[Archived] Everton 0 V Rovers 1

[Cheeky Sidders]

A superb result and all the sweeter for great performances once again from Nelsen, Mokoena and Reid. I don't any of our lads played badly today and three points away from home against one of the most organised teams in the league os something to be proud of.

Let's hope we can get another three points from the game we have in hand and go above Birmingham and Steve sodding Bruce. I noticed, with some amusement, that some Brum fans are calling for Bruce to be sacked. You've got to laugh.

[Eddie]

Those 5-600 really made some good noise then, heard them well on TV.

[PABBY]

I reckon there were only 400 or so Rovers fans there. Definitely the worst following I've seen for a long time at such a local match.

But I'm not blaming anyone for not attending. The Cup run has meant that we've all had to pay for a lot of matches in a short space of time and not everyone's blessed with an overflowing wallet. Plus, there's more big games to shell out on over the next few weeks.

I don't know how it came across on TV, but the Rovers fans present gave the team tremendous support right from the first minute. By comparison, all we heard from the home fans was the odd chorus of "Emerton" for some strange reason!

That result really was massive in the context of our season. The weekend's other results had dragged us right back into the relegation dogfight, but that win keeps us 7 points above the Saints. That's 3 games where they've got to pull points back on us and they've only got 9 games left (including a defeat at Ewood to come!). I reckon it's going to be an enjoyable last couple of months of the season.

Here's to 2 trips to Cardiff and our first win at Old Trafford for God knows how long!

[Eddie]

Really could here the chants well, well done boys

[jim mk2]

Goodison Park has been a happy hunting ground for Rovers over the years.

I remember us winning there 4-2 and 3-2 in successive seasons in the mid 1960s when Everton really were one of the top clubs in the country.

Mind you, we were pretty nifty too with Douglas, Clayton et al in their pomp. Alan Bradshaw scored two goals in one of the victories but failed to achieve much else and left the game to become a schoolteacher.

The hard work on the training ground is really starting to show now and confidence is rising as the players start to believe in themselves. Well done Mark Hughes.

[Tris]

[...]

Woohoo!!!

Never mind the bottom half teams we've got to play, Liverpool, Arsenal and Man U will have seen that and not fancied playing the Rovers one bit.

phil, have you got any jobs going in sunny Malta ??

I know I'm an optimist, but whenever I read your posts, I just think I need to find some "even more happy" drugs.

Or move to Malta!

[Tris]

Well done Mark Hughes.

And John Williams - what a great team we have running our club

[stuwilky]

dont forget that the Everton Stewards make you feel nice and home on seats to small for pygmies with no legs

The reason I chose not to go this time. The launched bottle lids from the park end were of no importance to the coppers who insisted on alying into the kids on the back row for the most heinous of crimies - standing up.

and to Mr Whibley - the stadium manager at Goodison park, for his disinterest in the conduct of the staff and police there.

[jim mk2]

Well done Mark Hughes.

And John Williams - what a great team we have running our club

Except when he screws up over tickets.

[cn174]

dont forget that the Everton Stewards make you feel nice and home on seats to small for pygmies with no legs

The reason I chose not to go this time. The launched bottle lids from the park end were of no importance to the coppers who insisted on alying into the kids on the back row for the most heinous of crimies - standing up.

and to Mr Whibley - the stadium manager at Goodison park, for his disinterest in the conduct of the staff and police there.

Actually it wasn't too bad this time. Our tickets were on the very back row, where quite a few congregated. I think we were told a couple of times at the beginning of the first half to sit down but noone said a thing in the second despite there being three policemen stood right behind us.

I thought everyone had a good game today. Reid was excellent in midfield and for me Mokoena and Nelsen also stood out. I never really got the impression that Everton were gonna score.

I'm so pleased for Stead. It's been a long time coming but it was a very well taken goal. Hopefully the first of a few this season!!

[John]

I would to thank John Williams and the board. Was going to start a new thread but will not bother.

All the board do is support our manager and team as much as they can. Wow they backed GS too much over Grabbi- but all they do is try and make BRFC as great as Jack wanted.

Not a knee-jerk reaction but the appointment of Mark Hughes has made my life happy again. We have an up and coming manager who is astute and passionate as GS was but in a quiet manner- he also backs his corner when he feels our club is not getting credit

Edited March 6, 2005 by John

[den]

Goodison Park has been a happy hunting ground for Rovers over the years.

I remember us winning there 4-2 and 3-2 in successive seasons in the mid 1960s when Everton really were one of the top clubs in the country.

Mind you, we were pretty nifty too with Douglas, Clayton et al in their pomp. Alan Bradshaw scored two goals in one of the victories but failed to achieve much else and left the game to become a schoolteacher.

The hard work on the training ground is really starting to show now and confidence is rising as the players start to believe in themselves. Well done Mark Hughes.

I was at Goodison for the game that we won 3-2. Alan Bradshaw did indeed score two goals and I think Duggie got the other. We came back from 2 down as well. What a team.

As for todays game, brilliant performance. Not one weak performance anywhere. Moyes couldn't fathom what had happened to cause his side to play under par. I can explain in two words - Blackburn Rovers. As Hughes said after the match, not many sides would have beaten rovers today.

For the first real time this season, I never felt as though we were going to concede. Earlier this season, Everton would have made a host of chances against us, just shows how things have turned around. Credit to everybody.

[emerton]

fantastic performance from the side.

hats off to todd, nelsen and reid as they were a class above.

stead was poor in the first half but after he got the goal he started to do some good things, amazing what confidence can do to you.

thommo had some good turns and touches, needs to get more balls into the box - but i spose its hard when playing 1 up.

proud day!

[thenodrog]

Stead- Drog where are you? "Bambi on Ice" ? Not only took his goal well but he completely rattled the Everton back line by getting heads and body on all sorts of balls played up to him so Everton could never settle and build any sort of momentum and pressure.

I posted this on page 5 of this thread Philip and well before kick off! I dont think its a bad effort at second guessing Hughes mind although I should have mentioned Mokoena by name instead of referring to him as 'another'.

Quote "Personally I would favour starting with a 5 man midfield with Pederson playing support to Dickov and Reid coming in for the ineffectual Gallagher to play on the left and another playing deep to nullify the runs of Cahill. With the defence set up to cope with Bents pacy running style. I do suspect that Hughes will maybe have a job for Stead today though. "

As for Stead.... a cracking goal which will do him the world of good BUT lets not forget the quality of Reids pass which did not require a touch before Stead kicked it. However all afternoon Stead's second touch was nearly always a tackle. And please rem one swallow does not make a summer.

[AussieinUk]

Absoultely surprised by this result.

By all reports - Reid, Todd and Nelsen performed well.

BIG congrats to Steadinho for breaking his drought... finally

BTW Who was captain today? Dickov?

Roll on the big guns!!

Edited March 6, 2005 by AussieinUk

[Oklahoma]

My prediction was correct

(except for the scorer)

[Lathund]

The BBC site mentioned "skipper Dickov", and tbh I didn't really take any note myself. But I'm pretty sure that Todd was the first player onto the pitch, followed by Friedel. Which would indicate that he was captain. And why shouldn't he have been?

Oh, and I won a bit of money today as well. Unfortunately it was very very little, as I only spent the remaining few quids on my Ladbrokes account just to empty it. Looks like I'll have to try and empty it again next week 10/1 on a halftime draw with Rovers winning. Put some money on Pedersen to score first at 14/1 (I think), but I'm equally happy with Stead scoring

Edited March 6, 2005 by Lathund

[Eddie]

Dickov was captain

[joey_big_nose]

Dickov was captain

Seems a bit unfair on Todd, fair enough he dosnt say alot but he leads by example.

However, It is absolutely guaranteed, barring some calamity, that come next season Nelsen will be the new regular captain.

[pg]

Absolutely over the moon for Stead.

If he can get back to his best, IMO he is the difference between a comfortable mid-table position and worrying about relegation.

And, the key in any FA-Cup related glory that may or may-not happen. *touch wood/cross-fingers etc.*

[Jan]

Todd was captain.

Dickov going off may actually be a boon to our hopes rather than the opposite. He's the most selfish striker I've ever seen- I'd be interested to know exactly how many assists he has (compared to say a Chris Sutton, or an Andy Cole who scored and created in equal measure) Someone can no doubt find these stats- I can't. Without him, it may be that we won't have the same "I'm going to shoot even if there are 3 players better placed" performance that we've had this season. Anyway, we'll see.

We were brilliant today. Stephen Reid was awesome!

[Drakefyre]

Dickov has 9 goals and 3 assists in 26 appearances (24 starts).

EDIT: League only.

Edited March 6, 2005 by Drakefyre

[juggalo_rover]

what a great result......great to see stead back on the scoresheet.

From what i could see he was making some good runs off the ball in the first half but the midfield just weren't getting him the ball. Great to see Reid back in the lineup with a great performance. Sparkey has really got the defence playing well.They only had the bent 1on1 and carsley's free kick which should of been a free kick anyway. As an aussie hard to say it but emo might be more comfortable on the bench. But we will see what happens on where he is for the upcoming fixtures. Well it was worth getting up at 3am for the game but the rest of the family didn't appreciate it at around quarter to 5 when the ball hit the back of the net.haha

BRING ON THE FOXES

[Blackpool_Rover]

Just watched the 90 mins again on tv, still buzzing! What a day!

STEPHEN REID - TAKE A BOW!!!!!!!!!!! Absolutely fantastic.

STEAD - feels great to be chanting his name again, lets hope he gets a few more. I have every faith in him now, looked exclellent second half.

EVERYONE ELSE - excellent, 100% commited and fighting for the cause.

FANS - thought were good, those that were there, sky sports fair enough but theres no comparison, altho i do sympathise for the finacial constraints, ive gone into overdraft to get to the game but all worth it! There was about 50 seconds to kick off and i was looking around thinking 'ok wheres the rest of us?' but no, worst following ive seen for ages. I thought we were loud but my mate in the upper gwladys said otherwise, altho he would say that.

Beating Everton means more to me than anyone else. This is my best day since we beat them at goodison last season cause my best mate is a season ticket holder there and we always go to both games (in different ends of course) and he knows i will mention this game now until the next time. He was gutted, almost crying and i enjoyed every last second!!!! ROVERS ROVERS ROVERS ROVERS ROVERS

[chris]

Todd was captain.

Dickov going off may actually be a boon to our hopes rather than the opposite. He's the most selfish striker I've ever seen- I'd be interested to know exactly how many assists he has (compared to say a Chris Sutton, or an Andy Cole who scored and created in equal measure) Someone can no doubt find these stats- I can't. Without him, it may be that we won't have the same "I'm going to shoot even if there are 3 players better placed" performance that we've had this season. Anyway, we'll see.

We were brilliant today. Stephen Reid was awesome!

well if Gally, Jay, Jansen or Stead are better then Dickov then they have to prove it first on the pitch, Dickov is a bit of a solo striker, probably not great to play with, but nobody has been good enough to take his shirt so he deserves it and he's done ok, 8 or 9 goals i think.

He's not far off 33 yrs old so I think signings in the summer will hopefully increase competition upfront next season.