I don’t particularly like football. I often find it mind numbingly boring, predictable (especially Barnsley at home) and the politics that surround it completely turns me off. Continue reading “Barnsley 1-1 Doncaster Rovers: 250 word match report”
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. Continue reading “Crewe Alexandra 1-1 Doncaster Rovers: 250 word match report”
Rovers at Rochdale
A must win game for Dickov
Or so people said Continue reading “Rochdale 1-3 Doncaster Rovers; 250 word report”
Having been hugely let down ten days earlier – not by the postponement, but by the realisation the hosts’ mascot is a weird seagull, and not a big horse in a cape called Weston the Super Mare – we chose not to revisit the Somerset coast. Instead, we phone in this report from the sofa. Continue reading “Weston-Super-Mare 1-4 Doncaster Rovers; 250 word match report”
For the second time this season Rovers failed to capitalise when awarded a penalty, or take advantage of the benefit of an extra man. In five crazy second-half minutes the game swung on a penalty miss and a world-class goal from Jamie Murphy. Continue reading “Doncaster Rovers 0-1 Sheffield United: 250 word match report”
Rovers traveled to face Bradford with neither side on form, and each in need of a result. The game began quietly with neither side creating a chance in the first quarter, with the only incident seeing Cedric Evina stretchered off. Continue reading “Bradford City 1-2 Doncaster Rovers; 250 word match report”
This was the second time I’ve watched Rovers host MK Dons and today, as with that last time, I found myself gazing towards the away end wondering, ‘what did you all used to do of a Saturday afternoon?’ Are Milton Keynes’ garden centres in crisis? Continue reading “Doncaster Rovers 0-0 MK Dons; 250 word match report”
After accidentally buying a pair of kids’ gloves from the club shop, I arrived in the ground three minutes late, to be greeted by Jed Steer picking the ball out of the net and a huddle of celebrating blue shirts.
Rovers responded quite well and had most of the ball in the first half. Twice they came close to equalising; first when a goal mouth scramble saw a close range shot cleared off the line and secondly when some comedy goalkeeping from former Rover Gary Woods ended in the ball bouncing over his head only for Nathan Tyson to see his shot blocked.
Orient were dangerous on the counter attack, and worryingly still looked the more likely to score. Harry Forrester, already booked, was lucky to stay on the pitch after raising his hands following a bad tackle just before half time.
Ten minutes into the second half Forrester was duly hauled off for Kyle Bennett, and just as Rovers started to take control local boy Darius Henderson crashed a 25 yard strike past a despairing Steer.
The introduction of Curtis Main for Marc De Val on the hour mark added an attacking impetus but the best efforts of Jamie Coppinger, Richie Wellens, Tyson and Bennett were undermined by some comedy defending, particularly from the woeful (albeit out of position) Reece Wabara.
A couple of late Bennett pot shots and a half-hearted appeal for a penalty for hand-ball were ultimately all Rovers had to show for another disappointing night.
by Rob Johnson
Fleetwood Town’s Highbury makes me ponder what Belle Vue might have now looked like, if some money had been chucked at it. It’s a ground that screams ‘non-league’, although that might just be the wind bouncing off the Irish sea – football grounds do of course not have the ability to vocalise, let alone make critical judgements – even if it’s obviously been quite significantly scrubbed up on Fleetwood’s astonishing charge up the leagues. Continue reading “Fleetwood Town 3-1 Doncaster Rovers; 250 word match report”
WELLENS MAKES BREWERS DROOP
The last time Rovers played a competitive away match against Burton Albion, the game was played at the old Eton Park ground, now a housing estate, and Mitchell Lund was a six-year-old boy growing up in Leeds. Tonight young Lund made an assured senior debut for Rovers as they progressed in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy with a 3-0 victory over their hosts at the Pirelli Stadium. However, it was one of Rovers’ veterans who stood out, Richie Wellens giving a dominant display in midfield.
After a quiet opening, Rovers began to take charge and went ahead after 33 minutes. Good build-up down the right ended when James Coppinger pulled back a cross which struck a defender and fell for Harry Forrester to shoot home emphatically. They doubled their advantage on 42 minutes when Mousinho felled Nathan Tyson in the area and the striker got up to slot home the penalty. Burton made changes at the break and around the hour mark they enjoyed a brief spell of dominance. Blyth headed over the bar when well placed and then sprang the offside trap only to drill a low shot wide.
Stung by this, Rovers began to pick up the pace again and with Wellens pulling the strings Forrester forced a smart save from Lyness. With three minutes left Wellens got the goal his evening’s work merited. Substitute Theo Robinson won the ball and fed the rampaging midfielder who clipped the ball over Lyness to complete the scoring.
by John Coyle
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