Post by stevek192 on Oct 31, 2015 19:37:23 GMT
If there was ever a top example of a game of two halves then this game would have to go down as a contender. A first half performance from Rovers that lacked passion,belief,creativity but mainly the ability to keep possession of a football and actually do anything positive with it. In fact it was a team who looked like they had been physically affected by a hammering from the bottom team last week and my thoughts at half time was how many we would lose by as it really was that bad but the consolation was that despite the performance we were only one down and for much of the first half Cambridge were not really that much better other than on a couple of spells where they passed the ball nicely and got behind our defence. Their goal was the best bit of football played in that half and Corr showed how to finish a great cross with a classic header. I think when the half time whistle went most gasheads would have settled to take a point from the game but the majority probably thought ,like myself, that a defeat was more likely.
I don't think I would have liked to have been in the team talk from DC at half time if the transformation was anything to go by!! From the off we went at Cambridge as if the players lives depended on it and in all honesty we didn't really take our foot off the pedal again and it was a superb performance in every way. The back four had tightened up and the midfield started to take hold of the game,winning far more of the ball than the first half but most noticeably not giving it straight back to the opposition,Sinclair added a bit of quality to his play which had been lacking in the first half as both him and Mansell (and in fact most of the team) had laboured. The ball started to be moved about both quicker and more accurately and in truth Cambridge couldn't match us other than physically and that really was their only game plan and they really resorted to hoof ball which thankfully in the end lost out to cultured football that just didn't exist in the first half. Come the final whistle it could have been 4-1 as we created chance after chance and only the final pass or the final finish stopped a romp.
Nicholls 7 Looked shaky at first which is hardly surprising after last weeks performance but overcome this a looked the good keeper we thought we had dealing with all situations well and safe handling restored. His distribution alone puts him well ahead of Mildy.
J Clarke 6.5 Caught too far away from his player too often in the first half but stuck to his task and improved as the half went on and gave a good steady second half performance which included what is becoming his trademark with a superb volleyed cross ala Mansfield but unfortunately there was no one to finish it off. Lacks Leadbitters pace but defensively he probably has the edge with his ability as a central defender making the unit tighter particularly to the deep cross from the opposite side and he brought the ball out very well throughout the second half and brought Gosling into the game more often rather than where Leadbitter runs direct at the opposition which really negates having a winger out there and can leave us lacking at the back.
McCrystal 7.5 MOM Solid throughout other than on the goal where he feel asleep and left Corr completely unmarked. Corr is a difficult customer to handle but Mark battled throughout. I have given him MOM because even in the poor first half he gave a good performance and gave as good as he got in the physical contest.You know what you are going to get from Mac and he didn't let us down clearing the ball well but more importantly not taking any chances. Parkes could and should try to learn something from the Captains performance and if he did it would irradicate his proneness to error.
Lockyer 7 Another battling performance from a player who surely must be in the running for Player of the Season if he maintains his current form. Never spectacular but solid and his reading of the game saved us on a few occasions in the first half when Cambridge threatened to run past us.
Brown 7 Solid if not spectacular. Didn't get forward as often as usual and some sloppy passes in the first half that gave away possession but back to his defensive best for the majority of the game.
Bodin 6 Quiet game for him but still shows skill and quality which others haven't got. One of the better players in the first half as always wanting the ball but disappeared a lot in the second half when other players improved. Well worth sticking with him.
Mansell 6 Battled well without ever reaching the heights but kept going and improved a lot in the second half where he and Sinclair started to dominate the game..
Sinclair 7 Ran from start to finish but for me lacked quality in the first half and played most of his passes either backwards or sideways. Second half there was a great improvement and he started pinging the ball around and most of his passes went forward and his general ball winning skills made sure he had a lot of the ball.
Gosling 6.5 i felt he had a good game and stretched Cambridge. Confident in his ability to hold onto the ball especially second half.
Harrison 7 Scored the first and hit the bar though in all honesty he should have scored as it was almost identical to the cambridge goal. Strong in the air and at times in the second half led the defenders a merry dance. Definitely one of his better games.
Easter 5 Just not his game last night as the ball just didn't stick to him like it usually does where he can be guaranteed to bring others in the game and he didn't really get involved enough and the substitution was very much warranted.
Substitutions Taylor 7.5 Scored one and made one and could have set up two more and was denied another goal by a great tip around by the keeper which isn't bad for somebody who played less than half the game. Our problem is none of our forwards have done enough to cement a regular place so they are regularly finding themselves on the bench and it is then frustrating when they change the game with their cameo performances but then can't find their form when starting. Matty could well be top scorer come May and surely that will silent the critics or will it?
Crowd 9 What a turnout again when you consider the distance, the fact it was a night game and probably even more important that we lost last week 4-1. The fact it was beamed back to the Mem makes it even more amazing.
Referee 6 Mixed game ,many poor decisions but I must admit I do like referees who are not waving cards every 5 minutes and he certainly was better than a lot we have had this season.
Cambridge 6 Play very much a physical game and no nonsence in their defensive play where it is a case of sending the ball into the stands rather than taking a chance. We struggled to cope with their physical strength at times but then destroyed them in the second half with a much improved display.
DC Again some brave decisions particularly playing James Clarke in preference to Leadbitter. i am giving him credit for what surely must have been an inspiring team talk at half time and just hope he can find a way to improve our home record.
So to conclude the second half display brought about a deserved win when the first half it looked very unlikely and in all honesty it was a very important 3 points when there is not another League game for 2 weeks. if we can now start to get the home form right then we can have a very exciting season.
I don't think I would have liked to have been in the team talk from DC at half time if the transformation was anything to go by!! From the off we went at Cambridge as if the players lives depended on it and in all honesty we didn't really take our foot off the pedal again and it was a superb performance in every way. The back four had tightened up and the midfield started to take hold of the game,winning far more of the ball than the first half but most noticeably not giving it straight back to the opposition,Sinclair added a bit of quality to his play which had been lacking in the first half as both him and Mansell (and in fact most of the team) had laboured. The ball started to be moved about both quicker and more accurately and in truth Cambridge couldn't match us other than physically and that really was their only game plan and they really resorted to hoof ball which thankfully in the end lost out to cultured football that just didn't exist in the first half. Come the final whistle it could have been 4-1 as we created chance after chance and only the final pass or the final finish stopped a romp.
Nicholls 7 Looked shaky at first which is hardly surprising after last weeks performance but overcome this a looked the good keeper we thought we had dealing with all situations well and safe handling restored. His distribution alone puts him well ahead of Mildy.
J Clarke 6.5 Caught too far away from his player too often in the first half but stuck to his task and improved as the half went on and gave a good steady second half performance which included what is becoming his trademark with a superb volleyed cross ala Mansfield but unfortunately there was no one to finish it off. Lacks Leadbitters pace but defensively he probably has the edge with his ability as a central defender making the unit tighter particularly to the deep cross from the opposite side and he brought the ball out very well throughout the second half and brought Gosling into the game more often rather than where Leadbitter runs direct at the opposition which really negates having a winger out there and can leave us lacking at the back.
McCrystal 7.5 MOM Solid throughout other than on the goal where he feel asleep and left Corr completely unmarked. Corr is a difficult customer to handle but Mark battled throughout. I have given him MOM because even in the poor first half he gave a good performance and gave as good as he got in the physical contest.You know what you are going to get from Mac and he didn't let us down clearing the ball well but more importantly not taking any chances. Parkes could and should try to learn something from the Captains performance and if he did it would irradicate his proneness to error.
Lockyer 7 Another battling performance from a player who surely must be in the running for Player of the Season if he maintains his current form. Never spectacular but solid and his reading of the game saved us on a few occasions in the first half when Cambridge threatened to run past us.
Brown 7 Solid if not spectacular. Didn't get forward as often as usual and some sloppy passes in the first half that gave away possession but back to his defensive best for the majority of the game.
Bodin 6 Quiet game for him but still shows skill and quality which others haven't got. One of the better players in the first half as always wanting the ball but disappeared a lot in the second half when other players improved. Well worth sticking with him.
Mansell 6 Battled well without ever reaching the heights but kept going and improved a lot in the second half where he and Sinclair started to dominate the game..
Sinclair 7 Ran from start to finish but for me lacked quality in the first half and played most of his passes either backwards or sideways. Second half there was a great improvement and he started pinging the ball around and most of his passes went forward and his general ball winning skills made sure he had a lot of the ball.
Gosling 6.5 i felt he had a good game and stretched Cambridge. Confident in his ability to hold onto the ball especially second half.
Harrison 7 Scored the first and hit the bar though in all honesty he should have scored as it was almost identical to the cambridge goal. Strong in the air and at times in the second half led the defenders a merry dance. Definitely one of his better games.
Easter 5 Just not his game last night as the ball just didn't stick to him like it usually does where he can be guaranteed to bring others in the game and he didn't really get involved enough and the substitution was very much warranted.
Substitutions Taylor 7.5 Scored one and made one and could have set up two more and was denied another goal by a great tip around by the keeper which isn't bad for somebody who played less than half the game. Our problem is none of our forwards have done enough to cement a regular place so they are regularly finding themselves on the bench and it is then frustrating when they change the game with their cameo performances but then can't find their form when starting. Matty could well be top scorer come May and surely that will silent the critics or will it?
Crowd 9 What a turnout again when you consider the distance, the fact it was a night game and probably even more important that we lost last week 4-1. The fact it was beamed back to the Mem makes it even more amazing.
Referee 6 Mixed game ,many poor decisions but I must admit I do like referees who are not waving cards every 5 minutes and he certainly was better than a lot we have had this season.
Cambridge 6 Play very much a physical game and no nonsence in their defensive play where it is a case of sending the ball into the stands rather than taking a chance. We struggled to cope with their physical strength at times but then destroyed them in the second half with a much improved display.
DC Again some brave decisions particularly playing James Clarke in preference to Leadbitter. i am giving him credit for what surely must have been an inspiring team talk at half time and just hope he can find a way to improve our home record.
So to conclude the second half display brought about a deserved win when the first half it looked very unlikely and in all honesty it was a very important 3 points when there is not another League game for 2 weeks. if we can now start to get the home form right then we can have a very exciting season.
