Kinder

That’s two bad challenges from them already.

Gayle played it out wide, then attempted to make a run into the box. I say attempted, because he was being dragged back the whole time

2nd very late challenge. Neither worthy of a yellow according to the ref

Gayles movement really is a cut above

That’s two bad challenges from them already.

That’s two bad challenges from them already.

We’ve started really well, Ward’s delivery has been excellent already and some nice touches from Gayle.

Very bright start. 1 good opportunity came to an end when the lino incorrectly flagged offside. 
Calls for a penalty ignored.
Tasty freekick from Ward whizzes across the box infront of our attackers.

Poor formation for an away day breakfast plate imho; sausage should be between the defensive beans and rotated to prevent the midfield scrambled egg being encumbered with defensive duties. Egg should be deployed further forward and ahead of the hash-browns, with the mushrooms out wide but given license to cut in and play as a number 10. Really don’t believe the combination of fried & scrambled eggs ever works; they’re just too similar. At least one of the slices of toast should’ve been given a starting position to give added structure to the team, supporting the bacon which appears somewhat isolated and awkwardly placed in the way of the hashbrowns. Bizarrely part of the beans seem to currently be deployed as a wing-back…I can’t see that working at all. I’m liking the look of the fresh orange on the bench but not sure it’s got enough in the tank to last the whole 90 minutes. Just don’t think that line-up is going to cut the mustard today. Really need the lad Brown on there too, just to spice it up a bit. 

We’re on our way, we’re on our waaaaayy!…

Looking forward to the trip. It was at this match last year that I found myself sitting next to B4 for the first time, although I was too shy to tell him I knew who he was! Ultimately it was because of him that I started posting after years of reading, as I wanted to pay my respects. So here's to B4, thanks for getting me involved, and if you can, three points would go down nicely. 

Nearly made 1951 !  My first game was to have been v Man City away on 5th Jan 1952, but went down with appendicitis between Christmas and New Year, ending up in hospital and having  the appendix removed.... Rams lost 4-2 .
First game ended up being Fulham away, 1st May 1952, where we lost 3-0. Notables that day were Bert Mozley, Reg Harrison, Tommy Powell, Jackie Stamps, Johnny Morris, Jack Lee and Jack Parry (deceased 2023).
 
 

Some absolute crackers there.

Happy with that draw.
Barnsley’s next fixtures are pretty easy and that’ll have dented their confidence nicely.

only 1 point and Bolton's fixtures are harder (plus we have to play them at home)
I was more worried about Barnsley

That's nice.  Although they still seem to have less points and a worse goal difference.  Who'd have thought it possible.  Bloody computers, can't trust em.

You call your butler "Up"?

"Today, I are be mostly eatin' ....WTF?!?"

#jessiesdiets

You may have been following the discussion on the season ticket thread. 
Now that Daniel's seat is secured for his sister, can we fundraise instead for a flag for B4 as a permanent memorial and reminder of his presence at the stadium.
Maybe @David could help with the fundraising and we could ask Simon Penney to help with the flag, or someone else if anyone knows anybody? 
What do people think? 

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.