Doncaster Rovers have been criticised in some quarters in recent weeks for the amount of goals they have conceded in the dying minutes of matches. In this FA Cup fixture against Rochdale, Rovers were the team desperately throwing everyone forward to try to grab an equaliser at the death, but unfortunately, it wasn’t to be.
Rovers were poor in the first half, unable to find any rhythm going forward, and struggling to string more than a couple of passes together. Rochdale took the lead on eighteen minutes, when Calvin Andrew headed home a Joseph Bunney free kick.
Matty Blair managed to get a shot on target on the half hour, but it was a comfortable save for Josh Lillis in the Rochdale goal. John Marquis and Alfie Beestin also had chances to score, but half time arrived with Rovers still trailing.
After the break, Rovers came alive and almost grabbed an equaliser on 54 minutes when Lillis managed to somehow save Beestin’s close-range effort. At the other end, Rochdale could have had more goals around the hour mark, with Henderson and then Bunney firing wide.
On 66 minutes, Rovers almost found a way through when Marquis hit a post after good work from Rodney Kongolo, Rovers’ best player on the day. Jordan Houghton and Tommy Rowe both fired shots over the bar, Rovers had several penalty appeals turned down, and despite throwing Andy Butler and even Ian Lawlor forward, were unable to find an equalising goal.
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