Easter Monday & Tuesday 6th April

[FGR Stroud]

 

[BarraMatt]

A draw wouldn't be the end of the world.

 

[kieran_vale]

Dead rubber time for us which is quite a relief. Would expect some changes as DC said that would be likely in his press conference on Thursday.

Don’t know much about Harrogate and haven’t seen them play yet but from what am led to believe they are physically strong and well organised if nothing else so will see how we deal with that.

 

[Back in the DHSS]

Cambridge haven’t got anybody with a long throw have they?
Tranmere need to win, no other result will do if we are to stay in touch with the top 3.

 

[The Terminator]

Due to the teams around us having an extra game in hand over us, we basically have to win this or we will be back to needing more snookers than we want to help us out.

Walsall - 13 games without a win, but half of them are draws and they only lose narrowly by goal if they do lose. So this isn't a forgone conculsion by any means, we've also got a few injuries piling up again with Dan Happe and Conor Wilkinson both not fit for Saturdays game.

If we continue to be as efficient as we have been in recent weeks, we'll keep a clean sheet at least and get something, but we need to be as clinical as we was on Friday when we do get chances. Good to see Danny Johnson scoring again.

This will likely be 0-0 or one goal either way.

 

[valefan16]

I’d like another win at Harrogate really with our form and to try and push on for a top half finish but they were one of the most impressive sides at VP, had little up front but organised, very physical and energetic so will be a big test.

Proud we get to make history being the first football league game with a female referee appointed.

Their form and our form suggests a Vale win but it’s been 11 years since 5 in a row. With safety all but secure we may take a look at players, Pope may return... the said when Clarke says we will make changes I fully expect the same XI again!

 

[Monkey Tennis]

A draw wouldn't be the end of the world.

A big win would probably be the end of any relegation worries though!

 

[shoddycollins]

Hopefully Scunthorpe are just planning to put their feet up and coast to the end of the season now.

 

[BarraMatt]

A big win would probably be the end of any relegation worries though!

You'd like to think so, it could go from feeling like it was going to the wire last weekend to it nearly being all over on Monday night.

 

[Shrimper92]

We've 4 points from 36 against Morecambe all time. 2-0 loss and relegation all but confirmed

 

[Monkey Tennis]

You'd like to think so, it could go from feeling like it was going to the wire last weekend to it nearly being all over on Monday night.

Just over 24 hours ago (half-time yesterday) I was fully accepting that it would come down to the final game! Our result and this one today have been massive for us.

 

[RLC]

It feels like a watershed game for us against Cambridge. Another performance like Saturday's and another massive blow to our confidence, and we will probably be clinging on to a play off place in a couple of weeks.

However, if we win the game, by whatever means, we are then back in touch with Cambridge with our game in hand, in addition to Bolton and possibly Cheltenham. Our fixtures are relatively kind in the next two to three weeks and Vaughan should be back before too long.

This fixture takes me back to a game on Good Friday exactly thirty years ago, when we beat a Cambridge side featuring Dion Dublin and Steve Claridge 2-0 at Prenton Park in the old Division Three. At the end of the season both sides were promoted. I would be happy with the same outcome this time around.

 

[Shrimper92]

We've 4 points from 36 against Morecambe all time. 2-0 loss and relegation all but confirmed

Oh and that win was in the cup

 

[Laker]

For our game I’d take a draw. We’re on a really good run of results but surely Tranmere (a) is a stretch too far, especially with The Magician likely to be rested. Tranmere will be going all out for the win after Friday’s result and I’m not sure we’ll be able to hold them.

I’ve only visited Prenton Park once, in Tranmere’s relegation season to the Conference on a Friday night just before Christmas. It was our first season back and it was a dreadful game but we came away with a 1-1 draw courtesy of a late Michael Nelson header from a corner in front of the away end.

I remember walking back to the car after the game with my wife and a kid (about 12 or so) said “Cambridge bollocks” as we crossed. My wife was all up for correcting the kid’s grammar before I told her to keep her mouth shut.

That was a good weekend all round actually as we stayed up there and drove across to Derby the next day to see Norwich (wife’s team) at Pride Park. Again it was a late equaliser in front of the away fans, this time 2-2. Ah the days of away trips. :-(

Anyway I’d take a draw but suspect we will lose.

 

[Back in the DHSS]

For our game I’d take a draw. We’re on a really good run of results but surely Tranmere (a) is a stretch too far, especially with The Magician likely to be rested. Tranmere will be going all out for the win after Friday’s result and I’m not sure we’ll be able to hold them.

I’ve only visited Prenton Park once, in Tranmere’s relegation season to the Conference on a Friday night just before Christmas. It was our first season back and it was a dreadful game but we came away with a 1-1 draw courtesy of a late Michael Nelson header from a corner in front of the away end.

I remember walking back to the car after the game with my wife and a kid (about 12 or so) said “Cambridge bollocks” as we crossed. My wife was all up for correcting the kid’s grammar before I told her to keep her mouth shut.

That was a good weekend all round actually as we stayed up there and drove across to Derby the next day to see Norwich (wife’s team) at Pride Park. Again it was a late equaliser in front of the away fans, this time 2-2. Ah the days of away trips. :-(

Anyway I’d take a draw but suspect we will lose.

What was your wife going to correct the kids grammar to? Cambridge testicles?

 

[Laker]

What was your wife going to correct the kids grammar to? Cambridge testicles?

I think she was going to suggest a verb might have made the sentence make sense.... I told her just not to worry about it.

 

[Back in the DHSS]

I think she was going to suggest a verb might have made the sentence make sense.... I told her just not to worry about it.

Our underrated first choice goalkeeper/captain is out with a long term injury and since Vaughan has been out injured, we’ve lacked a cutting edge. Keith Hill insists on giving game time to our January signings who have yet to come good, ahead of the explosive but inconsistent Blackett Taylor.
Good to see Paul Mullin doing so well for you this season. If only we’d of kept him . Paul Lewis has done a great job for us this season which has suprised me , was expecting him to be just a squad player for us having barely featured for you.

 

[Laker]

Our underrated first choice goalkeeper/captain is out with a long term injury and since Vaughan has been out injured, we’ve lacked a cutting edge. Keith Hill insists on giving game time to our January signings who have yet to come good, ahead of the explosive but inconsistent Blackett Taylor.
Good to see Paul Mullin doing so well for you this season. If only we’d of kept him . Paul Lewis has done a great job for us this season which has suprised me , was expecting him to be just a squad player for us having barely featured for you.

I’m pleased for Lewis. I always felt he was a hardworking honest player but he was playing in a crap team so we never really saw the best of him. Would I have him back? No, because we’ve got a good midfield now and he wouldn’t fit in but that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t be good elsewhere.

I can’t say enough good things about Mullin. He’s just been unbelievable for us.

 

[Arbury]

Like laker I’d take a draw for this but probably feel this is a must win for tranmere rather than us, pressure is all on them to come at us, whether we’ve got a good enough defence though to stop them is another matter.

expecting a couple of changes in midfield, obvious one with no hoolahan so take your pick from boateng, may, O’Neil to fill the void.

I’ll go 1–1

KTF

 

[SVH]

Like others have said I would take a draw to keep the distance between us and Tranmere. We may make some changes but I don’t think we’ll make too many. Hannant in for Hoolahan and Tracey for O’Neil and go to a flat four across midfield instead of the diamond.

Tranmere will be desperate for the win and quite frankly cannot afford anything else. However I think this may play into our hands and hit you on the break. I’m going for a 2-1 win.

 

[masi51]

Big big game Newport away ...If we win i also want Cambridge to win
Draw i want Err Cambridge to win
f we lose i think i want Cambridge to win

 

[FGR Stroud]

 

[masi51]

Come on..................no one

 

[Boz]

Big big game Newport away ...If we win i also want Cambridge to win
Draw i want Err Cambridge to win
f we lose i think i want Cambridge to win

No problem

As Newport are back playing on the rugby pitch, hopefully some of the Horwich superstars will pick up niggles and knocks. Plus Joss Labadie re-paying his old club with an Oscar nominated performance of rolling around screaming in agony at the slightest touch to get a few of the visitors red-carded. Ideally Trevor Kettle a late replacement as referee...

 

[Boz]

Rovers v Cambridge is a difficult one to call, not least because I think Keith Hill will set us up cautiously and not to go all out for a win, in an attempt to re-set after the poor showing at Cheltenham. Of our recent wins, Southend was down to the hosts giving us the freedom of Roots Hall in the first half, while Exeter, apart from the switch-off for their goal were largely marked out of the game. Joe Murphy is a decent keeper, but he's not as vocal or as good as organising a defence as the absent Scott Davies. You'd have hoped the experienced Peter Clarke, now skippering the side in Scottie's absence would have stepped up, but he was (exceptionally) below par at the weekend when we needed it most. If we are to get a win, we will only do it by stout defending, as on current form and without Vaughan, it's hard to see us scoring many. There are goals in the team, but the manager needs to revert to playing lads in their proven best positions.

Agree with BITDHSS about both Mullin and Lewis. Paul Mullin was always a whole-hearted player for us, but when we were in L2 he didn't gel with Norwood in a front pair and Nors was in good form and always going to get the nod. He got more of a chance in L1, but in a weak squad and when we strengthened last January, 2 strikers were brought in and he moved on. Micky Mellon didn't seem to rate him and it's good he's now at a club where the manager's belief in him has boosted his confidence. Near inevitable that he'll score against us. Lewis is a strange one, first saw him score a New Year's Day hattrick against us at Macclesfield, when he was quite a handful. Lost sight of him after that, knew he'd had a spell at Cambridge and tbh was rather underwhelmed when he joined us. He's done well, best deployed as a box-to-box attacking midfielder, he's found it harder in the false no 9 role with Vaughan's injury, though still managed to give opposing keepers more of a test than Nugent. Hopefully KH will revert to using Woolery or trying Danny Lloyd in the forward role and let Lewis return to the midfield role he does best.

 

[Bone Idle]

No problem

As Newport are back playing on the rugby pitch, hopefully some of the Horwich superstars will pick up niggles and knocks. Plus Joss Labadie re-paying his old club with an Oscar nominated performance of rolling around screaming in agony at the slightest touch to get a few of the visitors red-carded. Ideally Trevor Kettle a late replacement as referee...

Labadie picked up his 10th yellow on friday so will be suspended for this one, personally i hope he never plays for us again he's a bloody liability.

 

[GTFCfish]

I just don’t care any more, I’m sure come tomorrow I will care again and I’ll be rooting for us but that Salford result given how we were completely robbed of 2 points has just left me pretty numb to football at the minute, I think I’d rather we’d just played shit and lost than to be shafted by an obviously bent referee.

 

[chipmunx]

Labadie picked up his 10th yellow on friday so will be suspended for this one, personally i hope he never plays for us again he's a bloody liability.

and the other guy - Demetriou will be suspended too - for his sending off

 

[chipmunx]

I just don’t care any more, I’m sure come tomorrow I will care again and I’ll be rooting for us but that Salford result given how we were completely robbed of 2 points has just left me pretty numb to football at the minute, I think I’d rather we’d just played shit and lost than to be shafted by an obviously bent referee.

remember - some Conference refs are worse (in the shit sense not the bent sense).... be careful what you wish for

 

[Bone Idle]

and the other guy - Demetriou will be suspended too - for his sending off

Correct! thankfully we are ok for centre backs so bennett will drop back in there along with long-king and dolan in a back 5.