Bristol Rovers 3, Torquay United 2: Tom Eaves spares Rovers blushes against 10-man Gulls

“Forgot to say...Normal service continued across Bristol this weekend”

“Old Frank. Please try to keep up with situationat Rovers. Lund is playing RNB because the first 3 choices - Woodards, Virgo & Smith are al injured! No doybt he'll move to midfield once one or all of them are fit. ARBIE0489 Paterson wasn't at fault for the second goal - it was Parkes who was marking Downes. That said I think our defence needs to sort out set piece defending as clearly its still a problem. Broghammer is an excellent winger who can also tackle and fill in well when defending. There will be ups and downs his season but I'm happy we are at last moving in the right direction and Saturday proved our progress is steady but to my mind can only continue to get better. We may not make promotion but i rekon we have a decen chance of the top 7. Only 5 points away and a game in hand.”

“I think some were watching another another game. We were excellet 1st half and thats what made Torquay look rubbish and thats what made the guy commit the fouls and get sent off.

We had loads of attempts on goal and it was only the exellence of Poke that saved them. Another day, another keeper and we would have repeated or beaten last seasons 7 in a match.

2nd half they had to change it and bolstered the midfield where they were getting overrun. Thats where LIng earnt his wage

Howes strike was class and Downes goal was careless and put a totally artificial slant on hte match, whatever you think BSyellow.

When it was 2-2 I still couldnt see us not winning it, with the chances we were creating.

I was telling the moaners to shut up about 3 weeks ago in support of MM. But I havent heard anyone say they may have been wrong.
We arent many points from where we need to be, we won't be mid table, we will be challenging. Providing we keep fit and keep the loanees, we are fast becoming a good side.
Everyone has loans, so why does that matter when they do well for us. I say welll done MM for getting them.
Just look forward to a match fit Riordan firing in a few weeks.

Make the most of it. The blades wont be relishing it..

Just to make it clear I am neither related to MM, nor am I a director!

and why doesnt the keyboard work properly on this site?”

“I think Broghammer lacks the guile of Jarman and Petherbridge and relies purely on speed so in that respect he's more like Ray Graydon. But Ray was a forceful direct type of player who cut it in the third division and of course went much higher. Broghammer is a more orthodox player in the Germanic mould who would fit in with a slick passing side but I don't think he's that suited to league 2 football.

Lee Brown was one of my picks last year but I think he's gone backwards and McGhee obviously doesn't rate him or Michael Smith as full backs because he's willing to play Paterson, Lund or Virgo there in preference to them.

I was going to say we are experiencing a dead cat bounce at the moment but (even for me) that may be taking it a bit far. We are making it more difficult for teams to play against us which is of course a good thing but apart from one fast move yesterday which ended with an Eaves header I don't see us playing creative football. I see it more that we are taking advantage of other teams lapses and so we are likely to suffer when opposing defences play well and our own lapses become costly.”

“I have to disagree with you Old Frank...Broghammer too lightweight?????....he is quick and a battler and doesn't give up easily. Had he not been forearmed yesterday, Rovers may have been out of reach by half time. Also what about Georgie Petherbridge and Harold Jarman, they were no bigger for sure. He needs to learn to 'chip' the ball up better and centre more accurately. Also IMO Lee Brown is better at left back than Paterson. Look again at the match video..was it not the latter, who allowed Downes to head the second Torquay goal !!! Michael Smith has improved no end and is definitely worth keeping on the books.”

“Now then, now then, gasincider I haven't touched a nerve again have I ?

You know you mustn't quote goal attempts because when in the past Rovers have been totally outplayed but won or snatched a point the people who only see one side of the picture tell us "goal attempts count for nothing". What was it two weeks ago you were suicidal and thinking the ceiling was falling in and now you are cock a hoop over victories over a couple of ten man teams ?

Rovers player well in the first half and Torquay were awful. The visitors changed their tactics after half time and competed well but 3 - 2 to Rovers was a fair result. My point, which I am consistent with, is that Rovers are nowhere near promotion contenders despite their recent run of good results. They have easier games coming up and I expect them to get to mid table and stay there till the end of the season.

Kenneth (if he stays fit) with Parkes could be the Elliott and Anthony which helped get us out of this division before. Otherwise I see no similarities to the 2007 promotion winning team can you ? We have no permanent goalie and the way Etheridge is playing he'll be moving upwards soon so Walker will be back, Paterson isn't going to improve at his age, Woodards will take time even if he can come back playing at the same standard as before his injury. I'm afraid Lee Brown and Michael Smith may be heading for the door. Norburn is playing well and was a good signing perhaps our Disley ? Clarkson is too slow and not a midfielder, Broghammer is fast but too lightweight and Anyinsah is not up to now it even at this level. Eaves is a good old fashioned centre forward but he's Bolton's player unless we do what we did with Parkes and put a high bid in for him and he wants to come. Richards has been my big hope and he put a lot of work in yesterday but the jury is still out. And we are missing a Rickie Lambert if anyone remembers him ? Oh, and I said stttuttered not struggled by the way.

Keep smiling gasincider”

“Hey ! Lay off Old Frank ! He's trying to be realistic ! Now Rovers have a real challenge on their hands; Sheffield Utd in the Cup. If that doesn't bring in the crowds I don't know what will. Fill the Mem and cheer them on. Then in the next round they might face the mighty Yate !!!!

Ancient Pirate with happy Cup memories of long ago Preston... Man U etc”

“Oh dear Old Frank, you really are showing yourself as an embittered person. In light of the most entertaining game in a long time all you can say is that our goalscorers were on loan players.

You cannot stand the thought that McGhee might be getting it right. Grow up man. Whats your problem? Even premiership clubs borrow players. You say we struggled yesterday. I thought we should have won by a landslide. Even at 2-2 we were well on top and I for one was confident all the way through. We had 22 attempts on goal with 9 on target.

To put the right spin on it 8 of the team that started are ours. Ive no doubt that McGhee will look to increase that number in the next financial round.

But hey, its better to continue ****ging them off. Hopefully next season you will be ****ging them off at a higher level.

Why dont you go back to the Bristol club that is really struggling. Im sure they would welcome you with open arms.”

“BS3Yellow you went to the game did you and you think we were lucky.
Well I'll say one thing you were lucky not to concede about six and you are lucky to have such a great keeper as Pokey who was outstanding for you today.
I just wished we had signed him in the summer.”

“We were coasting in the first hlf but needed to keep the intnsity up and that's why theygot back into it. Howe is agood Div 2 player and scored a craking goal. Pity he wasn't fit when with us. Positives for Roves were the form of Norburn who at 20 is a real find. Eaves gets bettr each game an is more mobile than most big Div 2 centre halves so hoe we extend his loan. Kenneth is a rock and a 'proper' captain. We are only 5 points off the play offs and have a game in hand so every chance of getting in among the contenders by Christmastime. Remember promotion is won afte 46 games not 12. Well done MM and the lads.”