By Nathan Bees
Anyone else feeling a little (very) nervous about tomorrow?I am really looking forward to the game because it has the potential to be a memorable day if we win and at least one result elsewhere goes our way, but as it is now out of our own hands the 90 minutes may well prove agonising.
Everybody will be checking their phones to see how Accrington Stanley and Oxford United are getting on and that inevitably causes fluctuations in emotions on the terraces, regardless of how Rovers are doing on the pitch right in front of us. As much as I try to concentrate solely on us, I can’t help but go on Twitter or BBC Sport every few minutes to see the latest scores.
What happens to Stanley and the U’s, however, is academic unless we do our job and beat York City.
Despite what the league table suggests, it will not be an easy game against the Minstermen. York have only failed to score in just one home game this season and, despite their relegation, they are unbeaten in their last five at Bootham Crescent. With that in mind we need to be wary.
Their 3-1 victory over Portsmouth the other week was a good result in that it allowed us to pull clear of Pompey, but it also served as a timely reminder that we will need to be at our very best to beat Jackie McNamara’s side. We can’t afford to go there and be complacent because if we do we will get turned over.
York have already had their fate sealed so you can argue that they have nothing to fight for now — and in many ways that is true — but do not underestimate a group of players who will be desperate to preserve their Football League careers. They will want to prove to league clubs that they are worth signing this summer and a home fixture against a promotion hopeful is the perfect chance for them to showcase their talent.
However, despite the fact it will be difficult, we all know the quality we possess in our team and if everyone performs to their normal level I believe we will win the game.
In our last away clash at Stevenage we set up in a 3-5-2 and whilst is has been successful for us in the past, it did not bring the best out of us as an attacking force. I would like to think that we will not be quite so reserved tomorrow given what is at stake. Solid and organised yes, but not cautious.
We are at our most threatening when we take the game to the opposition and that is exactly what we need to do against York. If we can, I think there is a good chance the 2000 Gasheads making the long trip north will head home happy at full time.
Nobody expected us to be in this position at the start of the season and yet here we are with just two games remaining. Hopefully after this weekend we will be in an even stronger position before taking on bottom side Dagenham & Redbridge at The Mem next Saturday.
Come on Rovers, come on you blues!