kash_a_ram_a_ding_dong

More wishful but destructive thinking from the usual suspects.
How about just getting behind the manager whilst we are in the pound seats for promotion and perhaps just trying to enjoy yourselves for once.

More wishful but destructive thinking from the usual suspects.
How about just getting behind the manager whilst we are in the pound seats for promotion and perhaps just trying to enjoy yourselves for once.

More wishful but destructive thinking from the usual suspects.
How about just getting behind the manager whilst we are in the pound seats for promotion and perhaps just trying to enjoy yourselves for once.

More wishful but destructive thinking from the usual suspects.
How about just getting behind the manager whilst we are in the pound seats for promotion and perhaps just trying to enjoy yourselves for once.

More wishful but destructive thinking from the usual suspects.
How about just getting behind the manager whilst we are in the pound seats for promotion and perhaps just trying to enjoy yourselves for once.

More wishful but destructive thinking from the usual suspects.
How about just getting behind the manager whilst we are in the pound seats for promotion and perhaps just trying to enjoy yourselves for once.

More wishful but destructive thinking from the usual suspects.
How about just getting behind the manager whilst we are in the pound seats for promotion and perhaps just trying to enjoy yourselves for once.

More wishful but destructive thinking from the usual suspects.
How about just getting behind the manager whilst we are in the pound seats for promotion and perhaps just trying to enjoy yourselves for once.

More wishful but destructive thinking from the usual suspects.
How about just getting behind the manager whilst we are in the pound seats for promotion and perhaps just trying to enjoy yourselves for once.

More wishful but destructive thinking from the usual suspects.
How about just getting behind the manager whilst we are in the pound seats for promotion and perhaps just trying to enjoy yourselves for once.

Certainly the best result for us tonight and Bolton have used up their games in hand but only ended up 1 point in front.
 

Certainly the best result for us tonight and Bolton have used up their games in hand but only ended up 1 point in front.
 

Certainly the best result for us tonight and Bolton have used up their games in hand but only ended up 1 point in front.
 

Certainly the best result for us tonight and Bolton have used up their games in hand but only ended up 1 point in front.
 

Certainly the best result for us tonight and Bolton have used up their games in hand but only ended up 1 point in front.
 

Certainly the best result for us tonight and Bolton have used up their games in hand but only ended up 1 point in front.
 

Certainly the best result for us tonight and Bolton have used up their games in hand but only ended up 1 point in front.
 

Certainly the best result for us tonight and Bolton have used up their games in hand but only ended up 1 point in front.
 

Certainly the best result for us tonight and Bolton have used up their games in hand but only ended up 1 point in front.
 

I think it was a really, really close call, given that normally it is the goal scorer who gets the prize. But I was watching Ward closely, and he literally covered every blade of grass, appearing on the left, probably as cover for when Sibs went marauding,  he was in the middle of the pitch ( the confused look was because he didn't know where the map for midfield had gone!), and around both penalty areas. I had wondered if it was a confidence booster, because Ward could easily spend the rest of the season with those two penalty fouls hanging round his neck like a millstone. I'm probably miles out with that one, because Sibs needs a pat on the back and an arm around his shoulder to help him cope with his haphazard treatment this season in particular. But it is why I thought the prize should have gone to Ward, and was happy when it was announced.

Tbf @angieram picking Ward was the action of someone who had watched the game. Sibley would have been the easy and not unreasonable pick, whereas Ward was the correct pick.
 

My first away game of the season, mostly due to it being about 3.5 miles from my house!
Really looking forward to the day. Strongly recommend Fed 313 cafe for those getting there early. 
Hope you all enjoy Bristol!

 

Bristol Rovers vs Derby County
Saturday 9th March KO 3pm
Memorial Stadium (BS7 0BF)
 
Opponents Form: Decent recently with three wins in their last four matches including their last two. They currently sit 11th in the table albeit with no realistic playoff aspirations or relegation concerns. Whilst their home record in L1 this season is a reasonable W7-D5-L5 it should be noted that they have lost four of their most recent six matches on their own patch with wins over Carlisle (2-1) and Oxford (3-1) dampened by defeats to Blackpool (1-2), Exeter (0-1), Fleetwood (0-2) and Burton (1-2).
Opponents Bio: Rovers are managed by Matt Taylor who is in his third managerial role. After an impressive four years at Exeter he was the man chosen by Rotherham to take over the reins after the departure of our own Paul Warne to Pride Park. Taylor's spell there lasted 13 months before he parted company with the Yorkshire club in November 2023 as the Millers were struggling in 22nd place. Within three weeks, however, he found himself in the Bristol Rovers hotseat replacing the ever-delightful Joseph Barton. 
The club have played their home matches at the 11,000 capacity (3,000 seated) Memorial Stadium since 1996 after leaving their previous home in Eastville. They are officially known as the 'Pirates', reflecting Bristol's maritime history. Or because they just arrrr. Or maybe because their form is historically patchy. They are of course also known as the 'Gas', a nickname which was given them by opposition fans originally but was cheerfully adopted by the Rovers' followers who refer to themselves as 'Gasheads'. The name came about apparently due to their former stadium being sited next to a gasworks which produced a distinct aroma which would waft over the ground. Anybody who sits near a few of our more dedicated drinkers at Pride Park will no doubt relate to that.
Opponents Player Watch: Only one place to start here as the Rams go up against our former beau, Christopher Hugh Martin. The Wardrobe has scored 15 goals this season and is joint fifth in the top scorers chart for the division. Second top scorer after CM9 is Anthony Evans with half a dozen goals. Other notable players are ex-Rams youngster Luke Thomas, experienced former Swansea, Celtic and Preston man Scott Sinclair and Chelsea loanee Harvey Vale who I think we were linked with during the summer. I'm not sure if he's their number one or not but they also have a goalkeeper called Jed Ward who you can only sympathise with.
Rams Record vs Opponents: There have been three FA Cup ties between the two clubs but we'll focus on the 27 league matches there have been between Bristol Rovers and Derby County. The first meeting was on 29th August 1953 at Bristol so hats off to any Ram or Rover who remembers that match over 70 years ago. During the early years of the fixture it was Bristol Rovers who held sway with the Pirates winning the first three encounters, four of the first five and six of the first nine overall. Since then though it is the Rams who have had much the better of it. The overall league record for Derby against Saturday's opponents is as follows:
P27: W12-D7-L8
Away at Bristol Rovers our record  is: P13: W3-D4-L6   Whilst that isn't impressive it should be pointed out that we lost on our first five visits and since then we've gone W3-D3-L1 on their turf and are unbeaten in our last four visits.
Since our relegation to L1 for the 2022/23 season the Rams have recorded home wins against Rovers in both fixtures at Pride Park (4-2 and 2-1) whilst last season we conceded a debateable late penalty in a 1-1 draw at their place.
Other Saturday Fixtures Of Note: We will either be second or third going into the match depending on the outcome of Barnsley vs Bolton on Tuesday night. Peterborough are at home to Northampton on the same evening. On Saturday our priority is of course to earn three points in the south-west but we will be hoping for favourable results in at least one of the following games:
Blackpool vs Portsmouth
Exeter vs Bolton
Barnsley vs Lincoln
Burton vs Peterborough
Expected Team: My guess is that Derby will be unchanged from the 3-0 win against a desperately struggling Port Vale. With fit full-back options rarer than a salad in the City Ground boardroom I suspect it'll be a back three plus the two wing-backs who played well yesterday. 
 
Safe journey to those who make the trip and COYR.

I'm not ITK but I'm told Warne wants to make Chris his first signing next season and will 'pull out all the stops' to get his man. 

Spot on with the tactics and team today.