Well, there we are then. A team put out just as I'd predicted *cough cough* started with a fairly lukewarm performance in the early stages. Nothing of real note happened early on; Morgan getting booked for jumping for a header against Branston the main excitement. Then they scored. Gornell's close-range header was brilliantly kept out by their keeper, they broke and got a stonewall penalty, converted clinically by Grabban, 1-0 down. We offered little now, and they began to grow in confidence. They had a couple of half chances, and it looked as though we were looking for half time to give us a chance to regroup when the key moment in the game arrived. Wright and Gornell had had little joy up against Marshall so far, and he'd looked dangerous coming forward as well, so, when Wright got past him for the first time, I assumed his tackle would be perfectly timed. It was, he swung a leg out and brought down Wright, as the last man, when Wright was clean through on goal. I quite agree with the angered visitors - never a second yellow (I didn't realise he'd been booked in the first place!). Ahem. So, after the referee gave them a slight let-off by not giving Marshall a straight red, which it was for me, and therefore only a one match band as opposed to a three match ban, the whistle came for half time. Second half, we were all over them. After about 3 seconds, Sharps scored against his former club with a true centre-half's goal - missing the first time round, but tapping home (just about) at the second time of asking, and we were level. The confidence grew, and their keeper produced another stunning stop from a deflected Morgan shot, and Morgan won a penalty (proving me - who wanted him to be taken off ahead of Gornell - wrong) and Wroe steered it home. There was still time for their keeper to make his third stunning save, from a Collins screamer, but we held out in the end.
A very good report, Lenny. In general it was a professional performance against a lively Rotherham side. We got the job done after an indifferent start and against an inspired goalkeeper. I never saw us get a penalty last season as I missed the Stockport home game so to get two in consecutive matches is a real treat. It is interesting that Gornell looks a better player away than at home. Collins looks very unlucky to be out of the starting side as I think he has a better understanding with Morgan. How is Wallace going to get a place in a side that has five consecutive wins? There are a lot of selection headaches of the right kind for GT coming up. Overall, we are posing a lot of problems for our opponents as the goals are being shared around - we seem to have developed the happy knack of winning matches even if the performance is so-so. Long may this continue. Floreat Salopia! Yes, a home draw against a Premiership side would be great but automatic promotion is the massive priority and we look better placed than at this stage of last season because we are stronger up front.
I've always been of the opinion we need a 20+ goals a season striker. But I have to say, having 3 or 4 players in double figures would be satisfactory. Well done the Town for a good result today.
Anyone want to be keen and find a table showing our players goals per minutes ratio. Would be an interesting read IMO!
Don't know about that but 12 of our 43 goals (28%) this season have been scored in the last 10 mins or injury time. In fact 7 (16%) have been scored in 2nd half added time. Wroe has scored 5 in all, 4 of them in the last 10 mins and 3 in added time. Not sure what that says about us. Good fitness levels? Never say die spirit? Best not to leave the Meadow till the final whistle? Definitely that one.
What are the stats for the amount of goals we should have scored in the first half but didn't fully take the chance!! The amount of games, especially during that dry period we had where we would completely control the game for the first 20 minutes and not score - to then suffer a goal against the run of play was painful. At least we are playing well now and take note AJ - the clocks have gone back! Perhaps the players don't know that the clocks have gone back and GT has told them that all of the games kick off at 4 o'clock.
I've worked these out all by myself (slow day today!) Collins: 7 goals in 736 minutes = a goal every 105.1 minutes, or a goal every 1.16 games Morgan: 8 goals in 1981 minutes = a goal every 247.6 minutes, or a goal every 2.75 games Gornell: 5 goals in 1186 minutes = a goal every 237.2 minutes, a goal every 2.64 games
Interesting stats but the key one for me would be the "made something happen" stat. This would include goals and assists but also, for example, Morgan's making a penalty out of nothing with his run on Saturday. My impression is that Morgan and Wright, and possibly Ainsworth, would top that chart. Anyway, we've got guys in form who can't make the team because of other guys in form. Happy days.
I agree, but I really cannot be arsed to dig out those stats and wheel out the BBC's fixtures, adding up how much game time each player has had. I might set up a town stats thread though, could update it over time maybe? Worth a dig, especially if ManFeelings could make it a sticky ;-)
http://stats.football365.com/dom/ENG/D3/fsthalf.html - Record in First Half - Town 6th in table http://stats.football365.com/dom/ENG/D3/sndhalf.html - Record in Second Half - Town 2nd in table http://stats.football365.com/dom/ENG/D3/winht.html - Winning a half time - Town top of table I tried to copy stuff and create a table, but it all messes up when you preview it and have to add dashes into it!!
i tried copying and pasting into excel and on from there with a similar level of frustration!! Good stats though and I've added some links into the fixtures table plus some from another site that could come in handy.
