Away Days: Doncaster Rovers vs Stevenage

25 October 2022

Stevenage make the 266-mile round trip to Yorkshire tonight for a clash with Danny Schofield’s Doncaster Rovers…

Kicking off at 7:45pm, tonight’s fixture acts as the perfect opportunity for Boro to bounce back after falling to defeat against Northampton Town on Saturday. The side sit in second place, just one point behind league leaders Leyton Orient who have a game in hand. Steve Evans’ men have won ten league matches from fifteen, drawing two and losing three.

After suffering relegation to Sky Bet League Two earlier this year, Rovers have had a mixed bag of results in their fight back to the third tier. So far this campaign, Doncaster have won six, drawn four and lost five from fifteen league fixtures. Most recently, Donny travelled to Crewe Alexandra and walked away with a point, but before that their journey to Carlisle ended in a 3-0 defeat.

Tonight Doncaster will be looking for their first home win in over a month, which saw goals from Joseph Olowu, George Miller and Kyle Hurst contribute to a 4-1 thrashing over Crawley. George Miller is the side’s top scorer so far this seven, netting seven in all competitions and assisting twice.

Rovers recently underwent a major change of personnel as Gary McSheffrey was relieved of his duties last week. Three days later it was announced that Danny Schofield would be appointed as the new Head Coach, meaning that tonight’s game is Schofield’s first in front of a home crowd. At the start of the campaign, Schofield oversaw Championship side Huddersfield Town, but one win in his first eight league games led to him looking for employment elsewhere.

Boro and Doncaster’s ‘head-to-head’ begins in the late nineties as both sides were looking for promotion to the Football League. The first meeting between the two clubs saw Stevenage pick up a 2-0 victory on Broadhall Way. Stevenage would battle it out with Donny for the next four campaigns before the Yorkshire side earned promotion.

Fast-forward a decade and the sides would meet again, this time in Sky Bet League One. Boro went on their travels to Doncaster and earned a 1-1 draw thanks to Oliver Risser’s only ever goal for the club.

Although Stevenage are yet to beat Donny in the league, they did manage to earn a victory in the 2013/14 FA Cup Third Round. Boro were victorious away from home, with goals from Peter Hartley, Francois Zoko and Darius Charles leading to a 3-2 win.

Doncaster Rovers have played their home games at The Eco-Power Stadium since its opening in 2007. The ground holds a capacity of 15,231, with a record attendance of 15,001 being set in 2008 at a clash with local rivals Leeds United. At the Stadium Business Awards 2010, the stadium received the award for Best Matchday Experience.

Sebastian Stockbridge has been appointed Match Referee for this fixture with Bradley Hall and Paul Stonier as Assistants and Darren Drysdale as Fourth Official. Stockbridge has overseen eleven EFL fixtures this season, dishing out thirty yellow cards and two reds.

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Match tickets for Stevenage vs Charlton Athletic start at £18 Adults, £15 Concessions, £10 Under 18s and £5 Under 12s.

Match Reports

Report: Doncaster Rovers 0-1 Stevenage

25 October 2022

Jordan Roberts’ first half header seals a valuable three points on the road for Boro…

Watching on from the press box at the Eco-Power Stadium following his red card on Saturday, Steve Evans named five changes to his starting eleven.

Opting for a back four with Carl Piergianni on the bench, Luther James-Wildin and Max Clark were reintroduced to the line-up at full-back. Jake Reeves returned along with Arthur Read and Jordan Roberts in midfield, backing an unchanged top two of Danny Rose and Jamie Reid.

Steve Evans’ men started the game looking like a side with a point to prove. Away from home, Boro started on the front foot and looked the more comfortable in possession of the two sides.

Within the first ten minutes, Boro were the first side to test the opposition’s goalkeeper. After picking the ball up just outside the Doncaster area, Alex Gilbey tried his luck with a fierce right-footed shot, only to direct it straight at Jonathan Mitchell to make a simple stop.

Midway through the half, Doncaster would go agonisingly close to taking the lead. After Harrison Biggins took control of a loose ball in the middle of the park, the midfielder looked to catch Taye Ashby-Hammond off his line from the half way mark. The Boro stopper was beaten; however, the woodwork wasn’t as the ball cannoned off the top edge and behind for a goal kick.

Minutes later, Boro took a deserved lead in South Yorkshire. From a Max Clark throw in on the left high up the pitch, Arthur Read picked up possession before whipping a wicked cross into the danger zone. Back from suspension, Jordan Roberts was also back in the goals and headed home from six yards out.

The remained of the half was a balanced display, with half chances for both sides but it would be Steve Evans’ men taking the lead into the break.

It was almost the perfect start to the second period when Danny Rose picked the ball up on the edge of the Doncaster box, but the Barnsley-born forward could only spin and drag his shot just wide of the near post.

With over half an hour to go, Steve Evans made a triple substitution in a bid to freshen his team up and make sure the lead wasn’t going to slip away. Jake Taylor, Luke Norris and Saxon Earley entered the fray as Boro entered into a tense final third of the game.

Dan Sweeney went close to doubling Stevenage’s lead and putting the game to bed minutes later, when the defender swung his left foot at the ball from the corner of the home side’s penalty area – but again Jonathan Mitchell was there to make the stop and keep the hosts in the game.

Carl Piergianni came on for Danny Rose with quarter of an hour to play, just before Doncaster had what looked their best chance of the game. It was the same man who went close from halfway in the first half, Harrison Biggins, this time from within the six-yard box and somehow fired wide with a free header. A let-off for Stevenage as the clock ticked towards the ninety.

That would be the hosts’ last chance of the game, as Steve Evans’ side stood strong to keep a hold of the clean sheet and earn a valuable three points on the road.

Attendance: 5,690 inc. 170 travelling support.

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Match tickets for Stevenage vs Charlton Athletic start at £18 Adults, £15 Concessions, £10 Under 18s and £5 Under 12s.

Ticket News

Tickets & Travel: Doncaster Rovers

25 October 2022

Match tickets are on sale for Boro’s trip to Doncaster Rovers on Tuesday 25th October 2022…

Kicking off at 7.45pm in Sky Bet League Two, Steve Evans’ men make the 266-mile round trip to the Eco-Power Stadium to take on Gary McSheffrey’s Donny.

Match tickets are available online at www.borotickets.co.uk, from the Stevenage FC Club Shop (open Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays 10am-5pm) and from the Ticket Office at the Eco-Power Stadium on the day of the game.

Disabled supporters are charged at the full price for their age category and are entitled to bring a carer free of charge. Doncaster Rovers have five accessible parking bays at a cost of £5 available from 10 days prior to the game by calling 01302 762576.

Regular parking can be pre-booked via tickets.clubdoncaster.co.uk/en-GB/categories/roversparking from 10 days prior to the game.

Travel by Coach

The Stevenage FC Supporters Association coach will be departing The Lamex Stadium at 4pm on the day of the game, so please ensure to arrive with time to spare in order to confirm a scheduled departure. Tickets cost £25 for SA members and £30 for non-members.

To book a seat, visit www.sfcsa.co.uk/home/travel and book online.

Travel by Train

Purchase your train ticket to Doncaster at www.thameslinkrailway.com and keep up-to-date with latest travel info by following @TLRailUK.

For more travel information to Eco-Power Stadium, click here.

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