Blackpool are back in League One after a 2-1 Play-Off Final victory over Exeter, with Mark Cullen and Brad Potts combining for both goals. What have we learnt from the game? Blackpool’s strong start Blackpool started strongly with Kyle Vassell closing down quickly from the front. One sumptuous 60-yard ball from Jack Payne found Cullen,… Read more →
Gary Bowyer’s smart tactics helped Blackpool on their way to a 1-0 Easter Monday win at Doncaster. After Matty Blair was sent off for the hosts, he resisted assistant Richie Kyle’s suggestion of going from three to four at the back. Instead, he split the three centre-backs and replaced holding midfielder Jack Payne with the… Read more →
Gary Roberts’ second half tap-in cancelled out Jake Jervis first half header, meaning a deserved 1-1 draw between Portsmouth and Plymouth at Fratton Park – but how did players on both teams rate? Portsmouth David Forde – composed in possession but was not overly tested. May be disappointed not to have kept a clean sheet.… Read more →
Gary Roberts’ second half tap-in cancelled out Jake Jervis first half header, meaning a deserved 1-1 draw between Portsmouth and Plymouth at Fratton Park – but what have we learnt from the game? Plymouth’s bright start Derek Adams’ side got the right balance in the first half between being compact, but also getting enough men… Read more →
Under Marcus Bignot, Grimsby Town often appeared a disjointed collection of individuals. The talent was there and we saw flashes of what they could do against the in-form teams, such as Plymouth, Carlisle and Mansfield, then Blackpool in the Brummie’s final game in charge. Every good result though was followed by two or three less… Read more →
Darren Sarll may be the youngest manager in the Football League at 34, but he is perhaps among the most old-school. He joins the business at a time when other managers are relentlessly diplomatic, keeping even the slightest criticisms of their players in-house, to avoid upsetting egos. Sarll however, represents a refreshing anti-dote to this… Read more →
John Marquis and Matt Godden may disagree, but this blog would argue that Danny Hylton is the most complete striker in League Two. The aforementioned duo have been excellent this term and deserve a mention, but Hylton edges it for consistency at this level for a longer period. He has proven himself in League Two… Read more →
“Career highlights? Where do you start!” the tongue-in-cheek utterings of Nicky Adams, when introducing himself to his new teammates and Carlisle United’s YouTube channel on a pre-season tour. More recently, his career highlights have involved League Two promotions with Bury and Northampton. It is arguable that he had done well enough with those teams to… Read more →
There are plenty of footballers in DN4 who could easily represent Doncaster Rovers in The Football Lab’s League Two Team of the Season. John Marquis has scored 23 goals, Andy Butler has been aerially dominant at centre-back while Jordan Houghton added defensive balance in midfield before his injury last month. The final word however, simply… Read more →
Since November, Exeter City have been a joy to watch. They move the ball smoothly into the final third and the attacking trio of David Wheeler, Ollie Watkins and another forward works well. The striker, either Liam McAlinden or Reuben Reid, drifts into wide areas, creating space for Wheeler and Watkins to make late runs… Read more →