Goodison gives us renewed faith

Jan 26 2008 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Daily Post

IAN GOODISON’S return from suspension last weekend had the desired effect as Rovers managed a New Year double at Millwall with both a first win and clean sheet of 2008.

Sorely missed during his four-game absence he made a significant difference to the defence who withstood some intense pressure from the Lions before Antony Kay’s header at the death settled things in our favour.

The centre-half’s return of four goals so far this term is more than respectable but more impressively it was the third time he has netted a late winner. If a game is tied approaching the 90th minute he is becoming the man you want to see in the opposition’s box.

Millwall fans no doubt felt they had been mugged given their territorial advantage, a feeling we could empathise with having suffered a similar fate just three days earlier at Edgar Street as we exited the FA Cup. Just proves how fickle the footballing gods are.

So, having repaired the damage done by the defeat here against Bristol Rovers in our last home game we return to familiar territory with two home games providing another chance for Rovers to make a significant impression on the play-off places.

With no disrespect to Yeovil or Gillingham neither are teams we should fear having taken points from both early in the season and two wins would do a lot to restore some optimism among the supporters.

Finally, hours after last week’s column was penned, the club completed Andy Taylor’s signing which is a great bit of business.

Unfortunately, Carl Tremarco had to move on to make it possible such are the margins at our level, but I’m sure Carl will prove a valuable asset over the border at Brian Little’s ex-Tranmere reunion.