So we can score goals!!

Firstly well done to everybody at the Mem today for the wonderful minutes applause for Ben Hiscox. Such a tragic event but it's at times like these that our great Rovers family show their true colours and well done to Chester fans as well. Immaculate.

On to the football and at last we proved we can score goals and that was great to see as we could well need them if Grimsby continue their present run.

It was a funny game really because we started off well but were let of the hook when Puddy gifted them a chance and somehow their forward contrived to miss it. We were then well on top and playing the ball around well but was very impressed when the referee showed Tom Lockyer how to pass to a player in blue! DC was proved right again when Matty taylor scored the first- i would definitely have played Blissett with Easter today and when we made it two and then quickly 3-0 I really thought we were going to see a cricket score and looking back after the game I really think we should have had at least 7 or 8 but let's not be greedy. We seemed to sit back in the second half which was disappointing and the defending for their goal was very poor but I felt they deserved a goal for some of their intricate passing was good to watch and i would describe them as good going forward but slack at the back.



Puddy 6 Steady game but was let off the hook when he messed up completely his clearance of a back pass and watched as their player managed to miss an open goal.



Leadbitter 7 Continued his impressive form. Always seems to have enough pace to get back when beaten and when called upon to attack does that at pace. has improved week by week particularly the defensive side of his play and now holds his place on merit forcing DC to find another place for Tom Lockyer.



Lockyer 5.5 I really think Tom has gone off the boil a bit in the last few games. Had an average game today but needs to build up his physical presence a bit if he is to succeed as a centre half which I think is his proper position. He looked very shaky in the second half and his passing again let him down on too many occasions.



Parkes 7 Strong and commanding for the majority of the game but he too at times thinks he is better than he is and was over intricate with the ball and a bit slack with his marking. Not for the first time this season he failed to get a couple of good heading chances on target.



Brown 6 Reasonably solid defensively but was very lucky not to give away a totally unnecessary penalty in the second half with a bit of nonchalence. Some of his crossing was also overhit at times.



Dawson 6 An improvement on his performance as a sub last week and made a very strong start to the game with his running and crossing and looked a constant danger but then seemed to lose his way for a while. His pace and skills can torment a defence and whereas Ellis seems to be better coming into a game later,the opposite seems to be the case with Dawson.



Mansell 8 My MOM today. Covered so much ground and seemed to be there pestering the opposition,breaking down their attacks and then leading the team by example driving forward and spreading the ball about. His partnership with Lines in the middle looked very encouraging but I still feel at times we need to get an extra player in there. Really think he should have been given the goal and seemed harsh on him to deem it an own goal.



Lines 6.5 I felt he worked very hard today on aspects of the game that are not deemed his strongpoint ie defensively and workrate and he looked classy in possession and went on a few trademark surging runs at the Chester defence. I am sure his first goal will come soon.



Monkhouse 7 Scored two well taken goals albeit the second was helped by the Chester keeper. Won a lot in the air and looks confident in possession of the ball but i do wish he would impose himself more often and use his creativity skills rather than passing the ball backwards although to be fair it does maintain possession.



Taylor 7.5 A good all round performance, well taken goal and overall skill in holding the ball up well although i am still not convinced with his ability to build a partnership with another striker as he does not get close enough to his colleague although he did set up Easter well on one occasion. i really felt the Blissett/Harrison partnership looked promising for the short time they were together but it would be a harsh decision to leave Taylor out.



Harrison 7 Looked strong and seemed very confident, set up one goal and took his goal excellently with a brilliant shot folowing a run from just inside Chesters half leaving defenders behind him.



Blissett 6.5 Probably not on long enough to mark but got involved straight away and set up Ellis for his goal with a brilliant flick and almost did the same again. Takes up great positions and I really think he should be starting games again now because his presence means Centre halves have to work hard.



McCrystal 6 Again difficult to mark as he was not on long. I am actually one of the ones who thought he has looked a bit rusty in his last three or four games but i think it was a brave decision to drop him by DC. Did it come off? I am not so sure it did as Lockyer IMO has looked in need of a rest too.



DC 8 Got key decisions right and the result speaks for itself. Stands by players and today those players repaid him with their contributions.

Referee 7 Good. Made few wrong decisions although he was not helped a lot by his linesmen. Definitely one of the cream of the Conference referees. (Although to be fair that doesn't say a great deal)



Chester 6 (Attacking 7 Defending 5) Played their part in an entertaining game but in all honesty it could have been 7 or 8-1 if our decision making had been better.



So its on to Kidderminster and the Gas Invasion on Monday after a Saturday of nail biting watching how the other games develop. Be interesting to see how DC approaches the game as i see both Ellis and Nathan vying for the attacking spot if Easter is unfit and will he start with McCrystal or Lockyer? Will he attack from the start like today or try to contain the opponents early on. We need to win again on Monday so lets get behind them.