Match Thread: Port Vale v Bristol Rovers

[Conrad]

33 minutes ago, MelbourneValiant said:

When we were 'promoted' v Northampton didn't they bring 2,500 and the away was only half full? If that end holds 4,500, then it is hard to see 2,250 empty seats in the away end today. On the telly it looked a lot more than 10.8k. Safety certificate aside, with 18,000 seats, I can't see where 8k could have gone.

Maybe it looked emptier in real life I dunno?

The away end holds 4600 I can’t see how they could have got more than double the amount of Bristol fans in that end.

they said the Railway stand and paddock were sold out, there were about 6/700 empty seats at the Bycars end of the stand, there were empty seats in the Lorne st, obviously the Bycars was much fuller than usual, I thought there was more than 10,800 there, they opened the gates of the Bycars to let fans in or we would have been queuing until 3-30 to get in, don’t know if they counted those coming in through the big gates, if not, there could have been nearer12000 there.

[Houston Valiant]

Can’t complain too much really. End of a great run. Jones had a good chance  to even it up , but overall Bristol Rovers wanted it more. Worral is a fine servant to the Vale, but has been struggling for some time now , and injuries as always have played a big part in our season so far. On to Walsall , and a game we really need to win . Depressed. 

[rob1983]

Aaron Martin had a shocker today.

[rob1983]

Don’t get the Worrall criticism. At least 5 worse players than him today imo.

worrall messed up for the first goal...last two home games our defending has been toss.

[Conrad]

7 minutes ago, valefan79 said:

As already been posted, injuries definitely caught up with us and midfield was where the game was lost today, I do worry if Pett and Walker are not back before the end of the season.  Looking at Bristol's 3 games, I can see them winning those so that would need us to get 7 points from Walsall, Newport and Exeter.  It's not going to be easy but can see Newport been out of the play picture by the time we play them.  

One moan though is the organisation for today and the queues to get in the Bycars, 40 minutes to get in, surely after knowing how many tickets had been sold for the match, there could have been a couple of extra turnstyles opened up, luckily about 2.55pm, a steward decided to open the gate and we managed to show him our season ticket and allowed us in.  We have achieved so much under Carol but this will put so many fans off attending if this is what they have to put up with to get in.  This is not people leaving the pub at 2.50pm, hundreds of people have missed 2 goals and were there about 2.20pm trying to get in.

Same here mate, turnstiles 25;26,27,and28 closed the que was about 300 yards long when I joined it at 2-30, got in the ground at 3-15 having missed 2 goals.

[Bycarsbill]

34 minutes ago, Powerline said:

Draw was a fair result, we just conceded two really, really poor goals. Stone has to claim the second one for me. Thought Taylor was atrocious, says something that he got brought off for a centre half. Really missed Walked or Pett. Thought Smith also had his worst game of the season. Hopefully we aren’t bottling promotion.

They did look nervous today for some strange reason, considering our recent great run of results!

[soothsayer]

1 hour ago, LancyTony said:

It's in our hands! Bristol, Northampton and Sutton can only get to 82 points. We're on 75 with 3 to play...so 3/3 wins...or 2wins + 1 draw does it unless there is that huge swing on GD! Anyone thinking FGR have imploded haven't considered they don't need many points to become champions - so I'm pretty sure there will be some fight left in them?

Not a huge swing in GD now after today’s swing of 5 to Northampton.

[Platty's Tassels]

11 minutes ago, philmpv said:

I see the usual bed wetters and hysterical hand wringers are out in force again after a defeat. For the people saying it's not in our hands - have you seen the table? Win 2 and draw 1 and we're up barring a massive turnaround in GD, and that's presuming those who are on 73 points win all of their remaining games. Win all 3 and we can't be caught. The very definition of 'in our own hands'. Get a grip.

Fair play to Rovers today. They played some lovely stuff and were marginally the better footballing side. Clinical as well. Thought Wilson was excellent again today.

Really? Totally disagree with that mate. They were average at best today

[valefan79]

1 minute ago, Conrad said:

Same here mate, turnstiles 25;26,27,and28 closed the que was about 300 yards long when I joined it at 2-30, got in the ground at 3-15 having missed 2 goals.

What I don't understand is this was expected the big gate today, why could those turnstyles not have been opened up, surely there is staff at the club, youth players etc that could have done the job of scanning tickets.  It was really poor to see many fans having to miss kick off when they were there in plenty of time.

[valiant steve]

7 points from three games will pretty much guarantee promotion. Anything less, and we'll be relying on other teams to drop points. 

We have very tough games left. Come on Vale! Beat those Yam Yam barstewards next week! 

UTV! 

[Bycarsbill]

13 minutes ago, philmpv said:

I see the usual bed wetters and hysterical hand wringers are out in force again after a defeat. For the people saying it's not in our hands - have you seen the table? Win 2 and draw 1 and we're up barring a massive turnaround in GD, and that's presuming those who are on 73 points win all of their remaining games. Win all 3 and we can't be caught. The very definition of 'in our own hands'. Get a grip.

Fair play to Rovers today. They played some lovely stuff and were marginally the better footballing side. Clinical as well. Thought Wilson was excellent again today.

Of course it's still in our hands, but it's also about fine margins and there's now absolutely no room for error!

[valefan79]

Just now, Platty's Tassels said:

Really? Totally disagree with that mate. They were average at best today

I thought Bristol were excellent myself and had some quality players, this is why we need those 7 points from the last 3 games.  They have been on a run similar to us and it showed, they dictated play and if they miss out on the top 3, I would imagine they would be favourites for the play-offs. 

[Biddulph_PV]

52 minutes ago, boleyuk said:

Did I read right that this was the same referee in the reverse fixture and gave 2 red cards for BR? He clearly bottled it today, the first horrendous fouls should have all been yellow cards if not red. He clearly didn't want to have to make those decisions given his history in the last game, so did nothing. He bought all their antics throughout. And took path of least resistance e.g. allowing their sub standing on the goal line, to walk all the way across to half way line. A clear disregard for the rules which are not discretionary!
That said, they had more hunger and bullied us out of the game. Jake Taylor looked out of depth. Worrall didn't look fit.

I agree, I thought the ref was shocking today. An early yellow card (which it was) on their No15 would have stopped all that. At times I think that’s our downfall, we didn’t play on him like we should of, him and Anderson were walking reds yet we didn’t wind either of them up. Although why the ref did not give him a 2nd yellow when he was sub’d and blatantly disregarded his instructions was frankly a disgrace. 

[Breadwinner]

Nothing much say about the game we have been defending very poorly last 2 home games and the 2 goals we conceded first half today were pub standard goals concede.

Well done Bristol Rovers however we are still 2 points above you with 3 to go ,dont really know what make of them they spent most of the  game on the floor yet have managed score 3 goals against us .

Tom Pett where is he ?.

We need him back and quick and Gibbons 

 

Too many key players out today .

Great crowd but typical Vale lose when folk come .

I do not mind losing but beating yourselves you cannot concede goals like there first 2 and expect win football matches .

All still play for though and we can either throw it away or get promotion .

Defending like that we are going throw it away. 

Bartons niggle side won the day but make sure we win the battle .

UTV 

[Platty's Tassels]

1 minute ago, valefan79 said:

I thought Bristol were excellent myself and had some quality players, this is why we need those 7 points from the last 3 games.  They have been on a run similar to us and it showed, they dictated play and if they miss out on the top 3, I would imagine they would be favourites for the play-offs. 

 

They dictated play because we were poor and off our game. They looked nothing special IMHO at all.