Dons 2 Bristol Rovers 3. And stuff.

Before the game I had been entertaining the notion that with us already having played a competitive match, with the momentum from our promotion, with the emotion of the day, we might just conjure up a win against one of the bookies' favourites for promotion and find ourselves top of the league for an hour or two. As it was, a combination of nerves and three serious lapses meant that despite a brave comeback, we found ourselves bottom of the league for an hour or two.
There are accounts and footage of the game aplenty online - The Anonymous Don, SW19's Army have reports on the game, and the BBC have brief highlights - so there's not much point in me repeating everything they've said. Instead, here are a few random thoughts and opinions on our return to league football:

1. Jamie Stuart shouldn't be captain because he's not guaranteed a place in the starting eleven. Mat Mitchel-King hasn't been bought to be a substitute, and for all the fact that Brett Johnson was responsible for two of the Gas' goals, I'd still have him in the team ahead of Stuart, whose lack of inches looked a real handicap against a tall Bristol Rovers team.
2. The tickets were rubbish. I'm not surprised there was talk of fake tickets - it's not difficult to forge something where the original looks like a bad photocopy anyway. And why no stubs so we could keep our intact tickets as a memento of the day?
3. Kedwell and Gregory haven't been replaced, making us a worse team than we were last season. Midson and Porter have to fill their boots, despite having been bought to play with, rather than instead of, the departing duo.
4. Mo has been replaced - Charles Ademeno looked the business when he came on. Difficult to know who to relegate to the subs bench though, as Jolley also looked dangerous, and I can't see Ademeno playing up front on his own. Also, with his injury record, it would be dangerous to build a team around him.
5. It won't be long before Bush is first choice left-back
6. The referee was a twat, but at least he got the big decisions right (though I'd have preferred it if he'd got the last one wrong).
7. Marcus Bent is not the answer. And I don't care what the question is.
8. Nor is Jason Euell.
9. Having said all that, based on this game, we've got nothing to fear from this division
10. I'd forgotten just how bad the view from the John Smiths stand is
11. How much would it cost to buy one of those machines that can pour numerous pints at once?
12. Is the meat in the burgers really halal? In fact, is it really meat?

As a final talking point, here's another possible line-up, in a 4-4-2 formation (fitness permitting):
Brown; Hatton, Mitchel-King, Johnson, Bush; L Moore, Minshull, Porter, Jolley; Midson/mythical new signing, Ademeno. Subs: Turner, Stuart, and now we see a bit of competition in midfield. Three places left, and Wellard, Toks, S Moore and Mulley to choose from. For my money, Sammy Moore would be the man to miss out.