Rovers fan captured the Andrews Free Kick goal:

Both Hull and Rovers saw themselves reduced to 10 men, MGP sent off for a second yellow just after being involved in the altercation that got Marney sent off for the Tigers. The vital three points boosted Rovers up out of the drop zone and on 26 points but in 17th on Goal difference.

Goals from Stephen Warnock (seen here-click) as well as Andrews (viewable here – click) were enough to give Rovers the edge, though in typical Rovers style left it till late to make it a guaranteed win with some shoddy defending. (I’d post the highlights in here but they’re kinda odd looking, so the links will do for this week.)

Paul Robinson was substituted at the half after sustaining a shoulder injury. He’s probably not going to start tomorrow, but that doesn’t worry me too much. Jason Brown made some wonderful saves, especially at the end of the match, when he came on, so I’m confident he’ll do a good enough job. It’s just up to that back four to give him a bit of help.

Dunn appears fit for selection following a hamstring problem but it’s still up in the air as to whether he’ll be rushed back. Pederson, for his red card, wills serve his match ban tomorrow, but aside from him, Big Sam has a full squad to pick from.

Everton will be no small task. In their last 6 matches, they’re in decent form: L W W W D W and that loss came to ManUre. The match is home at Ewood and while Everton has hasn’t had a fully fit squad in forever, they still continue to tear it up in the league. Timmy Howard will prove hard to beat but a win tomorrow would certainly be a boost to everything- survival, morale, confidence. So let’s hope the lads come out strong. UP THE ROVERS!

Lineups:
SUNDERLAND: Fulop, Bardsley, Nosworthy, Whitehead (c), Malbranque, Cisse, Richardson, Collins, Jones, Ferdinand, Henderson.

Subs: Colgan (GK), Tainio, Diouf, Murphy, Leadbitter, Reid, Kay.

ROVERS: Robinson, Simpson, Khizanishvili, Samba, Olsson, Haworth, Tugay (c), Mokoena, Treacy, Fowler, Derbyshire.

Subs: Brown (GK), Ooijer, Warnock, Nelsen, Santa Cruz, Villanueva, Judge.

These match previews are generally filled up with thoughts about our chances, how we might improve them, and what would be the best team.

However it’s so hard to work out HOW you beat United, though interestingly, in the last 8 league matches against them, we’ve only lost once.

On the plus side Rooney and Scholes are out, so that leaves them ONLY with Ronaldo, Tevez, Berbatov and Nani up front.

I think there’s little to think about tactics wise – clog the midfield and don’t get pulled out of position, then hope Roque has his shooting boots on. I really want to see more of little Carlos but to pick him could be gauged as ambitious by Ince.

Robbo is out so Brown will be in goal. It’s unclear whether Grella and McCarthy are fit to go. Simpson is, of course, ineligible.

United arn’t exactly flying so we have a chance, but a draw will be more than satisfying.

Alright Folks, until next time, Up The Rovers!

I’m in class and cannot get a feed, though this link here is very active and pretty good. I’ll keep you as best informed as I can from here with help from that link and some friends at Brfcs.com and I’ll get a match write up after.

Key Events:
4 mins were added on and the ref finally blows the full time whistle.

Baxter on for Vaughan.

Roque on for Carlos, Peds on for Treacy. Vaughan and Neville getting carded for Everton. Rovers trailing in shots 3 to 4, but still holding the lead. Reports say that Ooijer and Zurab are great today.

Well class is over, walking back to my place now. I’ll fill everyone in Asap. Cheers.

10 Fouls for Everton and not one card, But Carlos gets one now. Beat.

Just as I type that, Both Carlos and Matty Derbs get off shots. Lets go Lads put another one in!

Slow Start to the half by both teams.

Two corners taken by Carlos for Rovers, both cleared. We need to step up our Corner game.

Second half about to start, Let hop on em early again lads. Cahill and Yakubu in for Castillo and Fellaini. No moves for Rovers.

We’re winning possession, 56 – 44. Worryingly though, Everton has 6 shots to our 3, each side with only one on goal.

Half time. Just near the end of the 44th min, Carlos just missed wide left with a good shot at goal.

Captain Warnock(dead serious) playing center mid(also, seriously) gets booked for unsporting behavior.

Matty Derbs has been flagged for offside twice in the last 10 min. Hopefully one of these runs will pay off cause we all kow how well he finishes.

Reports have it as a good flowing game. Fowler had a shot that missed wide, both teams moving up and down the feild. Reports say Ooijer and Zurab holding solid while Carlos is getting into a nice groove.

Everton looking much more involved. Saha and Jagielka just missing chances.

Robbo has been replaced by Jason Brown. Reports say he had a calf strain before the game and tried to play with no avail. Watch this space.

Fowler and Olsson link up for a pretty 1-2 that results in a left foot shot from about 18 from Olsson for a goal.

45th +1- Nelson heads out for a corner to prevent aston from getting it. 2 mins of added time.
43rd: the game has its highs and lows. right now just back and forth.
41st: Rovers corner, Reid with the worst kick ive ever seen. It goes out at the other flag for a GK.
40th: Samba immense right now. rovers def holding well.
37th: Good break by westham. cross headed out for a gk by cole.
36th: good hold of possesion for us here. showing good build up, hammers forced to clear. just need the finish.
32 and 33- Fouls and corners and the like for west ham.. Nothing to come of it.
30th: Samba heads it, Derbs heads it in, but flagged offside. OH MY hes played onside by Bararmy. Linesman flags offside incorectly. The kick played quickly by the hammers. Ooijer forced to foul as rovers have no men back. Yellow for him.
29th: RSC cant shake the knock. Matty derbs on to replace.
28th: Corner for west ham, taken short, noble cross. cleared away
27th: Roberts called for a ghost foul. Doesnt like it and lets the ref know it. Cared fo this troubles.
22nd: OH yes Jason roberts, 1-2 now. Roberts turns his defender and pokes it right to the farside of the keeper. Rovers 1-2 Hammers
21th: Samba with an OG but an offsides Aston clearly interfered. Apperently the offsides rule isnt in effect today. 0-2 Hammers
19th: Santa looks with a knock. Limping in the offensive third
18th: Rovers using the super goal kicking abilities of Robbo too much.
16th- FK after foul called on the hammers. Roberts should have been alowed to play on he was working with the man fouling him. Peds Fk out for a GK.
0-1 Hammers
13th: Davenport scores off the corner.
11ht; Robbo knocks the ball back for another corner. Then the second corner cleared away. Ball plpayed down to Santa who gets it with no opositing. The ball into Roberts getts muddled and cleared. Rovers with the throw, peds cross in, cleared then Rovers get it back. Stolen and charged down the wing for Hammers. Nelson puts it out for a corner.
10th- Mystery foul call.ed The ball into the Rovers box away my Nelson. Peds forced to put it out for Hammers corner.
6th- Grella comes in really late, clumsily and studs up. Yellow card.
6th- Nelsen knocks the corner away.
5th min- Samba with a horrid header back that Robbo doesnt even come get. He makes up for it, hustleing back. Hammers corner.
3rd min- Rovers going into challeneges clumsily. Giving away possession. AS I type, build u down the left, centered into Santa SOG saved and cleared.
1st min- Rovers going right to left.
0 min- Rovers in the new Blue away kit. No red and black halves today.
0 min- It’s good to see V. Grella in the side and also good to see King Carlos and new boy Andrews on the subs bench. Hope to see them factor in positively.

Welcome one and all, sorry about the lack of preview. Here’s the starting lineups:

WEST HAM: Green, Neill (c), Parker, Ashton, Etherington, Cole, Noble, Mullins, Faubert, Behrami, Davenport.
Subs: Lastuvka (GK), McCartney, Bellamy, Boa Morte, Spector, Reid, Sears.

ROVERS: Robinson, Ooijer, Samba, Nelsen (c), Warnock, Emerton, Grella, Reid, Pedersen, Roberts, Santa Cruz.
Subs: Brown (GK), Mokoena, Andrews, Villanueva, Simpson, Treacy, Derbyshire.

I would think it fair to assume that the sales are over. We all knew that Bentley was off (though I was always too optimistic about keeping him)dwee, and although Brad’s departure was a bit of a shock I think we’ve got a good replacement. The only worry is that a big club will come calling for Santa, but he doesn’t want to leave so I’m sure it will take a lot of money for him to go.

So I thought I’d take a deeper look at the squad:

Keepers: It’s all good here with Robbo in, and I’m sure that he’ll do a good job. When his mind is in check he’s a very good keeper. We have a few choices at backup with Jason Brown, Frank Fielding and Gunnar Nielsen all capable but unlikely to be needed.

Defence: Again, I think we’re quite strong here. My first choice back line would be Ooijer, Nelsen, Samba and Warnock, with Emerton cover at right back, Zurab at centre and Martin Olsen at left back. Ooijer impressed at Euro 2008 and I think he could be key to our defensive stability – take him and Nelsen out and I think we lack direction, so with Nelsen in and out of the team a lot we need him. Emerton is defensively suspect at back-up, and Samba’s an enigma sometimes too. I wouldn’t complain if we got in a defensively sound right back.

Midfield: The only shoe-in is Gamst. We need a right winger, a holding midfielder and an experienced midfielder too, since Tugay will play a bit-part role.. Dunn, Reid and Mokoena are all capable but inconsistent and one of them may go (probably the Axe). We need MGP to perform and it will be interesting to see how new boy Villanueva does (he needs a nickname – any ideas?). Still, work needs to be done – more on that later.

Forwards: I’m happy here. Santa and Benni are first choice and I think that Derbs and Roberts should be drafted in as soon as one of them drops his head to keep everyone going. Roberts is a handful and Derbyshire needs time on the pitch to develop further. Don’t forget that we have Rigters too, though I don’t know what role he will play, if any.

So, who might we sign?

A very real possibility seems to be Jermaine Pennant of Liverpool taking the right winger position. I must admit that I’m not a huge fan of his, but I do think he is a very good footballer. Despite being out of his depth at Liverpool I think he’s done OK and experience of playing in the Champs League must have done him good. Rumours say that Ince has bid £6million

Two other links suggest a pseudo Italian-Antipodean invasion: Mark Bresciano of Palermo and Vincenzo Grella of Torino. Both are Australian nationals with Italian heritage who play in Serie A. Bresciano is a very capable and experienced midfielder who can play left, right and centre. He was linked with Man City last year for about £8million but apparently is now availiable for £5million. We may face competition for him. Grella is a holding player and quite aggressive, but I don’t know that much about his situation.

I think all three of these players would give us a very capable, balanced and good sized side. I also think that, despite being rumours in the tabloids, they could be on their way here. Rovers related rumours are few and far between, so when they do come about they have some substance.

Do you agree with me though?

Tonight Rovers beat S.L. Benfica; 31 time Portuguese Liga Champions and regular in the Champions League. The game was highlighted by great performances by Brett Emerton and Morten Gamst Pederson.

Brett Emo played on the right wing tonight. Right off the bat lets get one thing straight; I was just as scared as you were after hearing this news. However, tonight it appeared as if he, as well as the rest of Rovers, were not gonna miss a beat. Gamst Pederson (I say both cause no name was on the shirt tonight) showed a form that we had not seen last term and scored on a cracker of a free kick. With the squad we played tonight we didn’t really appear to be lacking the influence of any particular outfield players. Everywhere, especially the right side, looked good.

Read the rest of the pseudo match report and see the highlights after the jump.

I’ve been saying for a while, and I’m not sure if I have ever posted this opinion, but I have been saying it:
•The only reason Gamst had an off year and was so poor in form last season is because the way Bentley played made Peds stay hugged on the left wing cutting down on his roaming and freedom which affected and restricted his free flowing game play style. Also, Peds should be taking our free kicks. There I said it.

The game was played in a rather quick and high pace, with Rovers looking the better side for the majority of the fixture. The last 8 or so minutes gave me a scare as we clearly looked like we were our last back foot, and starting to slip. But we held, had some great link ups, shots, and an overall good outing. Plus we beat Benfica; no small achievement. Then we had a PK shootout? I don’t know, maybe for practice, maybe as a tie break in this mini tourney we’re in; whatever the reason: We dominated that too. Peds again firing it strong home and even the Admiral had a go, taking charge and burying one. Jason Brown saving Benfica’s 7th attempt gave us the win and showed that he can save two out of every 8 PKs. I’m just going to post the Rover highlights, but you can find the rest on the same website if you’re really that curious about how Benfica scored.

Exciting times for Incey’s men. Up the Rovers!!!