Newport County v Rovers,4th Tier,Match Thread.

We stay 9th, Newport up to 4th and Swindon scored a 96th minute penalty to win and move up in to 7th place.

Hard luck to Rovers, unbeaten run ended, have to start another now.

On the train at the station. Honestly the better team won. They played the better football, and played the ref very well.

A lot of shots, but probably only three meaningful ones by us tbf. We seemed not to win that many second balls, and a lot of misplaced passes. Just didn’t have that cutting edge.

Hopefully just a blip. Two wins in the next week is a must for the play offs now, let alone automatic.

Stats: Newport 1 BRFC 0 - 44 %- 56 % - Shots 15-15 - On Target 3-5 - Corners 8-8 - Fouls 14-13 - Yellows 0-3 - Reds 0-0 - Referee Darren Handley - Attendance 6,237

Match Report:

Rovers were defeated in South Wales after Cain's first-half strike.

Rovers made the sole change to the starting lineup going into Saturday's tie at Rodney Parade with Aaron Collins coming into the XI for Leon Clarke. Trevor Clarke was named on the bench for his return to the matchday squad.

Newport had the first clear chance of the game in the 5th minute after a cross found Street inside the Rovers penalty area. Street looked to hit the ball on the volley as it dropped down from the air but fired his effort wide of Belshaw's goal.

Nick Anderton surged up the pitch on the 20th-minute mark and found himself with space in front of him. The Rovers full-back ran on and on and set his sights on Townsend's goal where his powerful effort was palmed out for a throw-in.

Newport came close to taking the lead just past the half-hour mark. Cain's free-kick evaded everyone in the Rovers penalty area and clipped the outside of Belshaw's post and behind. The hosts found the opener moments later. A long-range strike from James Waite flew past Belshaw and into the net.

The hosts were on the front foot from the start of the second half and Rovers had to rely on a Belshaw super stop to keep the score at 1-0 to Newport. The Rovers No.1 reacted superbly to deny Telford at close range.

It was Townsend's turn to produce heroics in the net next. The County stopper pulled out two saves in quick succession to deny Loft and Collins with the latter looking nailed on to fire Rovers level.

Jon Nolan entered the fray in the 65th minute for his Rovers debut, replacing Antony Evans in the middle of the pitch. Sam Finley was also introduced for Glenn Whelan.

As the game entered the final 10 minutes the Gas remained in search for an equaliser. Nicholson cut in from the right and looked to place his effort past Townsend but the winger wasn't able to get enough power behind his effort and Townsend gratefully claimed the ball.

The hosts looked to put the game to bed with a second goal. Goalscorer Cain had his first-time strike beaten away by Belshaw. Seven minutes of added time was shown by the fourth official. The Gas pressed to find that elusive goal with Nicholson firing over from distance. Rovers came closest as the game drew to a close. Luca Hoole having his headed effort clawed away acrobatically by Townsend in the Newport net.

Newport were resolute and were able to hold on to all three points in South Wales.

ROVERS: Belshaw, Connolly, Collins, Nicholson, E Anderson, Anderton, Taylor (45'), H Anderson, Evans (63), Whelan (63), Hoole.

Subs: Jaakkola, T Clarke, Finley (63), Coutts, Saunders, Loft (45), Nolan (63).

NEWPORT: Townsend, Norman, Demetriou, Haynes, Lewis, Bennett, Cain, Azaz, Waite, Telford, Street.

Subs: Day, Dolan, Bright, Collins, Cooper, Fisher, Abraham.

Not sure if anyone has posted but here are the match highlights

www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/12558767/newport-1-0-bristol-rovers-league-two-highlights

“Putting two up top may make the midfield not as good defensively.
Breaking the Coutts/Finley partnership has not helped. Don't think we are as good with Evans playing in Finley position.”

I think you answered your own question, putting likes of Evans or Nicholson in defensive midfield is a bit like playing PAUL SCHOLES in defensive midfield.  Yes the “resting crucial match fit players at crucial time” seems odd.  It’s a question of getting that balance right, players to build the stage otherwise actors can’t act on it no matter how many you cram in team, and I think we are outside the play offs right now despite the best budget in the division because we haven’t recruited number 9 very well, and played too much of the season without enough presence in attack. Even many matches we have won just to give us sniff of play offs, we havn’t looked much threat and relied on moment of magic from Evans or Thomas etc. it’s not just in successful season expecting more from attack in terms of goals, it’s how number 9’s help you in transition in a way we just havn’t been doing all season. 

after watching the highlights of us yesterday, watch some of yesterdays Aston Villa game. 

With all the talk being about Evans of late, i thin Belshaw has been the best acquisition of all players. He has been outstanding and has saved our bacon on many occasions 
You are very welcome for the link, people used to post them much earlier and also we would have stevek192 to give his own post match report but the poor guy is really not well. 
I doubt he would mind me saying it as he posted it himself but he has had an amputation of a toe which could have been his entire foot and his diabetes has got to the point where he now needs dialysis 3 times a week. 
Maybe we could help him in some way ?

I disagree. I haven’t been to a game but have watched what was available on iFollow, I think the motivation from start of matches, as proved by hard running, pressing, being vocal is quite good from start right through games, these boys don’t shirk 50 50s or any tackle. 

A performance can look abject if you don’t transition well. You play in various shapes as laid down by - formation: is the type of player you are deploying and their skills sets, two number 9 at ones is 2 up not 1.
tactics: where to and not to allow opponents possession or seek to engage them amongst other match plans, high defensive line against fast opponents not good tactic for example
so you actually play in more than one set out, just how good your performance looks, or how rubbish, depends on transitioning between your shapes and layouts, and the most important thing to transitioning well is holding the ball, holding it for reinforcements to give you options.

I’ve done some research, of the sides above us, what formation did they play this weekend. They all had at least 2 up except Northampton, In their previous match Northampton played 3 4 3.

Remember Barton Ball is wedded to 1 up monotonously, and that is not a 9 but a 10 if it’s Collins


Forest Green
Formation 3-4-1-2

Tranmere
Formation 4-4-2

Northampton
Formation 4-2-3-1

Exeter
Formation 3-4-1-2

Sutton United
Formation 4-4-2

Mansfield
Formation 4-3-3

Swindon
Formation 4-3-3

Newport
Formation 4-1-2-1-2

So far in this post I think this is mostly coaching manual basics, I will now take a flight of fancy. Newport played against us flat back four, two up, a narrow diamond in midfield, and IMO this is the perfect set up for L2 and Conference football.  

My theory is, on the basis many L2 defenders will never have the skills to play in Championship or higher, the best way to play league 2 is 2 up to exploit the errors your opponents will hand you. To look at my theory through a black mirror, the opposite of what I am saying, top of the range international matches can be settled by just two or three good openings to one of the teams. But you can profit in league two by putting pressure on your opponents defence. What do championship and above defenders have L2 mostly doesn’t (this is reflective to ages as footballers are classed at their peak 26 or older). They have time, from first touch or thought or vision. So at this level we shouldn’t be afraid to position forwards up against these defenders, because the speed we can get the ball into those forwards will cause more damage in this division than the type of defender at higher levels. This Rovers team needs less lone wolves running out of options, a more effective and quicker transition. It doesn’t mean going full on long ball, nor can we go a bit more direct without extra advanced bodies to hit, but a small formation and tactical tweak towards being more direct is what I am arguing we need to do.

Other than the incredible save by Belshaw and the width of the post, it would have been a lot worse.
I thought we looked robotic, unable to change tactics when it was clear we were not creating enough shooting opportunities.
That is the barrier to promotion for this team, in my opinion.

i think we should already be playing a different two up front formation with a slightly more direct strategy of hitting the front two earlier sometimes. We went on a run recently of getting points from a run of games without creating enough chances without looking that convincing with too much pussy footing around (Walsall, Sutton, Barrow unlucky to come away with nothing) Our transition phases of play are “clunky” rather than than about holding it players run the ball away from pass opportunity on quick counter. 

preferably 4 4 2 narrow diamond, but if you want something more solid protecting the defence we can field various 4 3 3 including narrow from the type of players we have knocking around the first team     

Nicholson has been scratching for form, a spell on bench he could come back stronger.