Doncaster v Scunthorpe United

Saturday, September 17, 2005

Football League One

Doncaster :
Warrington, McDaid, Albrighton, Stephen Roberts, McGuire, Coppinger (Mulligan 89), Green, Predic (Ravenhill 87), McIndoe, Fortune-West, Forte
Subs not used:
Budtz, Heffernan, Roberts

Scunthorpe United :
Musselwhite, Stanton, Hinds, Crosby, Williams, Taylor, Richie Ryan (Sparrow 45), Baraclough, Beagrie (Corden 41), Sharp, Keogh (Johnson 79)
Subs not used:
Byrne, Capp

SULSESC REPORT

by Colin Lowe at Belle Vue

HAVING been a STTV for many years (Scunny Trip Train Virgin), I was so pleased with my first outing to Forest on the train that I booked on the Donny trip too.

There were four heading out on the journey from Kings Cross: Neil Wright (of the silent and often missing 'W'), the Hollands (who were booked on a non-existent 10.00 train) and myself.

Planned weeks in advance, none of us had remembered to bring any cards and I'd left my portable DVD at home so as to be sociable too...

Having made good time on the rails, we met up at a pub just outside the station. Having time (but no codheads) to kill, I took a walk to Woolworths and bought a deck of Chad Valley's finest plastic-coated cards - good value at 99p! Mrs. Holland then decided to quiz me on the niceties local store... but, heck, I'm no store critic - so 45 minutes later, I summarised with the comment: "You did ask..."

Now for the soccer bit...

We'd met several of the regular crowd and were soon heading off to what Doncaster still considers to be a football ground.

A good-sized away support were crammed onto the knoll behind the goal and the game got underway. To say we were poor does not do the referee justice. We were unable to hold the ball, pass the ball, cross the ball or even throw the ball in any way which would lead to attacking play.

Without looking like a threat at all, Donny had stolen a two-goal lead and we were helpless to do 'owt about it. The disorganisation on the pitch was matched off it.

After taking a knock and receiving some treatment, Ryan was about to come back on when he and the physio noticed the bench had brought on a sub to replace him! The second-half was no better, although Sparrow's introduction had perked up some of the wing play.

Sharp took advantage of a half chance to cut the lead to one goal, but the self destruct button was still jammed on and soon we'd fed another goal to Donny.

Williams was shouldered off the ball backtracking into his own area (surely such manly action is not allowed in the game, ref?) and a turn and shot from Forte beat Mussy all ends up.

How quickly things can turn around! From the highs of beating Forest, Huddersfield and Port Vale it was (fairly) predictable that we'd come a cropper against lowly opposition. However, I'm still convinced that we are a better team without Torps up front and once Butler is back, we'll be more solid in defence.

Garn Back Doon? Nah, more likely to stick around this time (famous last words!)...