UniBond League Division One South
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Tuesday, 4th March 2008, 7.45pm
Last Gasp Goole Grab A Point
The first half did not give any clue of the exciting second period that was to come. In a cagey fifteen minutes the only threat on goal came when Chris Tate fired wide of the mark.
Rovers took the lead on 21 minutes when a deep cross by Shaun Ridgway caused panic in the Goole defence and defender Liam Chapman had to hurriedly head the ball away for a corner.
Ridgway sent over a sublime flag kick from the left that was met by Dan Douglas in the middle of the box who powered in a header.
Goole hit back and forced keeper David Clarke into a fine save pushing the ball away for a corner after James McDaid had hammered in a goal bound shot.
The visitors levelled from the resultant corner. McDaid's corner from the left was only partially cleared only as far as Andrew Jackson who hit a first time low shot through a ruck of players and into bottom corner.
Rovers' striker, Paul Edwards still getting back to match fitness, put a pass through for Chris Sleath who slid in but put his effort wide.
Just before the break a good move by Goole ended with Tate cleverly back heeling the ball into the path of Jackson who smashed a shot that just cleared the bar.
The home side were back in front just four minutes of the second half starting. A throw in was flicked on by Edwards to David Blenkinsopp, who was making his first start for three games, and the striker showed what Rovers had been missing when he turned his marker and stabbed the ball past keeper Craig Parry.
The lead unfortunately did not last long and four minutes Goole were back on terms. Duncan Bray who had looked dangerous all night was put through down the left flank and as he cut in he hit a low shot past Clarke and into the far corner of the net.
Bray could have given his side the lead just minutes later when he again made another good run down the left but this time his shot went the wrong side of the far post.
On 57 minutes a free kick by Ridway was narrowly headed over by Rovers' defender Miles Chamberlain and minutes later the action was at the other end where McDaid put his fee header over.
Clarke made a superb save moments later tipping Chris Jenkinson's effort round the post after the defender had fired back a poor clearance by Ridgway.
The home keeper kept his side in the game again when this time he blocked a vicious shot from Bray.
In this ding-dong battle Rovers took the lead for the third time on 69 minutes and it was prolific striker Blenkinsopp who did the damage. Tony Hemmings sent a long pass through to Blenkinsopp who turned Chapman inside out before unleashing a low drive that beat Parry and settled into the bottom far corner of the net.
Goole did get the ball in the net on 77 minutes but amazingly the assistant referee flagged for a foul on Ridgway in the build up - Rovers had, had a very lucky let off.
Rovers were hanging on as a combination of poor defending and good attacking play from their visitors saw wave after wave of pressure on the home goal.
Goole should have drawn level inside time added on but Tate headed straight at Clarke although the striker and two others were two yards offside.
Just as it looked as if Rovers would grab an unlikely win over one of the play-off favourites a slip by Clarke allowed Goole to level yet again in the fifth minute of added time.
A hopeful effort was fired in but Clarke could only push the ball into the path Tate, who hit a soft low shot towards the far corner that the keeper should have pushed away round the post but instead helped the ball into his own net.
Manager's View
"I felt that a draw was the least Goole deserved on the balance of the game. Yes, we got ourselves in front three times - Dave's (David Blenkinsopp) got two showing what we've missed really as we looked a little bit more potent up front with Dave back in the side.
"But, if you can't defend you're not going to win football games. For ninety minutes tonight our defending has been very poor throughout the side and the basics again have let us down time after time.
"Between our defending and Goole's defending they cleared the lines and won their first and seconds and we didn't.
"We've worked very hard and I won't question the guys commitment - again that was very evident but at times we caused work for ourselves with bits of tenseness and tightness in our game, slashing at things and instead of our clearances being conducted with quality and purpose we were slicing things and stuff was going up in the air and missing things and straight down their throats again inviting wave after wave of pressure.
"I can't fault the guys because a lot of them are playing out of position at the moment but the disappointing thing is that they've done that several times before for us and done it very well.
"Just of late particularly tonight we were very poor defensively. Having said that we could have been having a go at the lads on the back of three points that we are desperate for but as it was we had a little bit of luck I felt with Goole's disallowed goal - it's time we had a little bit of luck but that's no consolation for Goole but I felt that might have been the little bit of luck we needed and we may have gone on for three points that we needed.
"They've kept going and credit to them and perhaps deserved a point in the end.
"Dave Clarke had done very well and had made a couple of good saves in the first half, quiet in the second half except for a couple of incidents. Dave's doing well for us at the moment but obviously we've conceded two goals tonight from set plays and I wasn't happy all night with our set plays.
"We had a big debate at half time over who was doing what and again I said on Saturday at Retford second minute we concede as goal from a set play. It's normally something we are very good at. They are well drilled and well prepared as to who does what job but for the last couple of games we've been a little bit off it and it's difficult when you've got guys who can't get in for training to work on these things.
"As I've said that's been the case all season with Miles (Chamberlain) travelling from Skegness. But, the last couple of games we've looked shaky from set plays and it's something we need to put right straightaway.
"We've got to continue with the existing squad as we can't add to the squad. That's been the case for three or four weeks but I'm aware of the situation and I'm happy to work with that until it's resolved.
"We've had Dave back tonight and we get Jamie (Hood) back after his five game ban on Saturday so things are looking a little bit more positive.
No news on Danny Blair or Jordan (Lambert). We were hoping Jordan may have been in the squad tonight but he says the knee is not quite right. We are a bit worried about Danny in terms of whether he'll be able to take part in the next game or two.
"Obviously, if we can keep Blenks (Blenkinsopp) fit now he's playing again and the big huge boost having Jamie Hood back we may be able to revert back to something like a traditional back four on Saturday against Nantwich but we'll have to see.
"Three points tonight would have been a shot in the arm for us which would have taken us over the mentality, if you like, of the fifty points barrier and the mentality of having finally beaten a side in and around the play-off places.
"It's been a long time since we beat Cammell Laird here early in the season and I've said all along that it's perhaps reflective - the league table doesn't lie over forty-two games and where we finish give or take a couple of unlucky results perhaps but on the flip side of that you hope to get a bit of luck like we had tonight it doesn't lie and ultimately where we end up will reflect the quality of the squad this season."
