball and stopping the forward having such an easy header.
So three one down at the end of the first half and unlike Wednesday night we did not see so many changes made for the start of the second half, I believe the changes were Benyon, Ellis anybody else anyone?
More changes were made during the half and Sills went of for Joyce and Hatch also came on and a few others including no23 who was he? Maybe a youth player, he is tall and very thin with legs that look not strong enough to hold him up, but what a player he looked.
He had great pace and just went pass the defenders with ease, ever ball he put in was a good one, he even laid back a few nice balls to the edge of the box as well as getting a few good shots at goal. They went over, but he was not afraid to have a shot.
Benyon worked a lot harder than he did on Wednesday and Joyce for me still did not do things as good as I was hoping he would, often not beating his man and when in the box looking for one turn to many and not getting of a shot on goal.
I also felt Rovers play did not suit Mark Ellis, as you know I sing his praise on here. Yes he made a few good tackles and winning balls in the air he will do for a pastime. But Rovers played it up to feet and Ellis was always far to tight at the back of the player, who often just played the ball a round the corner for a player to race past Ellis and head for goal.
Hatch also for me was not as good as he was on Wednesday, he did make some good tackles and a few good runs, one that took two players out wide that allowed Carayol to turn inside and lay a simple ball off, but he too got far to tight at times and balls were then placed into the very big space behind him.
This happened again to Ellis I believe who was pushed up very high in our half, got beat and little Joe raced forward and layed on a good pass for his team mate who was then clear in on goal and scored with ease.
I do think we should stick with the passing game we are now playing; it will get results and will be more pleasing for fans to watch than hoff ball. I fear a little about our defence, or rather the lack of pace it has and any team who has players with pace in it. Will get past our back four with too much ease I feel.
Last two points, where were our fans? Yes I know it rained at 2pm and it was hard, but we do have stands with roofs on them, I did not hear the gate but would guess Rovers had about 700 or 800 fans and we may have had less. I do wonder if being a league two club is going to matter to some fans, who still may stay away and not support the team.
Our singers, well I think after all my years on the popside in the middle I will have to find a new spot to stand or just give up going to football. Why do people sing at games, well the main reason should be to give support for our players, sing their names and sing come on you yellows.
I did not hear one song like that, I did not hear any singing at all until Rovers scored their second or third goal. Then I head it for sure, just songs aimed at the Rovers fans, all containing swearing and ones that have lines like what’s it like to S*** your mum. Sad and sick if you ask me, maybe I’m just getting too old, but I heard plenty on moans around me about the songs being sung.
Our Romford in action
I take it they were in the "Rosenior Relegation" shirts because the smart new blue ones they wore the other night clashed with Rovers' quarters.......................I hope so anyway because they look feckin' terrible! 