Crawley v franchise

[IDM]

Only saw the last 20 mins.. thought MK would have really been pressing to get a goal back but hardly created owt.

Hard to tell if Crawley tonight would have caused us difficulties, we have to remember we are a good side at the moment.

Nothing guaranteed however, there has to be some jeopardy to add a bit of spice to the game.

Roll on Friday.!

[dknward2]

We have to really batter Crewe by a good 3 or 4 goals on Friday to hopefully get in the minds of either Crawley or mk Dons.

Hope that mk get back into it and go the distance with extra time and penalties

[RoversInSpain]

Sheffield wednesday came back from 4-0 down last year and if Crewe score the first goal on Friday then it will be game on.

Still the second half to play yet.

There's a massive difference though, in that the Owls were at home for their come back, whereas Crewe are away in a packed hostile stadium.

You're right though that we'll have to be on our mettle. We've not won yet.

It’s the playoffs…. Ask Barnsley… 4-5

[PDX_Rover]

MK have offered very little. Well off it. Crawley played well.

[Campsall rover]

I always fancied Crawley.

Don’t know why MK were favourites. Just because they finished 4th and 7 clear of us & Crewe 8 clear of Crawley.

Look at their recent scores. They are shipping goals for fun.
Very dodgy at the back.

Who has the best defence in the league over the last 18 games 12 games 6 games out of the 4 teams. Counts for a lot that never mind how many we are scoring.

Will be an awkward game v Crawley at Wembley but if we continue as we are we will beat anyone in this league at present and that includes the top 3
Well we did beat Wrexham but never got the chance to play the other 2 in this 18 game sequence. Sorry 19 now inc yesterday.

[Campsall rover]

Yes we are not at Wembley yet.

Ist goal on Friday will be massive but even if Crewe get it we will have the 12th man blowing the ball into the Crewe net
The 13.000 Rovers fans.

[GazLaz]

I always fancied Crawley.

Don’t know why MK were favourites. Just because they finished 4th and 7 clear of us & Crewe 8 clear of Crawley.

Look at their recent scores. They are shipping goals for fun.
Very dodgy at the back.

Who has the best defence in the league over the last 18 games 12 games 6 games out of the 4 teams. Counts for a lot that never mind how many we are scoring.

Will be an awkward game v Crawley at Wembley but if we continue as we are we will beat anyone in this league at present and that includes the top 3
Well we did beat Wrexham but never got the chance to play the other 2 in this 18 game sequence. Sorry 19 now inc yesterday.

Think we both said last week Crawley could win that one.

[RoversInSpain]

Yes we are not at Wembley yet.

Ist goal on Friday will be massive but even if Crewe get it we will have the 12th man blowing the ball into the Crewe net
The 13.000 Rovers fans.

That’s just reminded me of blow football, did that exist or did I dream it? Not as good as subbuteo mind….

[Campsall rover]

I always fancied Crawley.

Don’t know why MK were favourites. Just because they finished 4th and 7 clear of us & Crewe 8 clear of Crawley.

Look at their recent scores. They are shipping goals for fun.
Very dodgy at the back.

Who has the best defence in the league over the last 18 games 12 games 6 games out of the 4 teams. Counts for a lot that never mind how many we are scoring.

Will be an awkward game v Crawley at Wembley but if we continue as we are we will beat anyone in this league at present and that includes the top 3
Well we did beat Wrexham but never got the chance to play the other 2 in this 18 game sequence. Sorry 19 now inc yesterday.

Think we both said last week Crawley could win that one.

Fair enough Gaz
Pleased I wasn’t the only one 

[BillyStubbsTears]

Crawley a tidy side. As we've seen twice they're more than beatable.  Quite pleased as mk were favourites for me.  But still a long way to go.

Stereotypical bottom tier side. All physicality and aggressive press.

If we do meet at Wembley, we just need to pass and move crisply like we've been doing and we'll make them look like a bunch of plodders.

[Campsall rover]

Before this game, you would have prayed for a Rover’s v Crawley final

Really.
I was hoping for MK Dons in the final.
I think we would be far too good for them.
Crawley are a team with pace and play with a fast tempo. MK are a possession based team.
Our style would is imo much better suited hurting MK.

Having said that we can and will beat anyone in this league right now. 100%
We just have to keep doing what we are doing and I can’t see us losing.

[donnievic]

As poor as MK we’re like they was at our place we as know they can score and pass teams too death when they are on it,I thought Crawley were superb and did a proper job on them with similar high press to us andse decent link up play and also play to their strengths at set plays and long throws.
 Wouldn’t be surprised if MK still turn it around at home though

[ravenrover]

Look at the 3 goals
Failed to follow the runner 1-0
A block, ball into nearpost defender gave player a yard start then stopped 2-0
Speculative cross/shot huge deflection 3-0

Didn't exactly rip them apart to score

[mushRTID]

There is no doubt in my mind we are going to batter either of these sides at Wembley.

Im talking 3 or 4 nil stuff, a beating rarely seen in play off finals.

[IDM]

From what I could see, the pitch looked ok last night beating in mind it was too wet the day before?

[Herman Hessian]

From what I could see, the pitch looked ok last night beating in mind it was too wet the day before?

you should report this to someone - I think it'll be the first time ever that a supposedly fast-draining, purpose built sports pitch has been overwhelmed by utterly unfathomable rainfall in the short term, only to then do it's job perfectly over the following 24 hours...

[LakesideOwl]

Much rather face Crawley.

Don't think the tie is over though. Anything could happen in MK - just look at Wednesday against Peterborough.

[ForsolongaRover]

In common with Rovers, Crawley have had to battle for their play-off place whereas MKD could afford to more or less sit back and their defence has done just that. In the 5 games prior to the semi they shipped 10 against lower half teams and 4 v Mansfield at home, so they have been lax in defence which showed against Crawley.

There also used to be a belief that the team that just missed automatic promotion rarely came through in the play-offs. They may lift themselves for the second leg, but it will be a struggle to score 4 and keep Crawley out, so we may well find ourselves up against Crawley if we make it to Wembley.

You might say on this basis that Crawley would be most likely, but any team at Wembley will always be formidable.

[Copps is Magic]

If Crawley and us get to the final how do they decide on kits?

[BillyStubbsTears]

If Crawley and us get to the final how do they decide on kits?

Judging by what I've seen of them this season, we play in red and white hoops, they play in the flayed skins of sabre-toothed tigers.

[BillyStubbsTears]

And yes, I'm getting cocky and will probably be to blame if we lose.

[Herman Hessian]

If Crawley and us get to the final how do they decide on kits?

i would have said that the highest-placed side in the final league table is considered as the 'home' team for kit purposes - that's certainly true for the last few years, until you get back to 2017 when Exeter (5th) played in fluorescent yellow against Blackpool (7th); apart from that the 'highest = home kit' rule applies every year right back to 2002, when Cheltenham (4th) played in black and yellow when beating Rushden & Diamonds (6th) - but that was probably something to do with the Football League bending over for Max Griggs at every possible opportunity...

[ncRover]

Crawley are a possession based side aren’t they?

[Herman Hessian]

Crawley are a possession based side aren’t they?

they try - i'd have said that they were more identifiable by very high workrate and levels of fitness; be interesting to see how that holds up at this stage of the season...