UniBond League Division One
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Tuesday, 21st October 2008, 7.45pm
Dismal Run Continues
Rovers' winless streak now stretches back to the first game of September when they beat bottom club Brigg.
Since then they have only been able to collect two solitary points out of the last league eight games although having most of the possession in many of the games.
However, anyone present at this match would have to agree that on this occasion Grantham were the better side and looked as if they could score with every attack.
Rovers threatened early on with Mickey Lyons firing a shot just wide but the visitors hit back with Rob Lund sending over an inviting cross that Jamie Gyoury-Hales headed over.
Despite forcing some early corners Rovers couldn't seem to penetrate the solid defending with 16 year-old manager's son Dan Starbuck being the pick of the back four.
Lyons again fired wide before the Gingerbreads opened the scoring on 23 minutes. A free kick from the left taking Danny Brooks seemed to go through a crowded box before ending up in the bottom corner of the net with debutant keeper Lee Evans left stranded.
Rovers went inches from levelling just a minute later when a flick on by Kevin Lock just eluded the final touch by Luke Edwards.
They went even closer when Jamie Barrett met a free kick from Lyons but his header went straight into the arms of former Moatman Nicky Scaife.
The best chance of the first half for the home side came on 34 minutes when Lock was put through by Barry Woolley but the striker shot fired over the bar.
Yet again Rovers were left to rue those misses as Grantham increased their lead although in fortunate circumstances. On 38 minutes a good cross by Lund was only partially cleared and fell at the feet of Brooks who tried his luck from distance with the ball taking a couple of deflections on it's way into the net leaving Evans helpless.
A minute later Grantham should have made it three when Rovers' goal led a charmed life. Turner was put through and his shot hit a post and Lund's shot from the rebound was blocked on the line.
Rovers were clearly on the back foot and manager Gary Norton had seen enough bringing on David Blenkinsopp for Sam Wilson with only a couple of minutes remaining of the first half.
Grantham, though finished the half strongly with Gyoury-Hales having a shot saved by Evans and then forcing three corners in succession.
The second period didn't see any early improvement by Rovers as the defence was sliced open by Turner who just couldn't get the ball onto his stronger foot and his feeble effort went to Evans.
Blenkinsopp did well shielding the ball before hitting a shot on the turn that went straight at Scaife.
Jamier Hood then had to rescue his side making a superb tackle on Turner who was racing into the box and had the goal at his mercy.
The substitute went close again on 65 minutes this time putting a good shot just wide of the far post.
Brian Woodall who had replaced Gavin Saunders started to make a difference and added impetus into what had been up until then a largely ineffective front line. Woolley met his corner from the left but the header was blocked.
Brooks looking for his hat trick tested Evans with a low shot that the keeper comfortably held at the foot of a post and at the other end Woodall saw a goal bound shot deflected for a corner.
The game was virtually ended on 70 minutes when Grantham notched their third. Rovers had been pushing up and were caught by a very swift break as Turner flew down the pitch and with the home side only having one defender covering he unselfishly put the ball square to Ben Garrick who accepted the invitation blasting the ball past the exposed Evans.
It could have been four just two minutes later when Danny Hargreaves beat his marker but his shot was well blocked by Evans.
Rovers seemed to come alive in the final ten minutes with Woodall forcing Scaife to fumble his vicious shot out for a corner. The flag kick taken by Robbie Banks was powerfully headed home by Lock.
A corner by Banks almost added a second for Rovers but Blenkinsopp's back header was blocked on the line.
With time running out Evans did well to deny Garrick who had found himself in on goal and at the other end Lyons was unlucky when he clipped the ball just over the bar with Scaife well off his line.
Manager's View
"I'm stuck for words to be honest. The way we defend, the way we concede. The first goal a free kick whipped in on target and if somebody doesn't get a touch on it, it has a chance of going in and it did but we can't do that at the other end.
"The second goal their guy has shown more desire to get on the end of the ball. He hasn't wanted a touch, he hasn't needed two touches and he hasn't tried to thread the perfect through a packed defence he's had a go, it took a deflection and it's gone in. Fair play to the lad because he had the application, drive and desire to get something off and it goes in the net.
"Well the third goal, I don't think Luke Edwards did anything right all night. I thought it was an awful performance against 16 year-old Starbuck junior who had an exceptional game. He's not got past him once and put the ball in the box and contrived to set their third goal up so we are very disappointed with Luke and we've let him know that.
"I keep saying that we are not a bad side but if you look at that we can't keep saying we were unlucky, we can't keep saying we are playing well and we're not having chances and we're not taking chances.
"Yes, we did miss chances tonight and we created bits and bobs and we didn't have the best of luck in front of goal but you've got to by a raffle ticket if you want to win it.
"Too many times we got in good areas but we want to create the perfect goal, we want to thread the eye of a needle pass. We're not prepared to get it out of feet and get a shot off and try our luck we want the extra pass.
"We've got to take a long hard look at ourselves and decide where we're going to go from here that's the message we've given the players.
"I feel sorry for Lee Evans our goal keeper making his debut tonight. We've exposed him at times tonight but he's made some good saves and he must be wondering what he's come to.
"As predicted Scaife comes back and has a good game but those sorts of things happen in football. They've got a new manager, they've got their tails up and all the ex-players come back and rub your nose in it but it's a difficult pill to swallow and I'm sure the trolls will be on to me on the computer later tonight but that doesn't worry me because I'm a bit long in the tooth for that now. We've got a lot of work to do on that showing.
"It was a tough decision to put David Blenkinsopp on the bench. I had a long discussion with Dave today and he's bang at it. He's frustrated at the moment because his own form hasn't been the best and you go two nil down in the first half in the manner that we did and it probably raised a few eyebrows.
"We've asked questions about his performances to date and if he's honest he hasn't been performing to his capabilities. We've had a long chat today on the phone and he's frustrated with his own performances and one or two things that are affecting him. But he's one hundred percent with it and he's gone on there and put a decent shift in. Leaving Dave out isn't the reason we lost tonight so we need to look elsewhere for that.
"I've just said to Brian Woodall in the dressing room that if he could go on and play like that every week he'd be in the team every week, that's the frustrating thing. Perhaps we've got to be a little more patient with players if they have a bad game.
"We've not got to knee jerk we've got to allow them to have a bad game and Brian's one of those players who's still going to give you that little bit of magic. He's got so much natural ability more than a lot of the lads we have so we've said to him whatever position he plays in whether it be up front, in the hole or on the right if he could play like that every week he plays it's as simple as that.
"We've got a good group of players here but we're not getting it right because we're not finding the right balance and blend of players who can do it consistently and if they're not having good games still be solid.
"There were too many players tonight who didn't have good games. Gavin Saunders who's been fantastic the last couple of games was very poor tonight and he knows that. Miles Chamberlain his poorest game for a while but he's been the model of consistency for us. Luke who I mentioned earlier, too many players have off days.
"Grantham are galvanised and a lot of confidence going through them now and they've worked hard and done the basics that win football matches. They've defended well and they've put the balls into good areas. They've taken a touch when they need to and they've knocked things first time when they've needed to and put it into good areas and brought it back and then tried to play.
"They've tried there luck and it's come off for them but if we are going to continue to try and pick our passes and play fancy football through sides it aint going to work. We've got to look at ourselves both the players and the management staff and move on from here.
"I took Sam Wilson off in the first half to bring Dave Blenkinsopp on but it could have been any player. Obviously, two nil down at home you've got to make a decision. Sam hadn't started the best but it could have been two or three players that came off but Sam was the one chosen on this occasion.
"Carl Slater has dislocated either a thumb or a finger I'm not one hundred percent sure. If you want someone out there when you're up against it it's Carl Slater and I can't say enough about him at the moment. He's taking his captain's responsibility very, very seriously and he's hurting at the moment as we all are certainly on the management point of view.
"Regardless of the seriousness of the injury, I think it's gone straight back in, he'll be busting his guts to get back in the side on Saturday and trying to get us to that elusive win."
