ROVERS FANZ VIEW COLUMN
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I don't think many eyebrows were raised when news of Rovers' defeat at Lincoln came through last Saturday. They are certainly a tough nut to crack and yet again possess one of the tightest defences in the league, having conceded the fewest number of goals so far in our Division, aside from leaders Oxford. Although we managed to stick one chance away, when Wayne Carlisle did well to squeeze a shot past the advancing goalkeeper, seven games without a win became eight as the home side eventually wore us down. Kevin Miller will not have enjoyed watching the re-run of Lincoln's second goal on television, as his attempt at smothering the loose ball resulted in it squirming out of his grasp and into the path of towering defender Ben Futcher, who at 6'7" must count goals with his feet as collector's items. I missed the trip to Sincil Bank but by all accounts we seemed to mimic the performance at home to Bury, with a very encouraging first half preceding a frustrating anti-climax in the second. Later that evening, in the hours immediately after the match, I had one of those disbelieving, eye-rubbing moments when the league tables were published on Ceefax. Rovers had managed to CLIMB two places in the table up to 13th, and at first I was sure someone had done their sums wrong at BBC HQ. And yet Division 3 remained the same overnight and was published like this in the Sunday papers, so it must have been right all along. Before the game we were in 15th place and level on points behind Cambridge (on +1 goal difference) and Boston, who were on exactly the same goals as us (22 for and 22 against) but must have been ahead alphabetically (by three letters). That afternoon Boston crashed 3-0 at free-scoring Doncaster, while Cambridge were soundly beaten 4-0 at Scunthorpe. Scunny's Scottish striker Steve MacLean, on loan from Rangers, completed his third hat-trick of the season in the last minute and that final goal caused Cambridge to slip below us. As we only lost by two, our defeat was not as bad as the others and we rose up the table by default - extraordinary. Wayne's goal ultimately proved vital in that mathematical conundrum and if such small things as the margin of defeat count now, then surely it can count at the end of the season, when a relegation place or a play-off spot could be riding on it. Carlisle proved last week that he is always good for a goal every now and then, and it is much better to have dangerous players like him in the team rather than sat on the bench. That is particularly important at the moment with something of a striker shortage looming over the first team squad. Haldane, Tait and Rammell are struggling and I'm sure Junior Agogo would rather be eased back into the fray slowly after his knee problems. Agogo looked every bit the six-figure signing in pre-season but after seemingly hurting himself at Forest Green, we have only seen glimpses of his quality during which time he was obviously playing through the pain. With Dave Gilroy left as the only fit alternative, there is a case for dipping into the loan market. However, our luck in that department has been pretty rotten over the last few years, as yet another goalless loan signing from earlier this season, Calum Willock, has already scored twice for Peterborough. As goalscoring loanees go, Adrian Coote managed to get one for us last year, but before him I can only think of Jamie Cureton (before signing permanently) and Dennis Bailey! It does not matter who it is - they never score for Rovers!
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