Just Back

Quoted from ivanosandwich

Jolley said at the beginning of the season that he wanted high energy, last night was the first time I have really seen that. Hopefully, the team is finally gelling and playing the way Jolley wants them to.

Hess, Embleton, Pringle, Vernam and Clifton all possess different qualities but last night as a unit, they were almost unplayable at times.

Not sure why McNulty went off at HT but I bet he was pleased he wasn't chasing their shadows in the second half.

Quoted from RichMariner

I haven't been to a game all season so rely on the highlights.

I've watched the good, the bad and the ugly, but the extended highlights of last night's win gave me real faith that some sort of corner has been turned.

That's not to say the pivotal moment happened last night. It could've been the second half comeback against MK Dons. It could've been that late winner from Akheem Rose. It could've been the double fightback at Northampton.

Basically, we've started doing things that we've spent all season not doing, e.g. scoring goals, particularly in the second half; coming from behind, winning tight, scrappy games.

It's all positive stuff and maybe, in the future, we'll look back on those six games that Jolley lost in a row and be grateful that we all stood by him (well, the majority of us - there were some dissenting voices on here, I seem to remember).

Clifton is emerging into a real talent now and I think the confidence he got from a three-year deal is a massive factor in that. Also, being played in his best position also helps!

Lots to enjoy, and lots to be positive about considering we're still 18th in League 2.

Quoted from Tommy

What an enjoyable game.

First half we started very slowly and didn't play any football. Tranmere knocked it around nicely and scored a very well-taken goal through Norwood.

Key moment was our tactical change (same as at Northampton) to move Embleton central and Vernam out wide to bolster our numbers in midfield. Literally as soon as MJ made this change we upped the intensity of our work rate and pressing too. The strengthening of midfield allowed us to get closer to them quicker, but also allowed us to build possession through midfield, which we were previously struggling to do and having to go longer or into channels.
And after our last few managers it's nice to see one actively seeing things going wrong/not working early and changing it to swing it in our favour.

Scored an excellent equaliser from the ever-improving Clifton but also worth noting we had 3 players in the box for the cross from Vernam.

2nd goal was obviously a blatant handball. Shocking from the officials to not see it, but I'm not going to lose any sleep over it because we get some horrendous decisions against us at times. However, watch Thomas' movement whilst Vernam is slipping the fullback stepovers - fantastic little double movement from the striker going in short then pulling away behind the defender.

2nd half we started on the front foot and the early goal from Davis probably knocked a bit of belief out of Tranmere.

As the half went on we were much the better side really and although there were a few spells where it was quite open and looked like there could be a goal at either end, I felt we were the stronger side. We looked a confident side spraying the ball about, working it across midfield.

Hessenthaler excellent for the 2nd game in a row, Clifton a good supporting act too. Embleton very very good after the switch into the middle and Vernam was a threat too - receiving the ball a bit deeper facing forward to run at the opposition rather than up top with his back to goal.

Fox struggled first half but was a different player 2nd half. Hendrie goes about his business quietly and effectively and Pringle showed plenty of quality, composure and consistently good decision-making. Really liking Davis at centre-back too, a real calming, classy influence on the back line.

Tranmere's 2nd was a fantastic strike but it didn't phase us and didn't send us into a nervous panic as I worried it might when the lead was cut to one goal. Davis won our pen, which if you count that as an assist (I am doing) that's 3 assists for Davis in the last 3 games.

Interesting to see M.Rose(P) take a penalty with no massive pressure for a change. Don't get me wrong, it could've had an impact on the momentum of the game had he missed, but he's usually taken them at 0-0, sometimes very late on, to nick us a 1-0 win. Great pen right in the top corner.

And what a goal to finish with. Lovely move involving Welsh, who read the play and intercepted, played a one-two with Cardwell and then slipped a perfect ball into the path of Embleton who'd made a great 3rd man run whilst Welsh & Cardwell combined. Lovely composure to check back inside the defender and finish too.

Good entertainment, good football from Town after the initial half hour, and a good intensity and organisation to everything we did out of possession after that first half hour too.

Encouraging signs:
- we now look like a side that can score goals.
- we now look like a side that doesn't crumble or go to pieces mentally after conceding a goal.
- got a settled side now and not needing to chop and change
- squad is looking stronger and we're able to bring players off the bench that add something (3 goals from substitutes in last 3 games and Cardwell and Welsh also adding something to our performance last night).
- good home form continues.

UTM

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

I don't think we are playing a lot different apart from pushing up more from the back and getting midfield players into the area. Clifton's goal was a good example. A few weeks ago he would have been hanging around in midfield waiting for a short pass and then giving it back to Vernam and then .... But last night he got straight in the box, Vernam played a cross that was not all that brilliant but we had 3 players in there so the odds of it falling to a Town shirt were so much better and it did. Great header. Then the scrambled goal and the penalty came more or less the same way, we had players swarming all over their 6 year box. That is the big change and it makes for chances and excitement.

Quoted from pen penfras

Vernam's cross was fantastic, don't know what you expect from league 2 players, but it won't be much better than that. Harry's header was very good too, but it was the pace on the cross that allowed him to just direct it and score from that distance.

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

Well it turned out to be fantastic but that's my point. To be honest I think Vernam was intending a fast curler to the far post but that doesn't matter. He could hit and hope a cross because there was Clifton plus 2 more in the box and somebody would have a fair chance to get on the end of it. When there's only one in the box to aim for, any cross really does have to be fantastic to pick out that single attacker in a mass of defenders.