When you show absolutely no signs of scoring yourself I suppose the best you can achieve is managing to stop the opposition finding the net. And that is what Rovers achieved at Edgeley Park.
That they did owed much to a solid rearguard performance led by a circa-2019 Tom Anderson, and bolstered by Jonathan Mitchell. Pre-match I’d astounded Rovers fans in the pub by saying Mitchell was a fine ‘keeper. Nice to have your opinions backed up. On the only two real occasions Doncaster’s defence was breached Mitchell produced excellent saves; clawing a Ryan Rydal header out the top corner in the first half, and flying to his right to push away a similar Kyle Wootton effort in the second.
Rovers own attacking endeavours had been non-existent; a lack of first-half confidence epitomised by Luke Molyneux’s willingness to run a safer wing-to-wing route rather than drive at goal. At half-time Danny Schofield had seemingly reminded his charges why there were sets of posts at both ends of the field, and Rovers fashioned a couple of chances; Kyle Hurst seeing an effort smothered, and Harrison Biggins unlucky to be denied by a fine block. But that’s all there was.
Stockport had looked bright in the opening 20 minutes, but soon degenerated into nowt special. That they’re in the play-off positions and Rovers a steady mid-table reflects how little there is between teams in this division. Take your chances for a few weeks and you’re on promotion form; don’t and you’re just another side in a slosh of indifference. Still, least the rain held off.
by Glen Wilson
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