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Post by Deleted on May 6, 2017 11:47:54 GMT
I think we will get a win by a single goal. Fitting way to see off the coaching staff and the bulk of the squad. Beautiful day for it 😎
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Post by Deleted on May 6, 2017 17:20:47 GMT
Great first half of football today, it was end to end stuff and I thought both teams came out playing genuinely attractive football - it was like watching the Rovers of August-December when Steven Boyd was here. Claims of offside as Livi broke from a corner to score their first goal but I think Mullen was on when the ball was played. (Livi TV will confirm.) It's crazy that their guy De Vita is playing at this level, he scored a screamer for the second.
At half time I thought we were on for a classic to end the season, but the second half was very poor. While in the first half we got in about their defence with the ball on the deck, Rovers changed to long balls and Lithgow won every header. If they had to, Livi could have scored a third any time they fancied: they hit the post twice, the bar once, forced a number of good stops from Ross Stewart and we just weren't in it. On the rare occasions in the second half when we had the ball up the park we didn't do much with it.
So a great season and a great era goes out with a whimper with four straight defeats and no goals. Good luck to everyone moving on. One player I thought might stay is Alan Reid - I hope it isn't significant that he led the team out and wore the captain's armband today.
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Post by d7 on May 6, 2017 17:57:34 GMT
Ah, the end of the season. It's felt like that for a few weeks now. Start with the less good bits from today....... Overall, that could have been any score. Livi hit the post twice and also the bar - all in the second half. Keeper Ross had a few good saves too and there were at least two unbelievable misses from Livi strikers.
Fair play to Livi, they were well up for this today. Their first goal came from a Rovers free kick. We pushed people forward and were short on numbers at the back when the free kick came to nothing. Josh Mullin played a great pass forward which caught out what loosely passes as our ahem, offside trap. Their striker was straight through with just Ross to beat however he hit his shot straight at Ross who to be fair saved well. The ball broke to another Livi forward and Ross seemed to be in two minds as to whether to go to the player and close him down, or race back into his goal. That left him caught in no-man's land and the guy finished smartly for 1-0.
The second came from a great shot from the edge of the box which might have taken a slight deflection before ending up in the back of the net. Livi were better than us by some margin. Also stronger, fitter, better organised etc etc. The benefits of full time players on wages which come from, well, who knows where, is clear to see. Worthy champions nonetheless.
On to the good-ish bits and Rovers did okay for the first 20 minutes and had a few chances. In the second half Ryan had a couple of chances, bringing out a decent double save from the big Livi keeper. Apart from that, I thought it looked like the players were going through the motions a bit; well a lot, actually.
As albino says, good to see Reidy with the captain's armband today and he finished the game with 5 minutes to go; getting a wee ovation as he left the field. Ryan was man of the match and did try hard. He always looks to shoot which is annoying when he has better options. However, he is a handful as I've said before. Probably the pick of a fairly average bunch today.
Crowd was 454 - pretty poor travelling support for the league champions. Rovers players looked a bit deflated at the end but good to see them interacting with the fans and handing out Rovers t shirts to the kids.
No doubt all change for next season and I dare say we will look back on this and the last couple of seasons as the 'glory years'. Can't fault anyone for lack of effort over the piece. That includes David the programme writer and no doubt much more besides. David got a wee pressie at half time and a nice send off which is well deserved.
Good luck to Darren, his team and all the players in whatever they do next. Except when they play the Rovers of course.
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Post by Deleted on May 6, 2017 18:27:51 GMT
Quite right, it was a free kick they broke from not a corner as I said.
One other thing worth mentioning is that Daniel Lightbody started the game in defensive midfield. Considering he was up against tough opposition I thought his performance was the best from any of the development squad so far.
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Post by Rovergrant on May 6, 2017 19:31:20 GMT
Quite right, it was a free kick they broke from not a corner as I said. One other thing worth mentioning is that Daniel Lightbody started the game in defensive midfield. Considering he was up against tough opposition I thought his performance was the best from any of the development squad so far. May well be we will be relying on youngsters like Daniel a lot next season
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Post by d7 on May 6, 2017 19:41:55 GMT
Yep Daniel looked the part today, did the unsung hero stuff pretty well. Reckon you're spot on Grant. Kids will dominate the team next year I reckon. And maybe for seasons beyond that. Might not be a bad thing as we've lacked some bright young things this year. There is always the possibility of the best young players following Darren and team wherever they end up right enough. Time will tell.
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Post by Deleted on May 6, 2017 19:57:38 GMT
I look forward to a young team - there will be no pressure on them next season so anything will be a bonus. Hopefully a few experienced guys will be there to help out, even if they come from the juniors and non-league.
The Stenny "released" list would be my first port of call.
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Post by harriskid44 on May 6, 2017 22:25:16 GMT
Yes a young team for next season 2 top players to replace the dunlops would be nice, and rovers need to get the money problems sorted out, and the board needs to let the die hard rovers fans no where the moneys going, playersfun for new players.
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