Thoughts

[Copps is Magic]

We were the better side in a game where no team was yet fully up to speed. Exeter's tactics were ... baffling. Completely sat off us and let us play but didn't really offer anything on the counter-attack.

Positives - Middleton (excellent crosses and workrate), Broadbent - (controlled the game from deep), the defense - generally solid, if play is infront of them, we'll have few problems. They got a bit flustered on the two occasions their players got in behind, but its something we can manage.

Open questions. If Middleton keeps banging in crosses like that, who gets on the end of them? Hanlan? He'll have to prove himself because today he didn't really offer that much. The other question is what does our ideal midfield look like? Still not sure McCann knows himself. We always look better when Bailey and Broadbent are not alongside each other and who sits behind the striker? Gotts, Sbarra, Clifton, Ajayi?

[RoversInSpain]

Ajayi needs to be in the box for Middleton’s super crosses.
Can see a great link up with Maxwell and Middleton with the already formed Moly and Sterry. Get the right players in the box and it could be very interesting on the “Goals For” column.

[Chris Black come back]

Interesting Ajayi came on and played as the 10. Maybe that's the switch McCann is going to be playing this season. Clifton playing of the most forward of the three offers something a bit more solid, while Ajayi offers something far more threatening.

[Padge_DRFC]

Interesting the Ajayi came on and played as the 10. Maybe that's the switch McCann is going to be playing this season. Clifton playing of the most forward of the three offers something a bit more solid, while Ajayi offers something far more threatening.

Ajayi looked decent and a big upgrade when coming on

[GazLaz]

Pretty solid performance against a team that offered pretty much nothing. Though all the new guys had an impact.


Broadbent looked the part in midfield I thought.


Tougher tests to come, can’t make too many judgements either way on the opening day.

[DollyRover]

I agree with every word of this
 My thoughts exactly.
I was sat behind ajayi brother and I've never willed the ball to go in more than the chance he had

[NickDRFC]

Don’t really disagree with any of this. Middleton, Broadbent and O’Riordan all showed up well. More to come hopefully from Hanlan but on that showing he’s a step down from Street. The midfield balance still isn’t quite right.

I’ve got Exeter to finish 2nd bottom this season (and Wimbledon are bottom more in hope than expectation) so on paper one of our easier games. Can’t ask for much more than a win and a clean sheet when you’ve got 5 starters who weren’t even here last season, though.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

It was a 7/10 for me. We could have been better attack wise but we were solid, controlled and defended well. We probably started a bit slow but then took control.

O'Riordan looks an excellent centre half so composed, has a bit of Matt Mills about him.  I also thought Broadband was good in the middle and lots of others showed up well.

Plenty to look forward to. I'd still like another striker if Ironside isn't in the frame, I could see him moving on.

[DearneValleyRover]

The 9 and 10 position are still an issue for me but it’s still early days and we got 3 points, I’d agree with the 7/10 verdict

[CottyRover]

I would agree that Hanlon was disappointing today. A bit ago we might have ended up losing one nil to a one off attack. Did Exeter sit back, or did we not let them play? In the first half in particular we had the bulk of possession. A reasonable attendance, but perhaps not as good as we might have hoped.

[danumdon]

I feel sorry for Joe missing out on that masterclass of wide play and crossing from Middleton, i'm sure he would have had a field day on that. Hanlon looks a different player and will need balls threaded through for him to run onto or lay off.

Nice steady start i thought, not too many drama's and with a bit more luck we could have had a couple more. The team is still getting to know each other and will improve with the matches, 3 points better than the 1 with plenty to build on, god start.

[Ian Nimmo]

Yes I thought Hanlan struggled today, and their centre back certainly got the upper hand.
Middleton played very well, some superb crosses into the box, unfortunately no one was able to capitalise on these. Surprised he was replaced by Gibson, who didn’t offer anything.
There were some others who offered a decent contribution, and totally agree with the  MOM choice.

[CottyRover]

Glad to see Wentworth, their smart arse goalkeeper beaten by Mols' penalty

[eastender]

Surprised no one has mentioned TLT's superb save taking it off their players foot when he was through one on one , a match winning save.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

I feel sorry for Joe missing out on that masterclass of wide play and crossing from Middleton, i'm sure he would have had a field day on that. Hanlon looks a different player and will need balls threaded through for him to run onto or lay off.

Nice steady start i thought, not too many drama's and with a bit more luck we could have had a couple more. The team is still getting to know each other and will improve with the matches, 3 points better than the 1 with plenty to build on, god start.

Would tend to agree but Ironside wasn't getting on the end of many crosses last season either. Both too static in the centre of the park, easy for centre half's to mark.

With the quality of Middletons crosses, someone, in addition to our centre forward, has to attack them. Ideally someone like Bailey who's a good header of the ball.

Has Molyneux got it in his contract he has to take all the free kicks? His quality on the ball today wasn't good until late on when he put in a couple of decent cut backs. Middleton deserves a fair shout at taking a few free kicks and corners.

Whilst the 3 points were great and just about deserved, we can be much better as up and till the last 15, I thought we were too ponderous and predictable. Billy and Ajayi made a positive difference.

[PDX_Rover]

Shame that Joe’s just been cold shouldered. He would have thrived today as mentioned above.

[MachoMadness]

Solid performance today, against admittedly one of the weaker teams in the division. Still you can only beat what's in front of you and all that, and I thought we looked assured and in control for the most part. You'd have no idea we were in L2 last season, put it that way.

[MachoMadness]

Shame that Joe’s just been cold shouldered. He would have thrived today as mentioned above.

He isn't fully fit is he? Missed most of pre season after a groin problem I thought.

[NickDRFC]

Shame that Joe’s just been cold shouldered. He would have thrived today as mentioned above.

Do you know something I don’t?

[Branton Red]

Broadbent was my MoM - very good throughout.

Middleton was excellent in the first half - think it's correct to question why the centre forward wasn't able to read the game well enough to get on the end of at least one of his crosses.

Exeter set up for a 0-0 and were well-organized and worked very hard. It nearly came off for them. Their keeper didn't have a save to make and they lost to a late, very harsh penalty.

It's difficult to break teams down when they play like that. Rovers perhaps could have moved the ball more quickly at times. Justice was done in the end though.

I don't think we've learnt too much today as to how well Rovers will fare this season.

[drfchound]

It was a 7/10 for me. We could have been better attack wise but we were solid, controlled and defended well. We probably started a bit slow but then took control.

O'Riordan looks an excellent centre half so composed, has a bit of Matt Mills about him.  I also thought Broadband was good in the middle and lots of others showed up well.

Plenty to look forward to. I'd still like another striker if Ironside isn't in the frame, I could see him moving on.

Broadband was really switched on today.

[Pintolager]

A workmanlike performance today I thought. The team still gelling and performances will improve. I will be in a minority here but thought that Hanlon was ok and could be a good player for us, he puts himself about and creates problems. Would love to see Ajayi against Mansfield, what a signing he could be!

A nice 3 points today to get off the mark.

[drfchound]

A workmanlike performance today I thought. The team still gelling and performances will improve. I will be in a minority here but thought that Hanlon was ok and could be a good player for us, he puts himself about and creates problems. Would love to see Ajayi against Mansfield, what a signing he could be!

A nice 3 points today to get off the mark.

You aren’t by yourself, I also thought Hanlan did okay.
He worked his socks off and did his bit for the team.
Chances were hard to come by against a packed defence so I’m not surprised that he didn’t get any scoring opportunities.

[Padge_DRFC]

Molyneux was lucky not to be subbed today. He was poor. Middleton better. We won't win more than we lose playing Clifton as the 10. Ajayi offered way more when he replaced him.

I can see Ironside departing. We'll likely sign a striker on loan

[Drover]

I feel we are better,faster,bigger,stronger than last season,in which we won League Two title,so looking very good for this coming season,only little worry was not as clinical with the few chances in the box we created,but im pretty confident that will improve as we go along,we have so many options to tweak too.

[donnievic]

Thoroughly deserved the win but like last season at  times it’s just in the final 3rd,think at times this season they could hurt teams on the break like they played today but thought we were superb without the ball and got back quickly when needed apart from when Timmy came out and dived a their players feet to scope the ball away.
Think again we could also be set up to play better attacking football on the break away from home

[ForsolongaRover]

Molyneux was lucky not to be subbed today. He was poor. Middleton better. We won't win more than we lose playing Clifton as the 10. Ajayi offered way more when he replaced him.

I can see Ironside departing. We'll likely sign a striker on loan

Ironside is an option, but perhaps the two players with the quick feet for a crowded box should have had a full 45 minutes, that is Sharp and Ajayi. The Sterry-Molyneux combo was much missed. Middleton was impressively industrious on the other wing and we might hope that he can develop a similar relationship with Maxwell.

[DRFCSouth]

Good performance all round for an opening day.
Molyneux - had more success when dropping inside, and they weren't tracking him.
O'Riordan - Very good all round. Strong in the air, good on the ball for a big man.
Pearson - Strong in the air. Good distribution.
Middleton - Good crosser of the ball. Going to be an asset.
Hanlan - Worked hard for the team. Not easy with one up front.
Ajayi - Showed his class with great movement and the odd near killer pass.

[mushRTID]

Maxwell got into some very good advanced positions but his delivery’s were dreadful.

He needs to improve on that massively.

[Alan Southstand]

I thought it was a frustrating watch for large parts of it. I agree we just about deserved the 3 points, but we were oh so slow in our build up.

Pearson looks solid but don’t ask him to turn and outpace many strikers in this league. O’Riordon was excellent. Shame about Sterry and it looks like an op for him. Ajayi had to score! Their guy knew little of it.

Surprised Billy didn’t take the pen but Mols put it away, but I agree Mols had a poor game by his standards.

We need a ‘Street’ and a ‘Crew’ to add a bit more quality.