Pressure all-round for this one. Momentous changes at Board level at Bloomfield Road seen as salvation from the control of the unpopular Oystons and their Eastern European partners with whom their subsequent falling-out made a bad situation seemingly even worse mean that the long-standing boycott has now ended. 15,781 less whatever Southend took with them at the weekend is a massive demonstration and they were rewarded with a last minute goal to salvage a draw. Much will be expected when they tackle us tomorrow and the support will doubtless be expectant of a resounding victory.
The pressure on DRFC needs no description, but as we are away it will not be felt much from those watching; perhaps that is a good thing; it is from the home team that the crowd will have the great expectations.
Let us hope that this will make them nervous. Let us hope too, that we will be committed from the first minute, rather than needing time to warm up and get up to speed. No doubt Smith will start and I hope he will be instructed to do a bit more running around - a kind of productive version of Alfie May (whose spirit no one can doubt). Perhaps Sadlier will also be on from the start and I cannot say I have been over-impressed by his energy, so let's see him doing a bit more when we lose the ball.
I would also bring back Anderson either in place of Butler or Downing.
We have had a history of losing at Blackpool, sometimes when it looked as though we would win - young Ince burst on to the scene to shatter our hopes on one occasion - and I remember when we were utterly dominant in a Championship match and eventually lost.
Without the off-the-pitch boost, the odds would favour Blackpool since they are only a place or two behind us, but in the face of our recent performances they are reinforced.
If we win tomorrow's match I will be very happy, but I am resigned to a defeat and all I hope for is a good performance. As ebbs go, this is a low one.
0-3 to them and 15,000.
DPL vs Blackpool
posted on 12/3/19
0-0 draw crowd 12999
posted on 12/3/19
Bit of reverse psychology tonight.
4 nil defeat, no goals scored, crowd 12345.
posted on 12/3/19
Dreadful video coverage from iFollow tonight. No commentary to begin with and still none at half time; to begin with it I assumed it was an audio failure with my PC, but then we got crowd noise, but no commentary.
That would not be too bad, but the action was stuttering - slow motion and then catch-up and rather like a Charlie Chaplin film and impossible to follow as a spectacle.
It is a miserable scene with the stand opposite the camera deserted.
Rovers were not impressive in the first half, but were the better team with Blackpool strangely languid. Crawford blazed over the top from a few yards out with the best chance of the half.
posted on 12/3/19
iFollow frozen for 10 minutes. I see Rowe has now scored.
posted on 12/3/19
I had no problem with the iFollow video, but no sound other than the crowd until the second half.
The Rovers certainly started a little livelier than in recent matches and dominated the first 25 minutes but created almost nothing to test their GK. As Donaldo said, Crawford had the best chance in the first half.
The ground and weather conditions were terrible, and I thought both teams tried to play attractive football. The pitch was a combination of a cow pasture and the beach making it difficult to play a quick passing game, and the wind played havoc with over the top balls and chipped passes.
Their goal was a little against the run of play at the time. Marosi again was too static too often. I do not know if this is a lack of communication/understanding with the two centre-backs, or a loss of confidence.
Rowe's goal was a superb strike following some good work by Copps.
I thought in the first half Andrew was the best he had been for some time, but in the second was poor and many times couldn't get crosses past the first defender.
Nobody really had an outstanding game. I thought Crawford played well except for his shooting, and the out-of-position Blair was good most of the time, but had some sloppy passes. Wilks worked hard but was hot and cold, and not beating his man very often.
I'm not sure whom I'd play as the front three on Friday - Marquis, Copps, and ???
posted on 12/3/19
Thanks Micky; the transmission to my machine was so choppy that I felt that I got an impression of the match rather than seeing all of it properly. Rovers were probably as good as Blackpool, but Blackpool seemed less than fully committed when, as the home team boosted by new ownership, would have expected them to be flying. Had they been up against Wimbledon again, I doubt whether this performance would have been good enough for a point.
Rovers seem to have lost their intensity and dynamism and it is difficult to believe that they can stay in the play-off places unless those around them fizzle out too.
posted on 12/3/19
Fergie is giving a good impression of fizzling out at Peterborough! Look at Wimbledon now - only 4 points from safety.
It seems sixth is our only hope, and Coventry are making a good run for it, and I'm sure Fleetwood still feel they are in with a chance.
As the game against the Dingles is on TV, there will be no iFollow live video.
posted on 13/3/19
Mickey, have a look at the highlights and you will see why Marko didn’t come for the ball when they scored.
The Blackpool number six virtually stands on his feet, blocking him onto the line and prevents him moving, never mind moving towards the ball.
Someone who was at the game said the same thing happened on every corner.
posted on 13/3/19
Micky: I agree that from what I saw Crawford did do as well as anyone, getting on to the ball and trying to do something with it, in contrast to Smith who hardly seems to know how to become involved. Sadlier is obviously more experienced and does a bit more, but I haven't noticed him really driving hard. Most of the others in defence and midfield will try to work the ball and take responsibility, but there is not as much determination and effort as we saw before Christmas.
posted on 13/3/19
I don't know what happened to the missing 10,000 spectators from Saturday; perhaps it was free entry then. But when I looked at a webcam in the morning it was wet and and so gloomy on the seafront that you would not have wanted to venture out even at that time.
On one such night perhaps 20 years ago, I was travelling north and the visibility was so bad in the driving rain that I mistakenly veered left into the tram reservation!
Most of us expected defeat, assuming Blackpool would be on a roll, but there were two 1--1s and one 2--2, so well done Mooli (the overall leader still) and Micky who got the 1--1 right.
Friday's match is on Sky TV and it seems odd that it is not available on iFollow too since the annual subscription for the sound commentary and the video coverage in the UK covers all the League matches.
Blackpool 1 : Rovers 1 (Rowe) 7404
>>>>>>>> Crowd > Scorer > Score > Result Bonus > Total > Pts B/F > O/all
Donaldo>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>> 152 >>> 152
PDXMickey> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>>> 3 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 6 >>> 137 >>> 143
Yorks Lad>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>> 153 >>> 156
BVZ>>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>> 140 >>> 140
Crazy>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>> 150 >>> 150
Uthred>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>> 141 >>> 141
Mooligan>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>>> 3 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 6 >>> 160 >>> 166
King Chmprr 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 86 >>>> 86
Small Azza> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>>> 3
Stantonrover 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0
Azza>>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 99 >>>> 99
Cheltenham 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0
Nookie>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>> 153 >>> 153
Selby>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 67 >>>> 67
Lanza>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 94 >>>> 94
>>>>>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 6 >>>>> 9 >>>>> 0 >>>> 15 >> 1535 >>> 1550