My player ratings: (for context, the way I score 5/10 is a performance with equally good and bad points, 6/10 is above average and 10/10 is the almost impossible perfect game)
Stevens: 7 - This guy should have been in the team weeks before he was. He's not just cut out the mistakes and been solid, he's come in and excelled. Didn't have much to do today and nothing he could do about the goal, but he's excellent under the high ball which you can see gives the centre backs so much confidence. His kicking was good on a rutted and difficult surface as well. I think his role in our recent upturn in form has been undervalued.
Long: 9 - Just about shaded MOTM for me. Great engine, up and down all game but played the right pass, the right cross and also defended well when he needed to. At one point late in the game someone passed the ball wide right to someone who was out of shot on iFollow. It couldn't be... yes! Sam Long, high up the pitch yet again, when he'd been defending just moments earlier!
Moore: 7 - He was solid and commanding when he needed to be, but possibly slightly out of position for their goal - I felt he could have been more central rather than so far out to the right
Atkinson: 8 - I still think he's an underrated defender, he gets at least one vital block in a game (and was unlucky with the goal) and isn't scared to put his head in where it hurts. He also made another brilliant, marauding run. He's quickly becoming one of our best players
Ruffels: 9 - Brilliant assist for the first goal. Made one defensive error but who can fault a fullback who scores two and assists one?
Gorrin: 7 - Possibly out of position for the goal as well, he'd been dragged to the right and when you see an opposition player given the freedom of the edge of your area, centrally, you perhaps expect to see your CDM closing him down. Overall he was neat and tidy however and made a few good interceptions
Forde: 6 - Recently he's just been a bit anonymous on the ball in the middle, it's not like he made massive mistakes or gave the ball away loads but I guess when you're playing next to someone in the form that McGuane is you can look a little ordinary
McGuane: 8 - If only he could shoot as well as he can dribble then we'd win every game when he's in this form! Seriously, I hope he works on his composure and relaxes a little bit in front of goal as it seems to be weighing on his mind. Again though he was great on the ball, drove us forward and picked up free kicks all over the pitch. Once derided by fans, he's now undroppable in this form.
Henry: 7 - His best performance for us for weeks? Yes. A great performance? Not for me, no. Early on he overhit a few passes to the overlapping Sam Long straight out of play. He also put some pretty average set pieces in, a couple being easily caught by the keeper. Then there was the open goal miss. He did grow into the game later, yes, and knocked a couple of nice passes around, but I think people are looking for him to do well and so seize upon what should be an average performance for someone of his quality. I hope he builds on this performance but at present I still think a Sean Clare or Gavin Whyte would offer us more pace, dynamism and threat down that right hand side.
Shodipo: 8 - He's a strange one as he blows so hot and cold, and in a game like that he can give the ball away or fall over himself one minute then bend one into the top corner the next. He hasn't yet hit the heights of a Fosu or Browne in a game where you feel like he's absolutely got the fullback on toast and can beat them at will, he's never really fizzed in 5-10 superb crosses or shots in a row, but he seems to a) have that vital knack of scoring goals and b) be working really, really hard. If the former isn't just a purple patch of form and he keeps it up then he has to play every week. If he keeps up the latter then he deserves to at least be in the squad. He does seem better as a starter rather than a sub, surprisingly. Maybe he takes a while to get used to the pace of the game? But given how well Obita seems to manage a game when he comes on, at the moment I'd start Shodipo and bring on Obita for when he inevitably (and excusably, given how hard he's working now) gets tired.
Taylor: 7.5 - Took his goal well and pressed well for the Henry chance. It was an odd game where he wasn't the one getting in on the balls our fullbacks were fizzing in - but he was still in the right positions, it was just that we actually had other players getting into the box, which is vital for the way we play and hadn't been happening on our poor run.
Subs:
Hanson: 5 - Made an error which nearly led to a goal and maybe seemed a little too eager to impress
Winnall: 4 - All I saw him do was give away fouls and be offside
Brannigan: 6 - Great to see him back, played within himself which is understandable, few nice touches
Obita: 7 - You can tell he's experienced and has played at a higher level, good game management
Hall: 3 - Didn't have long but couldn't really do anything right