Doncaster Rovers
nPower League 1
Saturday 12th January 2013
The Lamex Stadium, Stevenage
Kick Off: 3pm
Weather Forecast: Cloudy, 2°c
Referee: C Sarginson (Staffordshire)
Stevenage welcome second-placed Doncaster Rovers to The Lamex Stadium this Saturday afternoon looking to build on their excellent win at Crewe last weekend.
The highflying visitors suffered a setback last week with manager Dean Saunders joining Championship-side Wolves, however with caretaker boss Brian Flynn and captain Rob Jones in charge they hardly arrive in Hertfordshire in crisis. Whilst Boro will be hoping to benefit from any uncertainty, Rovers will be looking to build on their excellent away form which has seen them lose just once on their league travels all season.
Either way it’s set up to be an exciting game so make sure you get down The Lamex this Saturday.
Last time we met:
Chris Brown notched a late equaliser for Doncaster against Boro in late September at the Keepmoat Stadium. Oliver Risser glanced in Filipe Morais' cross to give Boro the lead, while David Cotterill thought he had equalised only to be flagged offside. The hosts did draw level when Rob Jones headed Cotterill's free-kick back across goal, allowing Brown to fire in on the turn and had chances to win it late on through Jones and Brown only for Chris Day to deny them both.
Boro: Day, Gray, Ashton, Roberts, Comminges, Grant, Dunne, Risser, Morais (Tansey), Akins, Haber (Charles)
Subs not used: Arnold, N'Gala, Shroot, Freeman, Lopez
Team News:
Stevenage could see a welcome return back for Jon Ashton for this game with the centre-back having been out for several months through injury. On-loan strikers Steve Beleck and Sam Hoskins will be looking to make their home debuts whilst Luke Freeman and Robin Shroot also offer options should Gary Smith opt for changes.
Doncaster are likely to stick with a similar side to that which won 1-0 against Colchester.
The Doncaster Scout Report
Recent Form:
Doncaster currently sit second in League 1 with 50 points from their 26 games so far.
They come into this game with three wins in their last five games, those being against Oldham (2-1), Preston (3-0) and most recently Colchester (1-0). They also suffered a 4-1 loss to Coventry and picked up a point after a 2-2 draw with Sheffield United.
Although Rovers’ form at home is only the 11th best in the division, their away form is unmatched with 9 wins, three draws and just a solitary defeat leaving them top of the away form table. On the road this season in the league they have scored 23 goals and only conceded eight.
Games this season involving Doncaster have regularly seen very early and very late goals, with the ball finding the back of the net 10 times within the first five minutes of games and 10 goals scored after the 85th minute of games too. The first goal in this game will be crucial as Rovers have yet to lose in the league this season when they’ve scored the opening goal, but won just two from 11 when the opposition has scored first.
Possible Doncaster line-up for Saturday (4-4-2 formation):
Gary Woods; Paul Quinn, Jamie McCombe, Rob Jones, Tommy Spurr; David Cotterill, David Syers, Paul Keegan, Kyle Bennett; Iain Hume, Emile Sinclair
Subs from: James Coppinger, Lee Fowler, James Husband, Shelton Martis, Andy Griffin, James Harper, Jon Maxted
Key Men:
Winger David Cotterill has been a key player for Rovers this season, chipping in with 10 league goals and proving a real threat out wide to opposition defences. The 25-year old former Bristol City youngster has had a fairly nomadic playing career thus far with spells at Wigan, Sheffield United, Swansea, Portsmouth and Barnsley before arriving at the Keepmoat Stadium last summer. Known for scoring stunners from distance the 25-year old has also won 19 caps for Wales, although has not represented his country since the Nations Cup fixture against Northern Ireland in May 2011.
Stat Attack:
• The referee for this game will be Chris Sarginson from Staffordshire. The last Boro game he took charge of was the 1-1 draw at Scunthorpe last January.
• Anthony Grant’s next yellow card will trigger an automatic one-match suspension. The midfielder has currently received four cautions this season.
• Lucas Akins’ next goal will be his 10th for the club whilst a goal for Mark Roberts will be the skipper’s 25th for Boro since joining in 2008.
• A start for James Coppinger will be the Doncaster winger’s 300th league appearance for the club since arriving at the Keepmoat in 2004.