Let's talk about the Kettering Town FA cup game 2nd round

[firestarter]

Another bonus of winning is the prize money.. the cups runs are helping the coffers out this year . Hopefully will go towards strengthening the side come January

[danumdon]

Got out of jail there in the end.

Disappointed that GM did not read the conditions, with such a heavy pitch, a team who are full of confidence after beating a third tier side and what do we do! right from the off you could see our regular formation and style was going to struggle in those conditions, against an eager and hungry side, i missed the point of having a team of lightweights trying to play a passing game on that field. Consequently it starved Sharp of any meaningful ball and meant we couldn't hold onto it upfield so the ball was going to be coming straight back every time.

With the changes for the second half we sort of learned our lesson and played a more direct game. Ironside , who should have started (with Sharp) managed to give their defence a more traditional puzzle to solve, which by then, tired, they struggled with.

In the end we just about shaded it with our little bit of extra quality but we really do need to learn the lessons from this. Lets hope we get a ball playing team in the next round, something we can handle far better than slugging it out with willing but limited players who just brush off our ball players and run over them. Onward.

[RoversInSpain]

Tough one that was, however Reading and Burton Albion not having it easy either.
Emmanuel’s strength over Sterry’s finesse worked well today on what I’m sure was actually the Baseball Ground. Anderson won a ton of headers, but still prefer McGrath together with Oluwo. Ironside won so much ball too.
Just concerned we seem to get to the edge of the area and the final decision and /or pass is so poor and it’s becoming a common occurrence, that’s why sharp only touches the ball occasionally.
Hurst who gave us some zip, I’m sure was clean through in the box but squared it to no one, Kelly did the same recently too, it’s really odd!
Feel for Molyneux, seems the whole team rely on him to create everything. Need another Molyneux on the other side.

[MachoMadness]

Hurst attempted to square it to Billy who was on for a hat trick. Possibly showing too much respect for his elders as it did look like he was through on goal and was more likely to score himself.

[RoversInSpain]

Hurst attempted to square it to Billy who was on for a hat trick. Possibly showing too much respect for his elders as it did look like he was through on goal and was more likely to score himself.

Good shout re the Hat trick, and perhaps underlines the issue we’re too nice and lose that bit of the killer instinct.

[drfchound]

Tough one that was, however Reading and Burton Albion not having it easy either.
Emmanuel’s strength over Sterry’s finesse worked well today on what I’m sure was actually the Baseball Ground. Anderson won a ton of headers, but still prefer McGrath together with Oluwo. Ironside won so much ball too.
Just concerned we seem to get to the edge of the area and the final decision and /or pass is so poor and it’s becoming a common occurrence, that’s why sharp only touches the ball occasionally.
Hurst who gave us some zip, I’m sure was clean through in the box but squared it to no one, Kelly did the same recently too, it’s really odd!
Feel for Molyneux, seems the whole team rely on him to create everything. Need another Molyneux on the other side.

That last part of your post RiS.
Exactly how it was last season until Adelakun came.
Maybe another one of his type on the cards for January.

[ForsolongaRover]

I would have put Clifton on either to start or as a half-time sub because it was his type of game. It’s a pity that Kelly spoils good positive play with some careless mistakes, but he’s young enough to get through it and improve his decision-making under pressure.

Emmanuel has previously been rather neglected by McCann, but he’s direct and reliable and created a lot today. This doesn’t mean I would necessarily exclude Sterry and perhaps Emmanuel is more of a 45 minute sub.

[drfchound]

Sterry is technically better and has the ability to play those balls into space for the likes of Moly.
On a decent pitch he is probably the better choice but Emmanuel certainly looked better in the slug it out type of game we had today.
IMO of course.

[Alan Southstand]

Sterry was over powered in that first half - swatted aside like an annoying fly! Same could be said of one or two, today.

[selby]

  Bailey was poor first half Anderson my MOM and the win revolved around our old guard of Anderson Sharp and Ironside who changed the game with Emmanuel and Olowu backing up Anderson in the second half.
  We didn't have a mid field the first half when Bailey looked like he couldn't pass water never mind a football.  We were heading for defeat until the changes at half time.
 

[steve@dcfd]

Bailey looked better when Broadbent came on unfortunately Kelly looked weak on that pitch

[drfchound]

Kelly likes to run with the ball and that pitch today didn’t allow that to happen.

[Alan Southstand]

It certainly didn’t allow for dilly dallying! Kelly dropped a right clanger for their goal.

[drfchound]

True Alan, in the first five minutes we gave the ball away lots of times by trying to play pretty football.
It was an “avit” day.

[Chris Black come back]

Think I heard that their keeper is son of the late Keith Alexander, former Lincoln manager.

[sedwardsdrfc]

Kelly likes to run with the ball and that pitch today didn’t allow that to happen.

Kelly gives the ball away in those areas whenever I’ve seen him play don’t think it’s the pitch. He’ll be a good player but it gets to me that we play him through the mistakes and errors and we get nothing out of his development.

Would understand if he was way better than what we have like Craig was. Imo Broadbent should play we actually stand to gain and I’m not sure he’s worse than Kelly

[Pancho Regan]

Kelly likes to run with the ball and that pitch today didn’t allow that to happen.

Kelly gives the ball away in those areas whenever I’ve seen him play don’t think it’s the pitch. He’ll be a good player but it gets to me that we play him through the mistakes and errors and we get nothing out of his development.

Would understand if he was way better than what we have like Craig was. Imo Broadbent should play we actually stand to gain and I’m not sure he’s worse than Kelly

Trust me, it was the pitch which did for Kelly when he gave that ball away for their goal.
He looked nervous after that and couldn’t settle. It was a good decision by GM to sub him.

Emmanuel and Ironside made a big difference when they came on - they were the right players for the conditions.

That pitch has never seen a roller and we struggled to play on it but we powered through in the end and deserved the win.

A proper cup tie and we’re in the next round, I’m chuffed to bits with that.

[Dagenham Rover]

Kelly likes to run with the ball and that pitch today didn’t allow that to happen.

Kelly gives the ball away in those areas whenever I’ve seen him play don’t think it’s the pitch. He’ll be a good player but it gets to me that we play him through the mistakes and errors and we get nothing out of his development.

Would understand if he was way better than what we have like Craig was. Imo Broadbent should play we actually stand to gain and I’m not sure he’s worse than Kelly

Trust me, it was the pitch which did for Kelly when he gave that ball away for their goal.
He looked nervous after that and couldn’t settle. It was a good decision by GM to sub him.

Emmanuel and Ironside made a big difference when they came on - they were the right players for the conditions.

That pitch has never seen a roller and we struggled to play on it but we powered through in the end and deserved the win.

A proper cup tie and we’re in the next round, I’m chuffed to bits with that.

A friend of mine said the pitch grass length etc was deliberate. We used to do the same at old Belle Vue
 

[drfchound]

Kelly likes to run with the ball and that pitch today didn’t allow that to happen.

Kelly gives the ball away in those areas whenever I’ve seen him play don’t think it’s the pitch. He’ll be a good player but it gets to me that we play him through the mistakes and errors and we get nothing out of his development.

Would understand if he was way better than what we have like Craig was. Imo Broadbent should play we actually stand to gain and I’m not sure he’s worse than Kelly

Trust me, it was the pitch which did for Kelly when he gave that ball away for their goal.
He looked nervous after that and couldn’t settle. It was a good decision by GM to sub him.

Emmanuel and Ironside made a big difference when they came on - they were the right players for the conditions.

That pitch has never seen a roller and we struggled to play on it but we powered through in the end and deserved the win.

A proper cup tie and we’re in the next round, I’m chuffed to bits with that.

A friend of mine said the pitch grass length etc was deliberate. We used to do the same at old Belle Vue

The grass might have been left a bit longer at BV but it was great to play on, there was never a bobble and the ball always ran true on there.

[steve@dcfd]

Kelly likes to run with the ball and that pitch today didn’t allow that to happen.

It didn’t stop Noel Williams whose strength and skill was the best on show of all the midfielders

[roversdude]

Kettering deserved their round of applause from Rovers fans not sure if tv showed that

[graingrover]

BBC play book was Kettering only with the exception of them citing  the only name on the opposition team that they knew ,Billy Sharp.

[Reg of the Rovers]

Think I heard that their keeper is son of the late Keith Alexander, former Lincoln manager.

Was a good lad, loads of banter with the crowd even before the game, gave us a clap at the end. Thought he was pretty decent, a couple of good stops and came and collected our crosses.

[Donnywolf]

Whilst Troy Deeney did not deserve a round of applause

Contradicted himself so many times.

[steve@dcfd]

Whilst Troy Deeney did not deserve a round of applause

Contradicted himself so many times.

He was so biased which made his assessment poor

[drfchound]

Kelly likes to run with the ball and that pitch today didn’t allow that to happen.

It didn’t stop Noel Williams whose strength and skill was the best on show of all the midfielders

To be fair he was very good.
So strong as well, reminded me of Adama Traore (spelling?).
He was  terrific until he tired in the second half.
He was the best on the pitch at running with  the ball at his feet.

[Donnywolf]

Whilst Troy Deeney did not deserve a round of applause

Contradicted himself so many times.

He was so biased which made his assessment poor

I remember something like " they (Kettering) need to pace themselves , play in 5 minutes bursts to conserve energy" then not long after .....

"Kettering really need to get forward more , they are letting Rovers run the show with massive possession of the ball"

I've paraphrased both and he just kept on going.

I couldn't believe how he saw Ketterings opening minute as a great start as it was all down to a Sterry mistake

He also made a comment early on about shots on target and at that point I said "we haven't even been in their half yet" as I think we kicked off ,played it back , Sterry error then another minute or so till we got over HW

[wing commander]

  Not really a game to judge any player of ours on. Everything was set up against us and they were always going to raise their game, this was their moment in the sun and everybody wanted to see a upset. Yesterday was all about just finding a way to get our name in the hat for the net round and that's what we did so it's job done well for me.

  The only down side is that we've played 120 minutes on a energy sapping long grassed bobbly pitch and we don't have much recovery time before the next one.

[moses]

I thought Broadbent made a difference as well as the other subs. Played it simple in midfield, stayed in the middle and made us less of a doughnut formation with the ball.

[GazLaz]

Two goal from set pieces and we looked a threat from them all game.