Fantalk

embow · Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2022 4:21 pm Post subject:

Just hope that today's result kick starts the season for us.
Good three (very necessary) points.
Onwards and upwards!
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Specky Ginger · Joined: 16 Jun 2012 Posts: 4041 Location: Dysart

We were far from great today, but it would have been an utter travesty if it had ended up anything other than a home win.

I've seen some cracking good Morton teams over the years and some rank bad ones, but I can never remember seeing a more detestable shower than they had on the park today.
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Franco · Joined: 10 Oct 2019 Posts: 989 Location: kirkcaldy

What a poor first half. Raith didn't impose themselves and seemed pretty disjoined.
Morton were content to hoof the ball upfield or ,often, out of play. Their main tactic was the long throw-in.
Mercifully, the game improved in the second half and Liam Dick was decisive with his header.
Our young centre-back pairing, although raw at times, did ok, although Nolan relies too much on his right foot to seem entirely comfortable at LCB.
I'd probably have given Aidan Connolly MoM rather than Liam Dick, for his general play, not just his goal.
I'll need to check the card count. It seemed quite high.
Hopefully, the team will continue to improve and begin to gel. A striker ,or two, would make a deal of difference. Guys who can win their headers...and, of course, score.

Castle · Joined: 24 Jul 2010 Posts: 4764

I had some criticism and concerns over our back line but today I thought they dealt with everything that they were presented with. Granted Morton weren't very threatening but even towards the end where they had us under a wee bit of pressure our defence never really looked like buckling.
For me Brown was man of the match. His distribution could be better but he reads the game well and pops up all over filling in gaps that appear and helping out teammates.
Can't fault any of our players for effort. Gullan put in a shift as did Ross. Felt Ethan could maybe have made a bit of more of some promising possession he had in the first half.
As usual our most impressive moments involve Connolly. Can't be many players in this league with his footballing brain.
I think what pleased me the most today was the team had a shape and balance about it. It's been a subtle change to the formation but players seem more at ease in their positions now and more effective.
A win under our belt and, for me at least just now, a sense of optimism for the coming weeks.
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stan drew rover · Joined: 05 Jun 2017 Posts: 755 Location: Work it out!

I think the team deserves far more than the limited and grudging praise emanating from the moan-fest here. The first 20mins today were dictated by Morton's horrible hoofball tactics and long throws. Then, we got the measure of them and began to pass and move better, creating a couple of chances. We totally bossed the 2nd half, scored two very good goals and, although having one pegged back to the one decent chance they created all day, we never looked like giving the lead away.
For me, Staunton was head-and-shoulders man of the match. Easton, Connolly and O'Riordan all showed moments of class. Most of the others did fine, although Macca in goals, and Millen & Ross seemed below par.
When we get the four missing guys back, or even two or three of them, we'll be a match for the best this league has to offer.

Castle · Joined: 24 Jul 2010 Posts: 4764

Tam · Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2022 8:24 pm Post subject:

An absolute bore of a messy first half.

Improvements made in the second half and we merited the win against a Morton side that must have learned a lot of dirty tracks, feigning injury when giving away a free kick, kicking and even throwing the ball away to prevent a quick Rovers throw in or free kick? They conned the referee a good number of times.
The ref wasn't the best but not the worst either.

We still haven't improved on our free kicks, what a wasted balls.
Throw ins not much better.
Jamie MacDonald's kicks are poor, and he far too slow to start playing up field.

Morton did have a good plan when we were taking corner kicks - on occasion they left two players up field and on one occasion they had three players upfield when they were defending the corner kicks.
Take note Rovers!

Three points and at last goals

Northern_Rover · Joined: 15 Jul 2008 Posts: 2652 Location: Granite City

How Quitongo took until the 88th minute to get booked is a mystery. Spent the whole game fouling, wrestling our defenders to the ground with a fistful of shirt and shorts to get fouls, pole axed several players with hideously late follow throughs after the ball had gone. Sweet justice when he fell over his boot lace and ran the ball out at the South Stand in the 90th minute. Other than that a team whose only other tactic appeared to be having a left full back trot over to take throw ins from the right full back position was pretty awful stuff.

The first half was utterly dreadful and possibly the worst we will see all season as a spectacle.

A marked improvement in the second 45. My concern was that after going ahead it became a physical battle and I wasnt sure we had it in us to overcome blood and snotters. But we did and ran out deserved winners.

Back line looked pretty solid so disappointed to lose a goal from a headed set play.

Both goals were excellent attempts from open play.

Good win for the team, the fans and the manager.

Long time fan · Joined: 18 Jan 2022 Posts: 48 Location: Kirkcaldy

Agree with Tam on the messy first half. Morton played an aggressive high line and gave us no opportunities to build play from the back, they continuously played the high ball game via long throws and punts up the park. I thought our defence especially O Riordan, Nolan and Dick did really well standing up to this and the battering they were getting via bad late challenges that the referee chose to ignore throughout the whole game. Our play was scrappy in the first half not really fluent enough especially at the few chances we had in the box, I put that down to a wee bit of anxiousness from the lack of goals in our previous games.

The second half continued with Morton playing a high press, but the class and hard work of Stanton, Gullan, Connolly and flashes of real skill from Easton led to 2 excellent moves and well taken goals. The sighs of relief and joy from both the players and the stands when Liam Dick scored the first spurred us on to play some good football and play the way we know we can.

I thought the whole team did well and put in a tremendous effort. We thoroughly deserved our win. The referee should have taken action far earlier on the Morton Centre forward and their no 7, who both on another day could have seen red for their continual late challenges. Well done to the boys for both standing up to the physical side and delivering a skillful winning performance.
It’s nice to smile again on a Saturday night.

Vinnie · Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2022 10:05 pm Post subject:

3 points off top spot

Thats all Laughing

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Cuparman · Joined: 12 Jul 2008 Posts: 1574 Location: Irvine

happy days · Joined: 07 Mar 2022 Posts: 203 Location: Kirkcaldy

Tam when you start a game of football there are certain areas of the park you have to try and dominate and put your opponents on the back foot. Sometimes that happens sooner rather than later today it was the opposite. We took the kicking and dished it out and we were better than them. The ref in my opinion had a stinker but we will have that a few times this season so onwards and upwards. By the way Tam in your opinion how did our midfield play?

Tam · Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2022 8:43 am Post subject:

Hi Happy Days
Our midfield played well especially having to endure the Morton thugs when we did play some very good passes it was very good.
Goodness knows what injuries/bruises the players have the tackles, jersey pulling etc. which by and large went unnoticed or ignored by the referee.
When Easton gets a chance its great to watch.

scotty · Joined: 12 Jul 2008 Posts: 8844 Location: Almost Dysart.

A welcome and merited 3 points, if only just. However as a spectacle, an advert for football this wasn't!

My summation at half time was two poor teams cancelling each other out, thankfully things improved if only a little and the build up play to the goals and the finishing particularly of AC was sublime.

Still a couple there that I'm not sure of but things are improving. The centre defensive partnership is developing even if it's still a bit lightweight. Attack wise we struggled with their physicality and I'm certain that we need to play more to our players strengths, Gullan and Ross are quick and their defenders were lumbering about all game yet we played no passes for guys to run on to.

Midfield looked really good, tremendously gutsy performances by Stanton and Brown with nice touches from Easton I didn't think Connolly had his best game but what a lovely finish for his goal.

That'll help their confidence somewhat and it's just a matter of building on that and keeping it going.
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Competitive goals: Connolly 15, Gullan 7, Easton 7, Stanton 6, Vaughan 5, Dick 3, Akio 2, Brown 2, Connell 2, Goncalves 2, McBride 2, Frederiksen 1, McGill 1, Nolan 1, OG 1.

Cuparman · Joined: 12 Jul 2008 Posts: 1574 Location: Irvine

Watched the highlights, some good stuff. I am however well aware they are “ highlights “.

What really pleased me ( and what I genuinely miss) ......was the crowd chanting at the end.

That alone will be music to the players ears.

So, well done those that get vocal, there is little more inspiring than the raucous from the fans. Very Happy

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