No need to be silent, let's say what actually happened and not get starry eyed because we scored a lucky goal right at the death.
First 10 mins we couldn't string 2 passes together. Next 20 mins we got it down, worked to create space and it looked like a team of footballers against a team of hoofers, we were very very good and got the goal we deserved.
Then we reverted to type, forgot how to do basics, Halifax took control and but for 2 superb saves would have gone in 2-1 down.
2nd half we were pants. Sat back and invited long balls and long throws into the box, no surprise whatsoever that they equalised.
This is where the manager earns his wages, it was obvious what they were going to do, he allowed it to happen, no way in a million years will our defence stand up to 45 mins of that type of assult. Sorry but this manager is a clown. I said in the summer to show him the door and go for Martin Allen, the early table shows that it would have been the right decision, Barnet are top, GD + 14, Rovers 15th, GD -1. Rovers will finish behind Barnet.
Sinclair changed things because he was prepared to get the ball down and run with it.
For anyone not there, wait until you see the winning goal, Sinclair gets the ball out from under his feet, creates a yard of space and puts over a perfect cross that just needed nodding down into the net, Harrison manages to head straight at the keeper, the ball falls at the keeper's feet, he smashed it againt Harrison and it bobbles over the line. I'm not complaining, they all count, but let's not try to convince ourselves that we deserved any more than maybe, being generous, a point from today's game.
Today's match stats:
Possession, Rovers 39% Halifax 61%
Shots, Rovers 8 with 4 on target Halifax 14 with 8 on target.
Special mention to the referee and the linesman in front of the east terrace, neither had the faintest idea what was going on half the time. By far the 2 most clueless officials I've ever seen. We were stood there laughing at them both. I don't know if they have assessors in this League, if they do then those 2 gents will find their careers are over before lunch on Monday, utter farce. The highlight was Sinclair being held in a headlock for a good 5 seconds literally in front of the linesman, and he didn't notice. When they realised what they could get away with Halifax got quite ugly. Luckilly nobody got badly hurt.
Happy with the 3 points, but a decent manager would get a lot more out of that group of players.
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