ROVERS FANZ VIEW COLUMN
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I don't think one win from our first eight was the form we envisaged on the eve of the season, despite our more realistic outlook than the previous year's euphoria with Gerry Francis. I read somewhere that this has been our worst start to a season for decades, and if you recall the last two fateful campaigns, the worst in Rovers' history, we were deceptively placed amongst the front-runners at this stage both times back then. And that is my consolatory crumb of comfort at the moment; knowing that the average football season contains more ups and downs than the Big One at Blackpool, it is surely only a matter of time before we go on a little run. Right? Some thought that we could spark that surge by breaking our Sky TV duck up at Macclesfield at Sunday lunchtime. We were due an away win, as Gasheads had not seen one since January when Sergio Ommel scored in the last minute at Shrewsbury. At least we did not have to wait long before we realised that this certainly wasn't going to be our day. Anwar Uddin was penalised for a 'push' - one of those annoying decisions where they are sometimes given and sometimes overlooked. This one was not, and Macc had a gift lead. For all the fantastic goalkeeper that he is, Scott Howie is definitely not one of those penalty experts, and he falls into the Lee Jones category of maybe saving one every three years when the taker scuffs his shot. Conversely Brian Parkin and Nick Culkin both had the knack at spot-kicks, and Parkin in particular won many a Leyland Daf/Sherpa Vans/LDV tie in shoot-outs over the years. You either have it or you don't, and I was not expecting a save from Howie this time around. You are always still in the game at 1-0, but even this luxury was not to last at the Moss Rose. Rovers were soon put to sleep with one of the cruellest deflections ever witnessed; a hopeful slog careered off the toe of another Macclesfield player, spun around Uddin and straight into the path of their midfielder Chris Byrne to slot home from about six yards. Two-nil again. Unable to get up there myself, I felt for the staunch away support who had made the trip to Cheshire - they must have wondered why they didn't just go down the pub. One positive sign that the Ray Graydon regime is taking effect on Rovers' downhill tumble, is the evidence of a fighting quality and the threat (at least) of a comeback. Long suffering Rovers fans were reminded that our team sometimes pulls back from being behind, and not just all the other teams we play against, with a phoenix-like fight-back at Scunny a fortnight ago. Wayne Carlisle was the creator that day, with the cross for Quinn and the nail-biting conversion (eventually) of that last ditch penalty. And the Northern Irishman was at it again up at Macc with a fine strike from the edge of the box after sub Simon Bryant had played him in. It is not the first time that I've said Carlisle has been our shining light in the early season mist so far, and looking at the stats, he has scored twice and set up another three goals already this term. At times in that awful first half last Sunday, he was the only one probing away, teasing the full back - the only one almost making things happen. On another day the referee would not have thought it was a push, that deflection would have rebounded safely out for a goal kick, and Rovers might have won the game 1-0. Luck plays a large part in certain matches, but like the wise man said - you make your own luck.
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