IT WOULD be wrong of me not to mention some matters that I find concerning.

Perhaps we have the strongest squad in the league, perhaps we are the best footballing side as well, but these phrases are meaningless if the team believe their own publicity.

They will think all they have to do is turn up and good results will automatically follow, such is the quality and ability of the squad. My school assemblies were amazingly boring.

Constantly droning on about application and effort being just as important as ability. I was anxious for every pupil to make the best of themselves.

This is something our team must grasp if they are to play to their full potential. There is something more worrying.

At Lincoln against Luton and at Braintree I saw Rovers harassed off their usual game. Teams now know how to play against us so have we got a plan B?

Older fans will remember Don Revie's - Leeds and George Graham's - Arsenal.

They knew how to win, never giving a sucker an even break. When in the lead they would close the game up, keeping the ball and not giving the opposition the opportunity to hit back.

Rovers have to learn a similar approach - at the moment we are simply not tough or mean enough.

It was pleasing to see Mangan, Turley and Brogan on the team sheet and two of them getting game time, but perhaps the injury curse is not over. In an untidy match my thoughts turned to Paul Green.

It was just the game for him. Can we afford to have him on loan? There was no FGR board representation at Braintree on Saturday.

This had probably been explained in advance and we all know there can be personal or professional reasons that make travelling away impossible.

Travelling on the coach was the club vice- president Allen Grant, who could have represented the club with grace and distinction.

Next time perhaps? On Saturday, we were a goal up in five minutes and completely on top.

A James Norwood scorcher nearly brought another goal. Surely the match was already won. I sat back and waited for more goals and of course points. The trouble was the team did so as well.

You cannot do that at Braintree. They dominated the remainder of the half. They could easily have gone in ahead and it was only a magnificent Russell save that prevented this happening.

A penalty had already levelled the score. Quite simply Rovers forgot what they are good at - keeping possession, passing, moving and using the width of the field to extend the opposition.

They thought the only way was Essex and tried to match the home side, hoofing it high and hoping to win the second ball. That is not the game they can play and half-time was a merciful release.

The team had lost their discipline and some individuals had too. I did not like what I heard at half- time.

The following quotes are from Braintree fans "show ponies", "arrogant and mouthy", "all they think they have to do is turn up". It is a long walk from the press box to the toilets and there are many other remarks I heard that were less polite.

I do not agree, but I can understand the Braintree fans' words. There are times when our team does not present well and the first half at Braintree had been one of them, especially in the arguing, not just with the referee, but among themselves.

The second half was different. There was no backchat to the referee and some football was played.

Norwood was very unlucky on two occasions and some fine passes to a marauding Jared Hodgkiss could have brought the winning goal but a draw was a fair result.

There were some good points. Al Bangura's defensive display, especially in the first half was masterful. His anticipation is uncanny and his swift interceptions breathtaking to watch.

The defenders on the flanks worked hard to cut out crosses to the dangerous Marks and no-one could be faulted for lack of effort. Norwood was a constant threat and could have had a hat-trick.

One miss was not good, but I would rather remember the skill and pace that gave him the opportunity.