Scunthorpe United v Doncaster Rovers

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Football League Championship

Scunthorpe United :
Murphy, Jones, Byrne, Mirfin, Nolan, Togwell (O'Connor 73), Woolford, J.Wright, Collins (Grant 85), Dagnall, Forte (Thompson 67).
Subs not used:
Slocombe, Raynes, McClenahan, Cowan-Hall.

Doncaster Rovers :
Sullivan, O'Connor, Friend (Hird 18), Lockwood, Woods, Oster (Stock 84), Gillett (Wilson 88), Dumbuya, Coppinger, Sharp, Hayter.
Subs not used:
Woods, Webster, Brooker, Shiels.

SULSESC REPORT

by Doncaster Evening Post at Glanford Park

ROVERS battled back from a goal down for the first time this season in a game that showed the best and the worst of them.

Sean O'Driscoll's men started poorly and looked particularly shaky in defence for the first half hour.

But they produced some splendid soccer in the second half and finished worthy winners with Billy Sharp on the mark twice against his old club.

Rovers were punished for bad defending in the 11th minute when Martyn Woolford - not the biggest player on the pitch by any means - brushed off George Friend to head home a deep left wing cross from Eddie Nolan.

The Iron almost repeated the hammer blow with a carbon copy move involving the same players a couple of minutes later as Rovers continued to look slack at the back.

But they levelled the scores in the 31st minute with a clinical finish from Sharp following a dream of a pass from John Oster who spotted the striker's run and chipped the ball 40 yards over the defence and right into his path.

Chris Dagnall missed a great chance for the home side when he hit the bar from point blank range in the 53rd minute - but the rest of the half belonged to Rovers.

Sam Hird was always looking to pick out Sharp with a ball over the top after coming on as substitute and it paid off in the 59th minute when the pocket battleship striker harassed 6ft 5ins defender Rob Jones into bringing him down with a clumsy challenge and slammed home the resulting penalty.

After that Scunthorpe were struggling and allowed the likes of Oster and James Coppinger far too much space to turn on their magic with Coppinger especially running rings around defenders.

Versatile defender Jimmy O'Connor rounded it all off after switching to left back when he scored the third in the 72nd minute.

O'Connor was already leaping anticipating a cross from the right and Coppinger did not disappoint after turning his marker inside out before delivering the perfect cross for his team-mate to head home.

In the end it was a comfortable win for Rovers but both Friend and O'Connor are doubtful for tomorrow night's home game against Derby with knee and hamstring injuries respectively.