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Probably the least eagerly anticipated 1st team game in the clubs history.

Sub 1,000 crowd expected tonight.

Chance for some of the young kids to get a start?

Rovers have no game this coming weekend so they are expected to field a fairly strong team.

Getting through the game injury free would be a result.

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GZYei5IWIAA7KoB?format=jpg&name=medium)

Run out for Ameen and a fairly strong starting line up.

Ofoborh at CB with a back four, or Cain at LWB?

Who’s Smith pissed off then?

Cheltenham match postponed tonight, bodes well for Saturday!

The club, under the current tenure, competing in this competition, with the current form and Kennedy citing this match is not priority sadly means all my fucks for fixture have been jettisoned and I have none left to give.

Another big fat L collection for Kennedy

I’m not sure what is worse playing or not playing. If I was Glatz I might be thinking the same.

With that red card, quite a few people I should think!

Really looking forward to this! Gonna be ace!

Hes still injured, was injured on Saturday too.

Be good for you to put one over your Rovers supporting family mate!

Injured with what? When asked the other day Kennedy said he was ill

Sick in the legs

1-0 Glatz

Kennedy is telling us he’s ill? Yet was doing the rounds in the Juniors Reds room before the game Saturday.

I heard he was injured but it could have been that he is ill, he was on the pitch pre game on Saturday running around I did notice.

Ameen looking livlier than Drinan already.

Stop the clock. I think we have a good midfield and attack tonight (better than Saturdays selection) but may come unstuck in defence

McGurk with the 1st Kemp/Payne type through ball that we have seen this season and whaddayaknow..

I know...play a player in his real position and he can do things. Whodathunkit.

2-0 Glatz

Truly great volley by Glatzel from 15 yards after a lovely deep cross from Cain after a nice 1 2 with McGurk.

Where’s this team home from😂

We are going up.

Ameen, McGurk and of course Glatzel been impressive.

Look forward to seeing Butterworth and Drinan start Saturday

Yep, significant that they best players so far, McGurk, Glatz and Cain, can't get anywhere near our starting line up

I'm guessing Kennedy didn't pick the team tonight?

We really do have some impressive technical players at league 2 level.

Which makes it even more baffling how shit Kennedy makes us look on a weekly basis.

Of course he did, he's an intelligent guy with loads of experience who gets it..

Cosidering we have an average age of under 22 today they are doing ok.

Sobowale is our oldest player at 25.

No idea how experienced Rovers side is TBH.

3-0 McGregor

Lovely slow volley from 20 yards.

Nice Joel..

Like watching Brazil😂

Kennedy not going to be liking the fact the players he has avoided starting are doing well tonight is he

Shot by McGurk, worth a try from 20 yards but high over the bar.

Gas on a par with Newport atm

I would be very shocked if scouts from much higher level teams are not paying an interest in McGregor yet.

Ameen looking very lively.

BBC have us as playing 3-4-2-1. Can anyone confirm?

Fucking hell Rovers look absolutely shite so far.

4-0 Ameen unmarked header at the near psot from a corner.

We are Kennedy's red and white army

Too soon? :D

Are you Newport in disguise

I would say 3-4-1-2 - Ameen and Glatz up top with McGurk in the hole

What are the stats looking like?

Agreed.

I was just thinking I doubt we have ever had 2 under 18 year old players score for the first team in the same game.

Glatz close to getting a hattrick his shot blocked and McGurk 20 yard shot saved.

Are you watching Smash & Grab, some bloke from Portishead, Eddie Large, Jeffrey Archer, Ian Holloway, Brunel (maybe). Your boys are currently 4 down!

Similar to Newport, we look good and the opposition look totally hopeless. Impossible to draw too many conclusions as only 2 players in the Rovers team that played at the weekend so no idea how ‘strong’ they are especially in their defence which doesn’t seem to exist.

Pryce and Twine scored in that Stevenage game, but Twine may have been 19 by then.

Nemo knows

EDIT: Beat me to it :D

Ameen is a very willing runner, I like him a lot.

Truly a first time for everything.

Twine was 19 at that time yes.

I wonder if Kennedy will choose to be a 'stats man' this evening, with a scoreline like that

HT 4-0

Couldnt ask for any more from the young kids.

39% possession. What’s the point in scoring goals if we can’t win keep the ball?

I I idi idi I, singing I I idi idi I.

If we aren't going up (which is looks incredibly likely we won't) why not just play Minturn, Mcgregor and Ameen a lot this season. What have we got to lose? lets develop our own and at least be shit by playing our own players who actually care about the club.

Have they finished counting the crowd yet?

Looks like more rovers fans than town

The most enjoyable football to watch on that pitch since over a year ago i would say.  Expect a lot of subs early on in the 2nd..  Hall for Sobo and Longelo for Cain have got to be a given I would expect, probably along with Mitchell for Kilkenny as well..

I hope so  :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

Crikey!

Thought McGurk started a little shakily but grew into the game.

Ofoborh seemed to do the opposite. Started well and seemed to tire?

Ameen looks a very good prospect. Runs a lot but is in the right position! Took his goal well. And, is wearing old school black boots! Look how much he is enjoying the experience too! Prefer to have him on the pitch that Drinan.

Sobowale has got to be a contender for PotS I would think. Been good in every game.

McGregor has done well with positioning off the ball. On the ball, not so much. (Apart from a cracking strike when left in acres of space in the box)

Minturn has made a couple of mistakes and got away with them.

However, Rovers look awful all over the pitch! Defence giving so much room. No threat up top and not busting a gut in midfield. A few decent passes and bits of skill, but no desire or energy. Look as bad, if not worse that Newport!

some might say our league status. But if safe I would agree.
some might also say we will be developing our own but then there is a high change they will be sold in january/summer if clem makes it until then.

Its a tough scenario we are in.

That pitch doesn't look too dry now.

Something tells me Ameen to something good....

Relegation… but i do agree Ameen should get some minutes like Mcgregor is.

Dive in the box wins the Rovers player a yellow. Looked a pen to me by Mitchell.

Obodo on for Gatzel.

Longelo on for Freckleton.

Gonzales on for McGregor.

McGregor has done really well again today.

For me Ofoborh in his natural DMC position has been almost faultless today.

Nice bit of skill and close control by Speedy Gonzales.

Clearly we are better with a solid midfield of two and a three man attack - glatzel and McGurk tucked behind the main striker.

Maybe it’s as simple as playing an actual defensive mid which then allows Kilkenny to be more creative in an advanced position.

Hall on for Ofoborh.

I could have told Kennedy that - he just for some reason didn’t trust any of the players he’d inherited I.e Glatz, McGurk, mcgregor, ofoborh

I am sure that is true.

Yep , maybe the Penny will drop

Absolutely, he just didnt seem to want them at the club, or near the first team at least.

Something Kennedy needs to do is just play players in their strongest positions, its not fucking rocket surgery. He tried Glatzel in midfield, Ofoborh in attacking midfield and wide left, ignored McGurk and McGregor almost totally.

Keep things simple.

Bloody hell we're winning 4-0 😂😂😂. Wtf.

We are missing Ofoborh in front of the defence already.

Ignoring if any of think this is a valid competition, don't forget that we get £10k for winning each group stage game, that has to make winning these games appealling to us when cash flow is not that great.

....and not for the first time this season!🙂

Have Rovers put out a decent team or is this like their U15s?

I wonder if Russell and/or Gunning had input into tonight’s selection. Just saying

Good shot by Mitchell tipped over the bar from 25 yards.

Att: 1,306

Looks at least 1,350 to me. What is going on?

They didnt count the 50 freebies? :D

Obodo run and good low shot saved by the keeper.

If any of these players anywhere near a Rovers 1st team then they are fucked this season.

Considering Town have had 5 players 18 or younger players playing today they can hold their heads up way higher than most of the first team can.

FT 4-0

Well that was easy against a terrible Rovers team wasn't it, and a clean sheet.

Towns 1st win in 13 cup games.

How nice to have 39, 40, 41 & 42 on the park at the same time!

Ameen with a good, solid debut. Made one and scored one.

Interesting to see the understanding between Cain, McGurk and Glatzel.

Gonzales looked good!

Minturn had a good second half.

Hall, I thought was shite when he was first with us. Nothing has changed much as far as I’m concerned. Although he didn’t do owt wrong tonight.

Can't complain at that.

Not going to proclaim our season starts here but confidence is important.

If he starts with Smith and dry nun on Saturday I may well weep.

1039 days later… we win the in the cup.

Expect to see Drinan to start alongside Glatzel, with Smith on the bench. Hope McGurk comes in for Cotterill who remains unavailable. McGregor could be on the bench with Longelo starting.  That's a hard shout after McGregor's inch-perfect strike and with Longelo's impressive enough cameo.

Well needed by everyone!

Couldnt give a shit about this cup but a good win and a clean sheet is a boost for us all....

Saturday I would go with the same two in midfield and the same front 3

If butterball plays over McGurk again something is wrong

When we played the ball on the deck with the midfield and forwards we had in the first half we looked quite good whereas when long balls were played not so good which has been the situation in most of our games. It changed in the second half when the subs were made which was to be expected with all the juggling around, and we lost the initiative at times and the game could have ended 7-4 quite easily. All in all good performances all over the pitch which was pleasing to see and hopefully Kennedy can take the positives from them.

I know it’s only one game
I know it’s a pointless competition
I know Rovers probably sent out their reserves
…but…if we’re going to be poor & cheap - I’d rather we were poor & cheap playing our own kids who at least play like they actually want it

I tuned in last night just in time to see Joel McGregor's volley. As Rich Pullen would say, 'lovely stuff'

In essence it's a reserves fixture but pleased for Glatzel to grab a brace and some much needed fuel in the legs for McGurk, who really needs to be used more in the league as we struggle for creativity. My personal interest was more about how the kids got on.

Ameen - lovely headed goal and a willing runner.
Obodo - he's the one I'm most excited about, seems to be powerful and already built like someone much older. Unlucky with a shot well saved and good skill at the edge of the box to earn a free kick in a dangerous position.
Mcgregor - quickly becoming a solid squad player, great goal
Gonzalez - looks confident and tricky

I know he's discussed quite a lot on here and tends to split the crowd a bit, but I still have no idea if Minturn is actually any good or not. He makes terrible gaffs (2 spring to mind, one in the first half that was fortunate that the Rovers player fouled him and one in the second where he tried to play the ball back to the keeper but fortunately ended up trapping the ball under his foot as the Rovers player was racing in to intercept. With that said, he's clearly very confident in his ability on the ball, one excellent run down the left to start a potential attack. I think his achilles heel is the actual defending part where he tends to struggle.

Well put.

Absolutely. Minturn and Freckleton spring to mind

exactly this. i said similar in another post

if we are going to be shit. fine. we don't have much of a choice under this regime. but let's be shit by playing our own academy players instead of developing Freckleton for Sheffield United at the expense of Minturn. What is the point honestly.

And i know Freckleton is left footed so it's not a direct comparison, but you get the point.

Think the change in midfield shape to Ofoborh and Kilkenny next to eachother and one of McGurk/Buttetworth/Cotterill as a 10 in front of them and behind the 2 strikers would work better than how our midfield is setting up currently. Good balance of everything with those 3 types. Gets the best out of McGurk too playing that role where he doesn’t fit as well in a midfield role with more defensive responsibility like our current midfield setup needs, which is the only reason I can see for McGurk not getting more of a look on.

But it won’t be. Once Cotterill is back we’ll be back to the same 3 man midfield that’s not been working.

Really hope that Kennedy/Bignot decide to trust what has worked for them last night. Not saying start the same 11 but at least start 3/4 of those lads who did well yesterday.

Absolutely.

For me, if we stick with the 3 at the back as we are seeming to under KenBig then I would go with.

                                 Barden
                 Sobowale   Wright   Freckleton
McGregor                  Ofoborh                             Cain/Cox
                Kilkenny                     McGurk
                       Glatzel           Ameen
                 
For me Ameen showed he has enough about him to warrant being given a slot at he expense of Drinan who has yet to impress me at all and over Smith and the injured Tshimanga.                   

Agree with this. At least if players aren't preforming we shouldn't be scared to replace with 4 or 5 kids that could potentially be up to it and more importantly will be up for it.

really enjoyed last nights game.  Yes we were probably up against Rovers 2nd string but they had players in that team that have played championship & league 1 football.

Listening to Kennedy's interview after last nights game McGurk wasn't contribution to our win wasn't even mentioned which makes me think come Saturday we will be back with Butterworth in midfield.

Unfortunately I can see Kennedy reverting back to his usual matchday 11 of square pegs and round holes and it will be more of the same.

Very impressed with Ameen last night and would pick him over Drinan at this present moment in time.  Don't get me wrong but Drinan is a trier but no end result..........hopefully he'll prove me wrong Saturday now.

Listening to Hawes comments on Twitter he mentioned that Smith has lost 7 kilos due to his illness, so no surprise he hasn’t played.

The Rovers starting team included outfield players that had at least one League 1 appearance this season.  Sub. Omochere (who was subbed himself, later) was a record signing from Fleetwood in July for 500,000 quid. The Rovers manager was embarrassed by the showing as stated post-match.

I don't think I would have wanted us to sign a single Rovers player on that showing, even if they were free. Not one decent performer, they all looked like they just couldnt be bothered being there.

I need that illness! 😂

Visit Vietnam and eat some street food for 2 days....problem solved.

We feel their pain....

I had something similar a number of years ago. Lost a stone + in two weeks. Fucking dreadful. Couldn’t work, struggled to walk to the doctors surgery around the corner with out shitting myself.

Still, changing the subject back to football. I watched our game in Cyprus on Tuesday. Went out for dinner and it was playing on the TV in the reception/bar area when we got back. Sat with a dysfunctional family from Bridgewater. Wife, slave trader, husband, Nam son was the only ‘sane’ one as he supported the Town 😀 Apparently there was a gas head in residency but he got up and fucked off at 2-0. I only saw last five minutes of the first half and the second half.

All too often mate, for the last few seasons. Going through the motions.