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League Two Wrexham (0) v Rovers (1)

Ian

Ian

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Let's get this thread started early as Rovers take on Wrexham in what is sure to be a fiery affair; not necessarily with the players but certainly with the supporters. The last time we met at The Racecourse Ground was in the National League over six years ago. The match was watched by 8471 and ended 2-2. The team that day:

R Taylor, S McNulty, L Ridehalgh, R Sutton, A Buxton, J Ginnelly (E Clarke, 74), O Norburn
yellow card
, J Harris, A Cook
yellow card
, C Jennings, J Norwood

Fast forward to today and Rovers will be looking to improve their away form and pickup as many points as possible until the end of the season. Rovers do not have much to play for and therefore might be able to relax and play a good game. Wrexham on the other hand will be looking to pick up another three points having already beaten Rovers in September (0-1). This was during a somewhat rocky period when Ian Dawes was in charge but Wrexham are holding steady in the top two looking to secure an automatic spot that would see them win back to back promotions.

Hopefully we can give them a better game now that Adkins has settled the team and got them playing some nice football at times. Rovers should be confident after victory against the league leaders Mansfield on Tues night. Nigel seems to be going with some rotation at present so unsure what team will line up on Saturday.

As much as I want us to beat them, I just can't see it due to our poor away record and I don't want them taking six points off us this season so I'm going for a well fought draw.
 
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As much as it pains me to say it, they will be too strong for us and win 3 1.
 
I’m feeling a bit more confident that I would have done a week ago. Wrexham has a disappointing draw last night at home to Harrogate whilst we were on top form. Since Nigel came in we’ve shown we are perhaps better against the better sides who come on to us where we can stay compact, deny them space and hit them on the counter with our pace.

McLean is suspended for the dragons which is a positive. Having missed the reverse fixture Mullin will want to get one over on us and has a habit of throwing himself over in opposition boxes this season. Hopefully Davies is back as I worry how Yarney would cope. Also hoping Walker is fit as he did well last night but we know how unreliable he can be with successive games.

Apart from Davies perhaps returning I expect us to be unchanged.
I’ve got a 100% record this season for away games. Four defeats from four games and hoping it’ll change on Saturday. Despite their excellent home record and our shockingly bad away record, it wouldn’t surprise me if we picked up a point. Hopefully no trouble in and around the ground with the supporters.

just imagine a win…..
 
Strangely enough, this will probably be the first Wrexham-Tranmere fixture that many of the current Wrexham supporters have attended.

We have actually got a good recent record at the Racecourse Ground, with our last defeat there back in 1988. However, the current circumstances at the two clubs are very different to those of the previous meetings.

We are in very good form at the moment, but our away record remains a concern, as is the likely fatigue in the squad. The majority of our strong performances against the top sides have been at Prenton Park, and a number of key players may be unable to play the full ninety minutes (Walker) or have put a hell of a lot physically into the last two games and are likely to be jaded (Jennings, Hendry, Turnbull etc). However, we have shown we are capable of beating any team in the division on our day.

If we only win one more game this season.......
 
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Word of warning for anyone going on Saturday. It’s all ticket so I’d get there in good time for your seat to prevent any of the Kop muppets sitting where they want to.
 
Nigel said in his pre-match interview that Davies trained today, but it seems touch and go as to whether he will be available for Saturday.
 
For me, the away form is more of a concern than the actual opponent.

Regardless of result, I’m looking for the team to relish and be inspired by the occasion, and certainly not to buckle under it. No reason why we shouldn’t get on the scoresheet either - their defence is by no means impregnable if they're got at.

But I’ll resist tempting fate with a prediction!
 
I have a feeling we are gonna smash em.

However, after waking up, I'm gonna get back to my position, sitting on the fence.
As it worked Tuesday.
A point would be decent.
A draw for me.
 
As Nigel said in his pre-match interview, we are capable of beating any team in the division. I agree, but it’s also true that we can lose to any team in L2. In fact, I think you could say that about any side in our league. No side is consistent, but some are more consistent than others.

As for this match, my head says we will lose. My heart says we will win. This season, my heart has been more accurate, so I’m going for a win in a thrilling game. AM has predicted a meltdown, so what can go wrong? ;)
 
We’ve been talking about how Rovers seem to raise their game against better teams and blow it against weaker opponents. So I’ve looked at results so far against each team as they are currently in the table. That’s not necessarily where they were when we played them, but might still be a good guide.

Today’s match is the last against a top four side. So far we’ve won 2, drawn 2 and lost 3 - not bad. Against the eight teams below us, we’ve won 6, drawn 2 and lost 7. Not much difference!!

Interestingly, against the six teams just above us we have the best record - 6 wins, one draw and only two defeats. Our worst record is against the wannabes in fourth to ninth, where we’ve lost all seven games!

Looking only at the period since Nigel was appointed permanent boss, we are much better against top four sides and against teams below us. We have not lost to a top four side, while Dawes’ teams never beat any of the teams below us. Quite a change. Strangely our record against fifth to fifteenth hasn’t changed much under Nigel.

Make what you will of those stats but I also note that of our eight remaining games, only one is against a team below us. All the others are against teams above us. Getting into the top half could be a struggle, although it would be fairly meaningless. The important thing is that we put in good performances and Nigel has a chance to look at all his squad before the end of the season.
 
Ahhhhhhh the day starts with 100 breakfasts to do and then finishes at a house tonight cooking for 15 ladies in Oxton village. So i won't be listening to the game will see at 5 tonight b4 for i go to the ghouse. Have a good day chaps
 
I was at the 2-2 game Ian refers to, been a few times to The Racecourse, but don't enjoy the fixture. Suspect it will be even less palatable under their media darling owners so didn't try for a ticket for this one.

The home game under Dawes was very one-sided as the visitors spurned a number of chances, while we only troubled their defence when Sam Taylor came on. Mullin was injured for that one, but is back playing for the hosts again and after an iffy spell seems to be getting back into form just in time for this match. I'm sure he'll be delighted to get on the scoresheet today.

I think there may be one or two adjustments from the Mansfield game, but only think Tom Davies will feature if fully fit. We need to have a more balanced bench, as Walker could easily have got himself sent off for some silly offences on Tuesday and McAlear doesn't fill me with confidence in the holding role. However with Nigel banging on about the height of our opponents in the pre-match, there probably won't be a place on the bench for Merrie again.

Find it hard to see beyond a home win, but clinging to the hope that derby games can be unpredictable.
 
Like BBTC I’ve thought about how we’re good against the better sides but can’t cope against the poorer ones. However since Nigel took the reins permanently I think we’re now third or fourth in the league so overall we’ve gathered enough points to be up there.

Immaterial of course but just shows whilst the defeats at say FGR and Donny have been disappointing, in the grand scheme of things we’ve done well since November.

Like Boz I was at the 2-2 draw previously when cookie headed in the equaliser. For my sins I’ll be at the racecourse today and could see it go either way, but a betting man would go for the home side.
 
Boz said:
I was at the 2-2 game Ian refers to, been a few times to The Racecourse, but don't enjoy the fixture. Suspect it will be even less palatable under their media darling owners so didn't try for a ticket for this one.

The home game under Dawes was very one-sided as the visitors spurned a number of chances, while we only troubled their defence when Sam Taylor came on. Mullin was injured for that one, but is back playing for the hosts again and after an iffy spell seems to be getting back into form just in time for this match. I'm sure he'll be delighted to get on the scoresheet today.

I think there may be one or two adjustments from the Mansfield game, but only think Tom Davies will feature if fully fit. We need to have a more balanced bench, as Walker could easily have got himself sent off for some silly offences on Tuesday and McAlear doesn't fill me with confidence in the holding role. However with Nigel banging on about the height of our opponents in the pre-match, there probably won't be a place on the bench for Merrie again.

Find it hard to see beyond a home win, but clinging to the hope that derby games can be unpredictable.
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Two things, maybe in the interests of keeping the squad happy but also a response to what Mansfield had, Nigel chose Saunders pace over Norris presence, which did work in a most fluid contest. No idea what Wrexham offer but maybe the tactic could be reversed?
Then Walker put a hand on the defender's back and he fell, yellow. The same thing explicitly happened to Saunders but in the box, Ref ignores it.
 
dollar'sbloke said:
Two things, maybe in the interests of keeping the squad happy but also a response to what Mansfield had, Nigel chose Saunders pace over Norris presence, which did work in a most fluid contest. No idea what Wrexham offer but maybe the tactic could be reversed?
Then Walker put a hand on the defender's back and he fell, yellow. The same thing explicitly happened to Saunders but in the box, Ref ignores it.
Click to expand...
Don’t disagree with your first paragraph, though felt Mansfield was the wrong game to try out Norris/Dennis combo at the end, we’d have been better keeping Saunders on with Norris imo.

Walker spent nearly a minute at h/t bending the ref’s ear, a lot of officials would have wafted a yellow at that point. Perhaps it worked as Rovers seemed to get more decisions in the second half. Thought Walker booked for delaying a free-kick? Then involved in the incident where Yarney was shown a yellow for time-wasting. On another day he could have walked…
 
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Boz said:
Don’t disagree with your first paragraph, though felt Mansfield was the wrong game to try out Norris/Dennis combo at the end, we’d have been better keeping Saunders on with Norris imo.

Walker spent nearly a minute at h/t bending the ref’s ear, a lot of officials would have wafted a yellow at that point. Perhaps it worked as Rovers seemed to get more decisions in the second half. Thought Walker booked for delaying a free-kick? Then involved in the incident where Yarney was shown a yellow for time-wasting. On another day he could have walked…
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Sadly seems an occupational hazard nowadays. Yarney was odd, the Ref barely made any gesture to him and the attacker was not 10 away. Maybe Walker was game managing him not dissenting him? Big Walker fan, the old adage if he was fitter he wouldn't be with us is valid.
 
Davies unfit to start so Yarney keeps his place, while Luke Norris replaces Morris in the starting xi. Another unbalanced bench with Belehouan the only defender.
 
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