Pompey Vs The Gas News/Match Thread And Poll

Think you should take a lot of heart from that performance - first half I think we got away with it a bit tbh - your three front players and midfield really dragged us about and you could have easily gone in ahead - second half took us a while to get going in - think your early injuries helped us. Your support was excellent and I'd say best and noisiest away fans this season at FP...good luck in staying up if your lads put in a shift like they did today you will make it.

 

Wow...what a game! Great atmosphere, packed ground, both teams giving their all,
police low profile, fantastic ol'skool ground with 4 good stands.
Team gave everything...how the bluddy hell did we get into this mess?...and I don't just mean
this season. I though DC got the team selection spot-on. Attacking formation...clear 4-4-2.
Poor Ollie Clarke had a 'mare of a first half. For me we're better without JJ floating around.
Mildenhall pulled off two stupendous saves.
If I'm honest the score was about right, but we had our chances.
IF! we play like that in the remaining three matches we'll be ok, but then again..................
Great great game...shame about the result!!!!!!

 

thanks however i cant see us "putting in a shift like they did today" in the next 3 games.

i hope so wiz but if we cant win when we actually play ok then thats a worry. only positives i can see is that a striker has at long last scored for us. he got 2 so hitting form at the right time. also we still have a pretty decent home record and 2 of our 3 games are at home.

 

thanks for the report 49

 

If it's any consolation, I still think that there are 2 worse teams in L2 that you, but you may need something against Wycombe to be sure.

 

I think there are several worse squads in L2 than Rovers, but they have been playing a touch better than ours. Yesterday was a sight of what might have been if we had played with better tactics and a more positive approach. Bearing in mind we lost three of our better players to injury yesterday, so DC was left with PLAN D as opposed to PLAN A, I think his approach to the game earlier in the season would have and still may keep us out of trouble.

There is no point in making the injury list an excuse for a totally unacceptable season's performance, but the Gas has had more than it's fair share of them.

We also must recognise that the injury situation caused the forced maturity of the youngsters such as Harrison, Lockyer and Santos. These lads have performed pretty well.

It now look as though DC needs to get JJO motivated again and probably bring yet another youngster into the squad.
The youth team right back was getting rave reviews earlier, so with injuries at crisis point again it's probable he will be included in the next squad.

 

Manager's post match comments on defeat at Portsmouth

Good performances, unfortunately, don’t necessarily bring points and Rovers returned home empty handed from Portsmouth this afternoon in spite of pone of their best performances in recent weeks.

Twice behind in the first half, they fought back to equalise on both occasions, but conceded again after the break and couldn’t manage a third equaliser.

Poor defending let them down, if truth be told, though their hosts would probably say the same about the two they conceded.

One major concern for manager Darrell Clarke was the loss of defenders Danny Woodards and Michael Smith with hamstring and thigh strains respectively.

Speaking after the game, manager Darrell said; “I asked the boys to put a bit of pride back in the shirt and I think they did that.

“I thought that the first half injuries changed the complexion of the game a little bit because at that time I thought that there was only one team that were going to go and win the game and that was us.

“Although we are disappointed with the goals we conceded, the performance restored a little bit of the pride we lost last week against Torquay.

“Today we needed to get our fans back on side and try to win the game. It wasn’t to be, but the players gave their all and that’s what we need to do for the remaining three games.

“We are disappointed with the way we defended all three goals and we should have been better but I have to take the positives from everything today.”

Those positives included the number of chances created.

“I was encouraged by the number of chances we created and I would like to think that, in another game, we would convert more than the two we did today.

“I think anyone at the game would say we deserved something, but it wasn’t to be.”

He feels there is enough spirit and determination in the side to see them over the line.

“After last week’s game we discussed what we needed to do to go about our business. “If the players give me that effort, application and desire, and better defending, then we will be fine for the remaining three games.

“However it’s ok doing it for one performance, but we have to be exactly the same on Monday against a side going for promotion.

“The strong characters in the side need to stay strong and get the others going. We are in their fighting we will keep fighting and the good thing is that our destiny is still in our own hands.”