Lactics v Rovers

OLDHAM ATHLETIC
 - V - 
DONCASTER ROVERS

Seems like only yesterday that we were last playing Oldham.  This morning, I was doing my normal "what should I write for the Intro" thing when I thought about how I do this blog.  I usually write some guff here that attempts to set a scene.  I then talk about what's going on with Rovers using a quote from somebody.  Finally, I review two or three of the oppositions last matches to be able to say something about the way they play.

The strangely not so unusual turn of events of playing the same team twice in a matter of days gives me an opportunity.  A teams most relevant performance is it's last one isn't it?  In both our cases, our last performance was against each other - so lets have a look at that.  We can combine the Donny and the Oldham bits and save bit of time!

Well, you can save a bit of time.  I'll have to watch the match to be able to say something relevant I guess!

My first comment regards the entrance of the teams.  A rousing version of Wild Rover and out come the teams low-fiving a guard of honour.  At the same time, the Vikettes are jiggling their Pom-Poms on the side of the pitch.  Wild Rover continues to blare until kick-off.   

Well, I'm a guy who doesn't watch much English football these days.  On Monday, I was watching FC Winterthur play FC Aarau.  OK, this was a top of the table clash.  It was the biggest game Winti have played since the Cup Semi-Final defeat to FC Basel and if I said it was always like this, I'd be lying.  But what do you think?  

This was done at the start of the second half.  It would have been done for the teams coming out but as it was a night game, some key choreographers were still finishing work!  Personally, I'd lose the flares but otherwise....

Back to Donny and sadly, as far as the first half was concerned, I'd seen the good bit!   It took 6 minutes before I was starting to feel my eyelids getting heavy.  

It could have been one team playing against themselves.  Big balls lumped up to clumps of players who battled for it.  Whoever won then tried to attack, usually by trying to put a quick ball into the penalty area that normally got swatted away.  After 12 minutes I really had to get up to make sure I didn't doze off.  I went away, made a cup of tea and came back to find the ball exactly where it had been when I left - In the air above the far flank.

Sad point of the first half?  Seeing Martin Woods realizing he obviously had an injury that could mean a few games out.  It was the same angry and frustrated reaction that I saw whenever Billy Sharp picked up an injury that would require some time off.  Lets hope he's back soon!

Second half and it had to improve.  No - it really did!  I'm guessing it was about 15 minutes in - time had begun to become meaningless and EXCITEMENT!

A long throw from Tommy Spurr  (by this time he must have done 5 or 6 of them) nearly paid off.  It wasn't pretty.  Rob Jones challenged enough to prevent the Oldham defender getting a decent header and it bounced high behind them.  Chris Brown saw the potential easy pickings and headed goalwards only to be denied by a goal line clearance.    

It was a signal for things to get better.  One of the game's better corners was well saved by the Oldham 'Keeper from a Rob Jones header.  It was a good save but I do remember the Oldham commentary team, who had been hilarious  all night likening it to the famous Gordon Banks save from Pelé in 1970.  Errrr NO!

Rovers got the goal they deserved from Cotterill's free-kick and then I saw the first bit of football all night.

Rovers for once didn't lump the ball into the middle from a corner, but played it shortish to the corner of the area.  It was the first time anyone had done anything slightly different all game and the Oldham defence missed it.  In came a cross and Iain Hume nearly scored.

Towards the end and Chris Brown should have invited the Fat-Lady on to sing the Aria.  Another long hoof from the Oldham 'Keeper was won by Rovers.  They played a ball over the top that just happened to pick out Chris Brown's run.  One on one with the 'keeper and uncharacteristically, he failed to hit the target.

Just before the end of normal time, the Oldham 'keeper bizarrely forgot where he was and handled the ball outside the area.  The free- was another source of frustration for me.  There was the 7-Man wall in front of Cotterill and there was Chris Brown - on the corner of the 6-yard box looking very like he would get the better of his marker (loosely speaking he was just about marked).  A bit of thought and Cotterill chips to him and he scores.  But it wasn't a thinkers game.  Cotterill's shot predictably blasted into the wall.

A final moan on Iain Hume's stupidity at the end.  I think he was unlucky to get the yellow for the original foul.  It was a 50 / 50 ball that he had every right to go for.  Did he catch the Oldham defender?  I couldn't say.  Did he ridiculously and potentially dangerously try to haul the guy to his feet by an arm and a leg?  Certainly!  Should he have just walked away - absolutely!

Double yellow for Hume and he's missing for our next game in the league.

I haven't said too much about Oldham.  They say madness is doing the same thing again and again while expecting to get a different result.  That about sums them up.  No imagination, no creativity, no football.  Rovers at least played a small amount of football and anyway, did have the excuse that in the second half, they were clearly better at the 50 / 50  muscle game being played.  But its a win and I am happy.  Not as happy as the Rovers' fans doing the olés near the end.  Some people are really easily satisfied.

Prediction for today

Well Oldham are really awful.  I'm going to hope for a Cotterill free kick to open and then a bit of football for a second by Chris Brown.  Oldham 0 : 2 Donny.