Academy & U21s

[bluebruce]

https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2025/january/07/doherty-shortlisted-for-december-award/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3JXHfKEHOqmY0Xx2l0pldYt8zkzn0BdqITwHafOG9LSLcuMUvv7eQm_aI_aem_uZrKjDGLr0EqihuB3Uv1Bw

 

[KentExile]

Looks like Atcheson, Wood and Montgomery are back after loans, & Tyjon and Duru after injury

Preston start Evans, Bauer & Best from their first team squad

Score/Update in case Rovers twitter account doesn't keep us updated

Edited January 7 by KentExile

[bluebruce]

74 minutes in, 1-1. Our goal from Harrison Wood (17th minute), theirs from veteran 36 year old Ched Evans (59th minute). I see they've also got Patrick Bauer playing, but the rest of their starters are all 19 or younger.

Edited January 7 by bluebruce
I see Kent Exile mentioned their first team players already.

[KentExile]

Finished 1-1

Rovers can still qualify as one of the best group runners up if they beat group winners QPR at home at the end of the month

https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2025/january/07/report--preston-north-end-under-21s-1-1-rovers-under-21s/

 

 

Edited January 7 by KentExile

[bluebruce]

2 minutes ago, KentExile said:

Finished 1-1

Rovers can still qualify as one of the best group runners up if they beat group winners QPR at home at the end of the month

 

 

Might be a relief to have one less competition tbh, given how many we're in and with half the squad off on loan...

[TheRovers1994]

Rovers played some great football on a poor surface tonight. Issac Dunn looks fantastic too, cairney/cantwell type of player, great passing ability gets stuck in some future 

[TheRovers1994]

1 hour ago, bluebruce said:

74 minutes in, 1-1. Our goal from Harrison Wood (17th minute), theirs from veteran 36 year old Ched Evans (59th minute). I see they've also got Patrick Bauer playing, but the rest of their starters are all 19 or younger.

The first game they had first teamers aswell 

[B16Rover]

3 hours ago, bluebruce said:

https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2025/january/07/doherty-shortlisted-for-december-award/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3JXHfKEHOqmY0Xx2l0pldYt8zkzn0BdqITwHafOG9LSLcuMUvv7eQm_aI_aem_uZrKjDGLr0EqihuB3Uv1Bw

 

Just seen this on Instagram.  To anyone who has watched him, has he any chance to step up?

 

Semi relatedly, had no idea Paddy Lane was ex Rovers.  

[riverholmes]

3 hours ago, TheRovers1994 said:

The first game they had first teamers aswell 

Good to see Harrison Wood score a goal as he inevitably winds down his Rovers career and also to hear that the team might’ve played well.

However, this first teamer reports in the PNE team, though with some factual basis, requires a little context it seems. Evans is a player-coach but has played for the firsts. Kian Best made a breakthrough last season but is out of the picture and doesn’t play. Patrick Bauer has been out of football for virtually 2 years with injury and is a back-up player now.

It should also be remembered that PNE don’t field a regular U21s side and have failed dismally in this competition.

Not to deny the experience they had in the team or that Rovers may have looked good, according to a user, but, the result is not particularly impressive. All that said, at this stage, getting some performances would be welcome, with results secondary. It would be nice for some players to make a case for involvement in the latter stages of this season for the firsts or in pre-season later this year.

 

Edited January 8 by riverholmes

[arbitro]

A decent watch at Bamber Bridge last night on a difficult surface in which Rovers should have won. Two excellent chances were spurned late on as Rovers pushed for the win. We played some good stuff through midfield where Dunn was prominent although he got sloppy with his passing late on, probably a touch of fatigue. Our young centre halves did well against Ched Evans. Evans scored for them but for me it was down to Michalski. I thought he should have caught the ball in the six yard box at the far post. It was waist high and my feeling is that Michalski didn't fancy it as Evans was bearing down. Michalski is a confident lad, a real modern day keeper but he frightens the life out of me. On one occasion he rolled the ball under his foot as he was being pressurised. It's the modern way but I think it's far too risky. On numerous other occasions he was almost caught with the ball at his feet. With Litherland and O'Grady-Macken not playing and having been on the bench for the first team recently I have a feeling they might start at Middlesbrough on Saturday along with Duru who went off after an hour.

[TheRovers1994]

8 hours ago, riverholmes said:

Good to see Harrison Wood score a goal as he inevitably winds down his Rovers career and also to hear that the team might’ve played well.

However, this first teamer reports in the PNE team, though with some factual basis, requires a little context it seems. Evans is a player-coach but has played for the firsts. Kian Best made a breakthrough last season but is out of the picture and doesn’t play. Patrick Bauer has been out of football for virtually 2 years with injury and is a back-up player now.

It should also be remembered that PNE don’t field a regular U21s side and have failed dismally in this competition.

Not to deny the experience they had in the team or that Rovers may have looked good, according to a user, but, the result is not particularly impressive. All that said, at this stage, getting some performances would be welcome, with results secondary. It would be nice for some players to make a case for involvement in the latter stages of this season for the firsts or in pre-season later this year.

 

Rovers played really well especially on a very much non league pitch but still played our good football as well as can be expected. Sort from evans popping up pne has nothing else, but in typical rovers fashion a lack of cutting edge especially wood missing a sitter is what cost is the win. 
 

impressed with funny junior though did remind me of Adam Wharton a lot 

[TheRovers1994]

1 hour ago, arbitro said:

A decent watch at Bamber Bridge last night on a difficult surface in which Rovers should have won. Two excellent chances were spurned late on as Rovers pushed for the win. We played some good stuff through midfield where Dunn was prominent although he got sloppy with his passing late on, probably a touch of fatigue. Our young centre halves did well against Ched Evans. Evans scored for them but for me it was down to Michalski. I thought he should have caught the ball in the six yard box at the far post. It was waist high and my feeling is that Michalski didn't fancy it as Evans was bearing down. Michalski is a confident lad, a real modern day keeper but he frightens the life out of me. On one occasion he rolled the ball under his foot as he was being pressurised. It's the modern way but I think it's far too risky. On numerous other occasions he was almost caught with the ball at his feet. With Litherland and O'Grady-Macken not playing and having been on the bench for the first team recently I have a feeling they might start at Middlesbrough on Saturday along with Duru who went off after an hour.

Yeah agree, he’s a good keeper only 17 but reminded me of pears last season with his foot work in terms of taking too much time looking like a cock yo waiting to happen 

[KentExile]

11 minutes ago, TheRovers1994 said:

Rovers played really well especially on a very much non league pitch but still played our good football as well as can be expected. Sort from evans popping up pne has nothing else, but in typical rovers fashion a lack of cutting edge especially wood missing a sitter is what cost is the win. 
 

impressed with funny junior though did remind me of Adam Wharton a lot 

Funny Junior? 

I had no idea his sense of humour was that good 😉 

He does have a very Whartonesc style about him.  In a way I hope he isn't quite as good as Wharton, though so that we can enjoy him for longer before he inevitably moves on

Edited January 8 by KentExile

[DeeCee]

?

[bluebruce]

10 hours ago, DeeCee said:

?

??

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

11 hours ago, DeeCee said:

?

Dunny junior

[KentExile]

Not U21s etc but couldn't think where else to put this

Former Rovers academy player Sam Barnes finally played some minutes for Barrow after signing in the summer, as Barrow beat Preston in one of the many youth competitions.

Piece here on Barrows website about his injuries/update etc

[Tom]

1 hour ago, KentExile said:

Not U21s etc but couldn't think where else to put this

Former Rovers academy player Sam Barnes finally played some minutes for Barrow after signing in the summer, as Barrow beat Preston in one of the many youth competitions.

Piece here on Barrows website about his injuries/update etc

Funny that Connor Mahoney is one of the senior players to feature for them there. Mad that Barnes is now 23, shame for him as he’s lost years.

Mahoney, Barnes and now Duru, can tell there’s a Rovers fan on the scouting team, does he still post here?

Edited January 17 by Tom

[Upside Down]

On 06/01/2025 at 10:18, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I was being sarcastic. I was watching players start walking with the ball about 4 yards from where the ball went out, walk on for 4 yards, run another 5, then actually throw the ball. It seems to be a modern trend.

Weak refereeing as usual.

[Mattyblue]

6 hours ago, Tom said:

Funny that Connor Mahoney is one of the senior players to feature for them there. Mad that Barnes is now 23, shame for him as he’s lost years.

Mahoney, Barnes and now Duru, can tell there’s a Rovers fan on the scouting team, does he still post here?

Young Joe!

He used to get very huffy if we ever questioned ‘The Data’… but he’s the one living the dream at Barrow, so there you go!

[KentExile]

U21s won 3-2 vs Middlesbrough.  Wood with 2, and Mafoumbi with the winner off the bench with a shot from the half way line by all accounts, having not been involved in a squad since October (injured?)

Baker (Alex, not Lewis) was sent off shortly after coming on a sub, with Boro equalising immediately afterwards for 2-2 late on before Rovers winner

Powell on the bench makes me wonder if he has been injured, he was missing from the previous Chorley squad (where he is currently on loan)

For anyone who is/was there, can I ask, was it a 4-3-3? or a 4-2-3-1 with Garrett as the 10?

 

 

Edited January 17 by KentExile

[Ossydave]

Mafoumbi just scored a stunner to put us 3-2 up. 

Has he been injured? Haven't seen him mentioned for ages till tonight...or has he just been playing crap?

[KentExile]

3 minutes ago, Ossydave said:

Mafoumbi just scored a stunner to put us 3-2 up. 

Has he been injured? Haven't seen him mentioned for ages till tonight...or has he just been playing crap?

hasn't been in a squad since October, so possibly injured

[Ossydave]

25 minutes ago, KentExile said:

hasn't been in a squad since October, so possibly injured

Aye thought that must be the case as he seemed to be scoring a few previously. 

Let us pray that he turns out to be a gem!

[arbitro]

An excellent game of football was to be enjoyed tonight as both teams set about each other but Rovers came out the winners when a draw would probably have been a fair result. The early tempo was intense from both teams who moved the ball quickly and accurately. Rovers got an early breakthrough with a well worked goal but Middlesbrough scored a terrific goal to equalise. The pace understandably dropped off a little in the second half but both teams still looked to get on the front foot as often as possible. Rovers took the lead again only for Boro to equalise with a few minutes to go. Rovers were then reduced to ten as Baker collected two quick yellow cards shortly after coming on. At this stage the vast majority would have accepted the draw but Mafoumbi lobbed the keeper from twenty five yards for the winner. What made his goal even more special was that he had to hold off two defenders to get his shot away. Rovers dug in for the remaining period and showed some mature game management to see the game out. The delight from the players was evident at the final whistle and the effort from every one of them was first class. 

I saw Igor Tyjon As we were leaving and asked him why he wasn't with the first team of indeed playing in tonight's game. He said he was injured with a calf strain but should be back next week