[Lichtielegend]

I'll tell you tomorrow, my summary would be that we were a tad unlucky not to get a draw.

[roy of the rovers]

A hard fought victory for Rovers

The referee was a problem too and we shouldn't have let a 10 man team dictate to us!

[Maroongoon]

RobRover, on Sep 9 2006, 17:17, said:

Wasn't at the game today, could any of the Smokies tell me how great the Rovers played today ?

How great? Not in the slightest. First half saw dreadful performances from both teams, neither group of players seemed to know that passing is permitted and that the ball can be played along the ground. Officials had a nightmare which included a dubious penalty and sending off compounded by them totally failing to take any action at all when one of our players, Rennie was hacked down.

Apart from a well taken free kick the Rovers goals were due to a combination of shocking keeping/defending and us only having ten men (although most of the time we were definitely on top). Rovers only tactic seemed to be to punt the ball up the park.

You had two stand out players, Lennon, who saved your bacon on a couple of occasions and your keeper - boy is he 5hite or what?

Hopefull we'll get revenge on Tuesday but I'd rather have the three league points anyday.

[roy of the rovers]

Dubious penalty my arse! The guy handled the ball inches before it went into the net.

[edinlichtie]

The "dubious penalty" was a deliberate handball on the goal line.

Albion weren't amazing, but after trying to play for a draw at 2-2, found a gap in the makeshift defence to steal a win.

Arbroath had a nice spell after half time, but it soon faded.

Lets just hope we can play the same on Tuesday, but with ELEVEN men this time!]



PS - ref and linesmen were utter pish!

This post has been edited by edinlichtie: 10 September 2006 - 00:52

[Neilly]

I think Jim Chapman should be applauded for doing a damn good job at Rovers in my opinion. I like the guy, I read the Albion Rovers messageboard and he seems an intelligent guy and his weekly interview is a tremendous thing at this level, keeping the fans updated on proceedings.

If he can add a few experienced pros like Bollan and Reid to the pool of his young guns then I genuinely feel they can be play off candidates, because there is nothing much to fear in this league.

[Lichtielegend]

Here's my more in depth summary;

Neither team were too brilliant in the first half but Rovers were the more dominant force, with more of the game being played in our half. We should have scored when Willie Martin scuffed wide from about 6 yards though.

The turning point was obviously the penalty and sending off. Being at the other end of the ground I couldn't see for sure, but I can't have any complaints about it. It was a good burst through our defence by Chaplain to win the pen.

2nd half saw us look far better going forward, and we certainly deserved to draw level when Raeside's scuff somehow beat the keeper. He may have been a bit unsighted.

It was a blow to lose the goal so soon after levelling, but it was a perfectly executed free-kick, and Peat was left standing.

Then minutes later we equalised again, I actually thought it should have been a penalty, but it made no difference when Sellars sent a low shot into the corner, which I also thought the keeper should have had.

We had a decent spell for 15 minutes, but couldn't really make anything clear cut, before Albion took the lead again. It looked like the boy was given far too much time and space in the box, and it was too easy.

We threw everything forward and made a couple of half chances, but it just wasn't our day. The keeper who'd been crap all day pulls off a top notch save from Barry Scott right at the death.

I'm a bit gutted we never took anything from this game, it was a good performance from the 10 men, although we never looked secure at the back.

Gordon Lennon was an absolute stand out yet again.

[smokiejoe]

Although not being at the game, the stats show that the Bishop sending off was the turning point. I have always rated Bishop very highly, and I think this shows how much we can miss him. He goes about his business quietly and very effectively. In my opinion, with Bishop suspended for next week, we could have a tough game with East Stirlingsh.

['Steve]

I take it Rovers are after Gary Bollan then?

He may add experience but nothing else, the last time I saw him he was overweight and not fit enough. He just got released the other day from us and hadn't played in a competitive match since February.

[Maroongoon]

RobRover, on Sep 10 2006, 11:20, said:

Thanks for the match summary although the best part of your post was your avatar, brother

"See you in another life, yeah?"...or even Tuesday night, brother.

[rocksolid]

'Steve, on Sep 10 2006, 14:29, said:

I take it Rovers are after Gary Bollan then?

[farflung lichtie]

Though far away hence not at the game, I knew I could rely on the Lichties to blow what seemed to be a recet road to recovery. But Rovers seems an up and coming team so maybe this is less of a surprise than their win at Gayfield last season.

I was going to say that at least 2-3 sounds like the fans had entertainment but it seems this applies to the second half only.

Is it a formal new policy of the club to abandon Fortress Gayfield (for one season we did OK) in favour of a well constructed mobile home?

Bit of a pyschological boost for Rovers ahead of the Challenge Cup game?