yep. ward needs to sort out this issue in the transfer window as this keeps happening. we have a good defensive record. 1 of the best in the league but have 1 of the worst attacking record in the league.
full time. 1-1. rovers deserved this after our 1st half performance. but our inability to take our chances has cost us points again. performances though are improving. just need a confidence boost like 2 wins on the bounce and away we go. ward needs to get someone in who can actually finish!
1st half: we had 10 shots which 5 was on target and had 3 corner. 2nd half: we had 7 shots which 1 was on target and had 5 corners. total: 17 shots which 6 was on target and had 8 corners. had more posssession too. 2nd half wasnt good enough after the hard work we put in the 1st half.
Rovers have to settle for a point at Torquay Torquay United 1 Marquis (pen, 6) Bristol Rovers 1 Harrold (27) Rovers returned home from Torquay with a point safely secured but, on the evidence of their first half performance alone, they will be disappointed it wasn’t all three. Trailing to a controversial sixth minute penalty, they hit back through Matt Harrold’s 27th minute goal and dominated the opening 45 minutes. They were unable to convert their superiority into goals, though, and almost conceded near the end when the home side hit the upright. Manager John Ward enjoyed the luxury of naming an unchanged side for this afternoon’s match. On the bench there was a return for Jim Paterson, who has been missing from the side all season following the injury he picked up at Hereford in pre-season. The home side took a sixth minute lead when they were awarded a penalty after referee Philip Gibbs ruled that a Rovers player had handled Billy Bodin’s free kick on its way through to Steve Mildenhall. John Marquis duly despatched the spot kick and that was almost the last we saw of Torquay as an attacking force in the opening period as Rovers took the game to their hosts. Matt Harrold saw a close range header comfortably saved by Michael Poke and the former Rovers loanee then saved a Michael Smith effort with his legs. As Rovers kept up the pressure, David Clarkson saw his free kick blocked by Torquay’s defensive wall and Smith sent an effort over the bar after running on to Ollie Norburn’s crossfield ball. Eliot Richards hit a shot into the side netting, Mark McChrystal headed straight at Poke while the keeper saved another effort with his legs, this time from Richards. The equaliser that Rovers richly deserved came with 27 minutes on the clock when Harrold was on hand to bundle the ball over the line from Lee Brown’s corner on the right. Jordan Chappell saw a shot blocked at the other end in a rare Torquay attack and he saw another effort blocked before Norburn volleyed over the crossbar after Harrold had chested the ball into his path. Richards saw another effort blocked while Bodin dragged a shot well wide of the target before the half time whistle. There were further chances for Ward’s side in the opening minutes of the second half. John-Joe O’Toole saw a shot deflected behind for a corner, Tom Parkes fired well wide of the target and Smith hit a shot over the bar. The home side might have scored with 66 minutes on the clock but the unmarked Marquis headed wide from six yards when meeting a cross from the right. Rovers were soon on the attack again and O’Toole saw a shot blocked and when the rebound fell to Ollie Clarke he fired wide of goal. Steve Mildenhall saved from Bodin, who trued his luck from 25 yards and then Damien Mozika hit the post with a near post header. The game ended with Rovers pressing again and Harrold sent a header wide, and a low drive from Richards met the same fate. The final chance of the game fell to the excellent Smith, who got forward yet again and hit a shot just over the bar. Rovers: Steve Mildenhall, Michael Smith, Tom Parkes, Mark McChrystal, Lee Brown, David Clarkson (Alefe Santos, 86),, Ollie Norburn, Ollie Clarke, John-Joe O’Toole, Eliot Richards (Ellis Harrison, 90), Matt Harrold. Substitutes: Jim Paterson, Mitch Harding, Chris Beardsley, Conor Gough, Tom Lockyer Torquay United: Michael Poke, Dale Tonge, Anthony O’Connor, Aaron Downes, Thomas Cruise, Jak McCourt (Nathan Craig, 88), Lee Mansell, Damien Mozika, Jordan Chapell (Jayden Stockley, 81), John Marquis, Billy Bodin Substitutes: Krystian Pearce, Martin Rice, Elliot Benyon, Daniel Sullivan Yellow cards: Tonge, Mansell, McCourt Referee: Philip Gibbs Attendance: 3,461 Rovers Supporters: 776
Rochdale Info please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Nickname: The Dale Founded: 1907 Stadium Address: Spotland, Sandy Lane, Rochdale, OL11 5DR Capacity: 10,249 Away Capacity: 3,650 Pitch Size: 114 x 76 yards Year Ground Opened: 1906 Main Telephone No: 0844 826 1907 Fax No: 01706 648 466 Shirt Sponsors: Crown Oil Home Kit Colours: Blue And Black Away Kit Colours: White And Blue Kit Manufacturers: FILA Official Web Site: www.rochdaleafc.co.uk Tickets: Tickets in the Willbutts Lane Stand are priced at £20 for adults, £14 for 65+ and U21s and £5 for U16s. Those under 21 must buy their ticket from the ticket office and provide photographic ID. How To Get There: Leave Bristol heading north on the M5. Join the M6 and at junction 2a exit onto the M60 towards Leeds, then continue onto the M62. Exit the M62 at Junction 20 and take the A627(M) towards Rochdale. At the end of the A627(M) you should be in the left hand lane to turn left at the traffic lights. Now follow the road, go straight through the next set of lights (approach in the middle lane) into Roch Valley Way. At the next crossroads go straight onto Sandy Lane, where the ground can be found on the right after approx 3/4 mile. Car Parking at the ground is now for permit holders only, so it is a case of either street parking or using the matchday parking facility at Oulder Hill School. The school is located on the way up to the ground, on the left hand side, along Sandy Lane. SatNav: OL11 5DR Distance: 185 miles Duration: 3 hours 5 minutes. Away Facilities: Away supporters are housed in the Willbutts Lane Stand, where the view of the action and the facilities are pretty good. Up to 3,650 supporters can be accommodated in it and normally away fans are confined to the centre of the stand. Last visit: The last visit to the Spotland Stadium was in November 2012. Rovers lost 2-1, with David Clarkson scoring from the penalty spot. Ticket News: Pay on the day. Tickets for Rovers' trip to Rochdale will be available to purchase on the day. Rovers travel up to the Spotland Stadium on Sunday, December 29th (kick off 3pm). Tickets in the Willbutts Lane Stand are priced at £20 for adults, £14 for 65+ and U21s and £5 for U16s. Those under 21 must buy their ticket from the ticket office and provide photographic ID.
Previous visits to Rochdale: April 2003 - Rochdale 1-1 Rovers - Rovers dominated this game throughout, but only had Vitalijs Astafjevs' solo goal to show for it as it ended in a draw. Astafjevs beat three Rochdale players and saw his shot spilt into the net by the goalkeeper for the equalising goal, after Paul Connor had given the home side the lead. January 2004 - Rochdale 2-2 Rovers - Shortly after the departure of Ray Graydon, Rovers found themselves in a desperate position as Rochdale raced into a 2-0 lead thanks to Patrick McCourt, who slammed the ball into the top corner, and Kevin Townson's wonderful strike from 25 yards. But we clawed it back to 2-2 with a brace of goals in the last 20 minutes as Matt Doughty turned a cross into his own net and Junior Agogo headed home from close range. December 2004 - Rochdale 0-0 Rovers - A dire game for the most part, but there was late drama when Dale's Gary Jones sent a late penalty over the crossbar. The closest Rovers came was when Craig Disley hot the crossbar. April 2006 - Rochdale 2-0 Rovers - Our play-off hopes in the 2005/06 season were ended by Rickie Lambert, whose penalty (for which Craig Hinton was sent off) on the stroke of half time gave Dale the lead. Ernie Cooksey added the second in stoppage time at the end of the game. January 2007 - Rochdale 0-1 Rovers - This time Lambert was our match winner as he turned the ball home from close range against his old club. Rovers had to hold firm as Rochdale carved out plenty of chances. Steve Phillips was needed to make several fine saves, and Chris Dagnall sliced a rebound wide from two yards out. Sammy Igoe was sent off for Rovers, but we held on for a rare win at Spotland. February 2011 - Rochdale 3-1 Rovers - Going into this game I was sure Rovers would lose, and I was eventually proved correct as late strikes from Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro sealed victory for Dale. All the goals were in the last 20 minutes as Craig Dawson opened the scoring for the home side, and Will Hoskins equalised with a shot from the edge of the penalty area. November 2012 - Rochdale 2-1 Rovers - Another terrible day for Rovers at Spotland, but it had started reasonably well as David Clarkson converted a penalty after a quarter of an hour. We were then undone by a neat set-piece routine for the equaliser as Andrew Tutte beat Neil Etheridge with a first time shot from the corner. Robert Grant's shot deflected in off Fabian Broghammer for the winner, and as Etheridge's brilliance in goal kept the score down, our discipline disappeared completely, as Garry Kenneth and Eliot Rochards were both sent off. So... we have a wonderful record at Rochdale!
