v Millwall (h) - Saturday 19th February

[G Somerset Rover]

Problem now is that was down as a must win for me, and I reckon TM too. Win that, build some confidence and push on. We now go to Sheff Utd away, who are on fire today and probably the leagues form team. We desperately need 3 points and I’d be amazed if we get them there which makes the QPR game one hell of a 6 pointer.

[had.e.nuff]

1 hour ago, simongarnerisgod said:

it does seem a bit suspicious that bolton and preston are at home and have no problems at all😅

not much snow in Preston and a different ref at Bolton why is anyone surprised with the standard of refs in the efl that you get different decisions on matches being postponed

[chaddyrovers]

16 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

You cannot possibly know that, even if you was sat in your seat ridiculously early. The issue was not snow, it was water.

Were you in the ground to see the state of the pitch? 

The ground staff said the pitch was playable. The managers and players wanted to play the game as confirmed to myself by our GK coach Ben Benson when talking to him before the game on the pitch. We have Kaminski, Pears and Eastham warming up on it, 

And to make the situation even worse for the referee's decision its been bright sun shining since 2.45 pm. So how is the pitch not playable?

[chaddyrovers]

1 minute ago, had.e.nuff said:

not much snow in Preston and a different ref at Bolton why is anyone surprised with the standard of refs in the efl that you get different decisions on matches being postponed

exactly. The standard of refereeing at Football league is a joke and why the entire referees body need reforming and bringing in ex players who don't the grade at football level but have a proper and clear understanding of the game and pitch conditions

[chaddyrovers]

6 minutes ago, J*B said:

What would you be posting on here if Rovers where winning 3-0 after 17 minutes then the ref called the game off? How do you expect the Millwall players would have been reacting if the ball was being slowed down by a waterlogged pitch? 

The thing to do was delay kick off, not start and see how we go on. The Millwall fans where already here. But hindsight is a wonderful thing. With Brereton injured, Dack a couple of weeks away and Ayala out I found it interesting that Tony said in his interview that he asked the Referee “to prioritise the safety and well-being of the footballers”, that doesn’t sound like “play the game” to me, it sounds like someone being very clever in his wording to the referee knowing his two star players are out injured…

I have posted what Ben Benson said to fans in Blackburn End. Both managers and Players wanted to play the game today. 

But why would the game been called off when its been sun shining since 2.45pm. 

The pitch wasn't waterlogged either. 

Dack need to play at least 2 90 mins for under 23's so I would say he is more than couple of weeks away. 

Brereton injury? just have to see how long he is out for

[toogs]

29 minutes ago, Ben Frost said:

Your lack of understanding is breathtaking. Undersoil heating is to prevent the pitch from freezing. Having it switched on during heavy snow is an absolute no-no. 

As for not covering it, well that's a last resort for when snow is a certainty. Given that when I was out driving just after 10am and not one single road had been gritted, and the A666 through Darwen was gridlocked for 3 hours as a result, I'd suggest that neither Rovers orthe council had any idea that weather was going to happen.

It had been predicting heavy snow from 10-12 pm and rain afterwards on two of my weather apps since Thursday of this week. So i would suggest that they would/ should have known. Based on the weather forecasts, I was personally expecting a postponement of this game since Thursday. Your lack of understanding seems questionable too based on the above post. 
 

 

[Miller11]

The weather today was freaky. I’m about 3 miles away from Ewood on slightly higher ground and at half 11 I thought there was no chance the game would be on. The announcement at 12:30ish was premature and very optimistic. I’d have to question how thorough an inspection the ref carried out at that point.

A mate of mine sent me a video of the ref testing the bounce of the ball just before 2. The surface looked pretty far from ideal at that point.

I’ve no real issues with the game being called off, but the communication was poor and the timing ludicrous. Easy enough for me to shrug it off I suppose, I haven’t travelled from London… or Chile.

[J*B]

8 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

I have posted what Ben Benson said to fans in Blackburn End. Both managers and Players wanted to play the game today. 

But why would the game been called off when its been sun shining since 2.45pm. 

The pitch wasn't waterlogged either. 

Dack need to play at least 2 90 mins for under 23's so I would say he is more than couple of weeks away. 

Brereton injury? just have to see how long he is out for

You’ve not answered any of the questions here

[chaddyrovers]

Just now, J*B said:

You’ve not answered any of the questions here

I did answer the first question by saying that the game wouldn't have been called cos it was sun shinning since 2.45 pm so how or why would the ref call it in those conditions 

Like I said before that Millwall players and manager wanted to play the game and lastly the pitch wasn't water logged at all cos Rovers were training on it as my twitter accounts pictures and video shown

[J*B]

Just now, chaddyrovers said:

I did answer the first question by saying that the game wouldn't have been called cos it was sun shinning since 2.45 pm so how or why would the ref call it in those conditions 

Like I said before that Millwall players and manager wanted to play the game and lastly the pitch wasn't water logged at all cos Rovers were training on it as my twitter accounts pictures and video shown

That’s an after-timers reply. The reason matches aren’t started if the referee isn’t confident it will finish is because finishing a game where a team is leading is very hard to do. 

[chaddyrovers]

Just seen a picture on twitter that shows the pitch is more than playable and the sun is shining over the ground. 

it could have been 3 points today and win in the back

[chaddyrovers]

1 minute ago, J*B said:

That’s an after-timers reply. The reason matches aren’t started if the referee isn’t confident it will finish is because finishing a game where a team is leading is very hard to do. 

Why not start the game and see how the pitch actually? If that pitch is unplayable then how was the PNE home game pitch playable then? 

[Cherry Blue]

If he'd called it off at 1230 not many would have argued but the 215pm decision is not fair on supporters. It's a referee decision to do this but with the issues raised now its time the football authorities apply a bit of common sense like bringing in ex players to at least advise, delaying kickoff or even a 3 hour deadline before the game starts.  

[Gav]

9 minutes ago, J*B said:

You’ve not answered any of the questions here

He’s told you what the goalkeeping coach’s opinion was, he has no way of knowing what the Millwall players think and he’s tried to explain what the situation was like in the ground.

Its good content, don’t knock it.

[chaddyrovers]

3 minutes ago, Cherry Blue said:

If he'd called it off at 1230 not many would have argued but the 215pm decision is not fair on supporters. It's a referee decision to do this but with the issues raised now its time the football authorities apply a bit of common sense like bringing in ex players to at least advise, delaying kickoff or even a 3 hour deadline before the game starts.  

Kevin Gallagher on Radio Lancs said he played on worst during his football career. 

The Football world has gone mad on players safety considering the pitch quality in past times

[glen9mullan]

Frustrating it was called off, but had it gone ahead and the pitch been totally ripped up, we'd be cursing more further down the line.

Other positives, Brereton hopefully fit for the re-arranged game, and we have a few further days rest ahead of three tough games 

[Mattyblue]

It is what it is. But you can’t have a inspection passed, ‘GAME ON’ and all that, when obviously the ref wasn’t entirely satisfied at that point.

Why couldn’t it been announced Cricket style, I.e ‘the referee will have a further inspection at x o’clock’, or just delay the first inspection?

[L.A.Rover]

1 hour ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Put a cover on the pitch then! No excuses!

(If it was up to me I'd also play on a pitch like Luton 1976 when Killer Keeley nearly broke Fuccillo's neck but standards are different now obviously)

I remember that game well. The highlights were shown on Match of the Day as most of the Division 1 (in old money) games had been called off. Not much of a story in today's world of football coverage but it was a big deal back then. Well, it was for me at the grand old age of 11!

[RevidgeBlue]

1 hour ago, Ben Frost said:

Your lack of understanding is breathtaking. Undersoil heating is to prevent the pitch from freezing. Having it switched on during heavy snow is an absolute no-no. 

As for not covering it, well that's a last resort for when snow is a certainty. Given that when I was out driving just after 10am and not one single road had been gritted, and the A666 through Darwen was gridlocked for 3 hours as a result, I'd suggest that neither Rovers orthe council had any idea that weather was going to happen.

Don't be such a patronising arse..

We knew storm Eunice was coming in well in advance.

A combination of covers on the pitch for the last 24-36  hours, undersoil heating and a proper attempt at clearing the pitch would have seen the pitch in tip top condition for the time of year and the game in no danger of being called off.

Our efforts to get the game on were so half arsed that in conjunction with Mowbray's comments I agree with JB we weren't particularly desperate for the game to go ahead.

Unfortunately if BBD is out for any length of time as some are speculating, we won't be able to rely on the weather to bail us out every week. 

[RevidgeBlue]

6 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

It is what it is. But you can’t have a inspection passed, ‘GAME ON’ and all that, when obviously the ref wasn’t entirely satisfied at that point.

Why couldn’t it been announced Cricket style, I.e ‘the referee will have a further inspection at x o’clock’, or just delay the first inspection?

Perhaps the ref was assuming we'd be able to clear the pitch properly and not have it half covered with snow and half not by 2.15 p,m,?

[joey_big_nose]

Anyone know what the team was going to be?

[dallydally]

The team is on Rovers website

[Mattyblue]

6 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Perhaps the ref was assuming we'd be able to clear the pitch properly and not have it half covered with snow and half not by 2.15 p,m,?

Surely he can’t work on ‘assumptions’? He has to take the conditions for what they are? But that would back up my point re delay it for an hour.

One for arbito…

Edited February 19, 2022 by Mattyblue

[oldjamfan1]

6 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Perhaps the ref was assuming we'd be able to clear the pitch properly and not have it half covered with snow and half not by 2.15 p,m,?

I think you’re the one doing the assuming here tbf.

[Dan]

2 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Perhaps the ref was assuming we'd be able to clear the pitch properly and not have it half covered with snow and half not by 2.15 p,m,?

I’m not entirely sure how he could have inspected the pitch when it was full of snow at 12pm. How would he know how it would be once cleared? 
 

2:15pm is far too late. Probably should have just called it off after the first inspection.