Viking Supporters Co-operative
Viking Chat => Doncaster Rovers Belles => Topic started by: graingrover on September 27, 2015, 03:58:12 pm
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WELL DONE Belles.
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Good girls. That's ace news.
Needs lots of PR now to get people through the gates.
Team Doncaster ! go !
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Back where they belong. Well done to all involved!
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Brilliant well done to all players and backroom
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I was THERE!
The girls appeared very nervous today and missed a bucket full of good chances in the first half. When they went one down, missed 4 good chances I was concerned. Just before half time they got the goal they deserved but it was hard work.
All our supporters were affected by the sun believe it or not. It reminded me of the Rovers last visit to Peterborough.
The main tactic of the Bees was the long ball over the top, route 1, to a very solidly built striker. It worked for their goal and looked likely to happen again but we do have two very good centre backs who coped very well. I was standing next to their striker after the game and she could only be 5'6" but she looked like a giant during the game.
I couldn't work out why Sue Smith only came on in the second half. I thought there was a significant improvement in retaining possession when she took to the field with our team tiring. The game finished 2-1 to the Belles and they go back to where they belong.
I have been to 3 of the Belles games this season and really enjoyed the games. 5 members of my family are now Belles supporters and when the Belles are within an hour of us we are there.
Belles supporters have a good banter with the players warming up,no swearing or bad behaviour by either party. I only had to explain to my Grandson why one of our supporters called the Ref a "Muppet". So if you haven't been to a Belles game you will have no problems taking young kids to watch
Why on earth the VSC have put this page here, so non members can't read the comments, I do not understand. So put it back on the main forum.
We are all part of CLUB DONCASTER.
If only the Rovers had a striker on form like CSK?
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...Why on earth the VSC have put this page here, so non members can't read the comments, I do not understand. So put it back on the main forum....
Non-members can read it just the same here as they can in the main forum :scarf:
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Hi Alick. I suspect I was sitting just behind and to the right of you this afternoon. Chap with a stupid black coat on, roasting in the sunshine, sitting with Wilts Rover wearing his read and white hooped top. I think we grinned at each other when I loudly proclaimed 'Offside!' and you, perfectly correctly, said otherwise! You had a little boy with you, and a slightly larger one as well if my memory is still working. You were on the front row? I was 2 rows behind.
Anyway, you are dead right. That was a damn hard game today. Barnet were very well organised. Didn't offer much going forwards, but they were quick to the tackle, they marked very closely in midfield and they had a human battering ram to aim at upfront.
Apart from odd flashes the Belles didn't have the crispness that they had had against Reading, but to be honest, they didn't need to. On another day they would have won 12-1. They really did make that many stonkingly good chances. Real peaches of chances. But you could see the nerves shining through all match long. They carved Barnet open time after time after time. The Barnet goalie made three worldies in the first half alone. Some goalie that girl. She made exactly 1 mistake all game. Fantastic positioning, very safe hands and impeccable command of the area. A really very good goalie. I hope the Belles sign her up. Our goalie faced exactly one shot all game - a lob she had no chance with. But she still managed once to drop the ball when it was easier to catch it!
Once again though the stand out things for me were the skill and really beautiful ball control, even when under pressure, from the Belles, their vision and awareness of what's going on around them, the fantastic long passing and, of course, those two diamonds upfront: Bethany England, Courtney Sweetman-Kirk. Top, top players. Better than anything the Rovers have got right now.
Seriously chaps, if you're fed up watching the dross the men are serving up, get down to the KM for the last 2 matches of the season. You will be amazed just how good this team is and how bloody good those two upfront are.
Weakness? Yes. Once again the Belles showed they are not strong enough in midfield. They lost the ball way too often to the close marking and quick tackling of the Bees. They disappeared from the match from time to time too. They didn't impose themselves on a competant but hardly extraordinary Bees midfield. I still think that even though they will undoubtedly score some goals, the Belles will be mullered by most teams next season - unless they get a much stronger, more aggressive and quicker midfield. You could see that weakness in the last 10 minutes or so of the match. It all got very tense indeed - and there wasn't enough strength, of mind or of body, to get hold of that damn ball and do something intelligent with it. Courtney did when she did get the ball every now and again in those last few minutes - but the midfield aren't in the same league sadly.
The Hive is quite nice. The service in their bar is shite and the prices are eye watering.
BobG
PS I got a selfie with Sue Smith! And I got a handshake and a grin from Courtney too :):)
PPS I had a chat after the match with Emily Roberts. You should see her left shin!!! Talk about bruised!!!!! it looked to me like it needs amputating.
Oh. Also, Wilts and I had a natter with someone (who was it Wilts?!) close enough to the club to be able to dispel any doubts about the FA allowing the Belles to go up. Apparently the club has already had the all clear from Ponces Gate.
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Hi Bob,
Yes that was me with my wife and two grandsons. The boys level of concentration was fantastic when you consider they are aged 4 and 6 coping with the sun. When it came to offside I was beginning to think the Belles didn't have a clue in the first half but in the second half the Assistant wasn't taking in to consideration the decision is made when the ball is played. He certainly got it wrong with CSK through on goal on one occasion.
One of the boys I coached (well advised)/played golf with was at Barnet FC last season but the manager "Mad Dog" wanted to play him on a non contract, pay as you go, which meant no insurance. Dave was also called by Saunders when DS was at Crawley but Dave turned him down to go non league. As far as I know Dave is non league now and selling coffee part time.
It just goes to show football is a short career and very insecure. His days of playing for Palace, Orient, Shrews, Brentford, Oxford and England U19's is now history.
I was at Brentford when the Rovers were promoted and I was at Barnet when the Belles were promoted and that's a great feeling.
If I had known you old boys were at the back I would have bought you a pint even at those inflated prices.
I found it ironic that Sue Smith with the "dodgy barnet" played a game at Barnet.
My next game may well be Millwall at the Den 27/10/15
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Great news! Look forward to them ripping apart WSL1 next season!
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Hi Bob and Alick and others .
I would love to be able to attend more games . The matches I have attended bring back that long lost feeling of sport(wo)manship.
Gavin Baldwin and Faye Lygo are meeting this week to discuss how to develop synergies whilst allowing Belles to remain free to set their own strategies and stay independent.
I personally believe they could be encouraged more by use of Rovers shop for merchandising and especially by being given the opportunity to introduce their players to Our Family stand fans ( on concourses before Rovers games )AND match HIGHLIGHTS could be shown on Keepmoat screens at appropriate times. COYB . A brilliant season . Winning the Division as Champions would be a fitting reward
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All very, very good ideas Mr G. I was moved, by the events yesterday, to go online to buy a Belles shirt for msyelf. But it's not such an easy thing to do. So giving the Belles some space in the club shop, and even maybe space on the online shop, would be a useful step forwards.
And has anyone, anyone at all, got any idea where Adrian Sill is these days and what he is doing? He's a Belles nut, a really capable guy. I have neither seen nor heard of him for a long time now. Last I heard he was living in London - so you would think he would have shown up at The Hive yesterday. But the crowd was sufficiently small for me to be positive he didn't. he's got to be enthused by this. And he really has got a lot to offer.
BobG
PS. Oh. I forgot. I had a few words after the game with Sue Smith. She did say she was hoping to carry on doing more tv, but she also said she wanted to keep on playing as well. So that was good news as far as I'm concerned - despite her age. Even if she mostly does 30-40 minute sessions, she's well worth having. She might get overrun by the likes of Chelsea and Man City, but who wouldn't?
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This is a link to highlights of yesterday. Look at the quality of the passing - not the bloody awful shooting!
http://www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/sport/football/video-london-bees-1-doncaster-rovers-belles-2-1-7485502
Bob
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I'd certainly welcome highlights of Belles games being played in the BVB pre-men's matches.
Would be a nice touch if the Belles could be paraded before Saturdays match (may be the men give them a guard of honour). Ideal time to promote the final two home games!
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I think that suggestion, DBR, needs putting in front of Martin pdq. Would have to have a decent mnumber of Belles available, but if it could be arranged, it would be a very positive thing to do.
Bob
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Don't the Belles play straight after the men on Saturday? Think it's a 6:30pm kick off. So definitely a good opportunity for people to watch them, and for the club to get them involved before the Barnsley game, and/or possibly at half time.
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Bob .. I will ask about Adrian Sill for you . I can't get over to UK this weekend but it would be GREAT if more Rovers fans could stay at Keepmoat on Sat evening to watch the Belles final home game of the season . I hope the Rovers will advertise the Game on the big screen and on the tannoy .
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Belles have received confirmation( 18 October )that they have successfully met all FA criteria for promotion to Super League 1.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaLICN5En-k&feature=youtu.be
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Great news looking forward to next season bit of something to shout about in doncaster football
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Well done !
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Although there'sno highlights of Sunday on the Belles website still, I found this on YouTube. It's the usual 5 minutes worth.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZQYhST5re0&feature=youtu.be
Weird address!
BobG
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ABOVE Watch how Sue Smith retrieves the ball so quickly three times after we score .. she wants to get on with reducing the goal difference with Reading .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=208zfT0SBp0&feature=youtu.be
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Yes I made the same comment at the game. She was dead keen to get the restart.