Rovers were unconvincing on their visit to rock-bottom Crewe, but managed to grab a share of the points after a late goalmouth scramble was ended emphatically by captain Jamie Coppinger rifling the ball home.
Richie Wellens and co had controlled the early stages, but it was Crewe who went in front thanks to on-loan brick-shithouse Uche Ikpeazu, whose turn and shot trickled past Sam Johnstone’s outstretched arm.
Doncaster had much of the play but struggled to create any clear-cut openings with Curtis Main, in particular, wasteful. Nathan Tyson limped off with an hour gone, and not even Theo Robinson’s intelligent movement and appreciation of space threatened to bring about an equaliser.
Paul Keegan offered little offensively from the base of a diamond, and it wasn’t until Dean Furman was introduced, and Wellens dropped deeper, that Rovers threatened to get in-behind the so solid Crewe.
Paul Dickov will undoubtedly speak of the countless missed chances only he appears to notice, but in truth Rovers’ only opportunities came from set plays – Tyson firing over in the first half and Coppinger’s late strike.
Crewe offered a sterner test than they perhaps would have done a week ago, with both loanee strikers impressing, but nevertheless it represents two points dropped for Rovers. Dickov’s record in local derbies gives hope to those travelling to Barnsley – vaccinations permitting – of an away-win and a look at the dizzy heights of the top half of the table.
by Ben Peacock
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