‘No one’s taken points off Rovers easily’

Is it me or is our season now officially up and running? After a few anxious weeks of talking about how performances looked good, but the league table showing we’d only won once, the last week or so has been a boost. 

We appear to be getting what we deserve out of games which is the mark of a side that’s in decent form. It also shows that the new signings have gelled with the existing squad.

One thing to remember about the win over Port Vale on Saturday is that we won the penalty, which Jermaine Easter scored to put us ahead, 5 minutes after Darrell made some substitutions and switched formations to 4-4-2.

Readers of previous columns will know that I’ve been advocating an end to tactical experimentation, in favour of English football’s favourite tactic, for a few weeks now. So I’ll assume that Darrell read my last rant on it. You’re welcome DC.

I jest, of course, but at least I keep my moans on the Internet. Normally, being a “keyboard warrior” and not saying things to someone in person is a bad thing, but I’d rather whinge about tactics online than turn into that bloke in the East Terrace who has been banging on the home dugout and seething at every manager since Ian Holloway.

Back to Port Vale, though – it’s interesting that the goals came from Ellis Harrison and Jermaine Easter. Both of them have really stepped up a gear for me this season.

Their playing styles and attributes are far more suited to this division than League Two, and certainly more than the Conference. It looks like the injured/rested Matty Taylor will continue to lead the line, and heaven knows he’s earned that right with his sensational form, but those two should chip in with enough goals and assists to justify starting places more often than not.

They’re both examples of superb judgement by the club; Harrison was on the transfer list at a little over two years ago, and Easter, when signed, seemed to be a luxury at Conference level.

All of this leaves Luke James and Rory Gaffney scratching their heads. The manager seems to have earmarked James as a rotation player from the off in fairness, but Gaffney, when he signed permanently to much fanfare in January, was seen as the missing piece in our attacking puzzle.

How quickly things can change. I don’t think he’s playing particularly badly, but a forward in his mould is judged on goals and chances created, and he’s lacking in both. Easter’s red card on Tuesday against Sheffield United probably gives the Irishman another crack of the whip, but unless goals come soon he might be in for a quiet autumn.

Speaking of our trip to Bramall Lane, what a shame it was on a Tuesday. I’m fairly sure we’d have taken multiple thousands had this been a Saturday 3pm kick-off. Over 800 on a Tuesday night before most folk have been paid for the month is still a superb turnout.

By the sounds of it we were unlucky to come away empty-handed, with a bit of sloppy marking to blame for the goal. That kind of thing drives coaches, and fans, absolutely crazy. An hour and a half’s work down the tubes down to five seconds of momentary lapse from one or two players.

All in all though, we’re 20 per cent through the league season already, we’ve won a few, lost a few, drawn a couple we could’ve won, and drawn a couple we could’ve lost. No opponent has taken points off us easily, we look hard to beat, and the squad looks strong. I’d have taken that at the start of August.

Northampton await us on Saturday. I’d be delighted with a point given that they’ve won four of their last five games in the League and haven’t lost at home in eight months. As long as everyone remembers to boo the panto villain with the hairband, John-Joe O’Toole. Until next time!