Doncaster Rovers

Barnet 1

(Akinde 13)

Doncaster Rovers 3

(Coppinger 18, 30, Marquis 28)

Saturday, January 14

The Hive

Sky Bet League Two

Captain James Coppinger inspired Rovers to victory at The Hive.

Rovers fell behind to an early John Akinde strike, but Coppinger's double either side of John Marquis' strike sealed the three points.

Darren Ferguson made two changes, with Ian Lawlor making his debut after joining from Manchester City and Andy Williams coming back into the side.

Craig Alcock dropped out, with a change in formation to utilise wing-backs and a three-man backline ahead of the usual diamond midfield and the Williams / John Marquis partnership.

Barnet had the first chance inside the opening miunte, with Jack Taylor's shot from distance going straight at Lawlor who collected.

Rovers had a couple of half-chances before they fell behind with 13 minutes on the clock.  Akinde nicked the ball in his own area and it was all too easy as he could round Lawlor and slot the ball into the net.

Rovers had a chance to level shortly afterwards when Marquis and Conor Grant led a counter-attack. Marquis seemed to scuff his final shot.

They did get all square after 18 minutes. Matty Blair fed Coppinger, who took a touch to compose himself before firing past Vickers.

Mason had to be alert after 26 minutes to deny Akinde his second of the game. The Barnet man led a counter-attack, got away from Butler and rounded Lawlor before Mason rescued the day.

Rovers took control with two goals in three minutes. The first came via a goalmouth scramble after 28 minutes. That scramble ended with Marquis poking the ball home at the far post.

A couple of minutes later and Coppinger had his second of the game. A clearance fell niccely to him 20 yards out, and he cooly slotted the ball into the same corner.

Marquis could have had a brace himself before the break, with Vickers getting across well to palm away his header after Coppinger's free-kick from the right.

And Williams also got a header in on goal with a couple of minutes to go before the break, after Tommy Rowe flicked back a cross-field ball.

HALF-TIME: Barnet 1 Rovers 3

Neither side made any changes at the break, with Mauro Vilhete fashioning the first chance after 53 minutes with a snapshot which had Lawlor scrambling but bounced over.

Williams could have extended Rovers' lead on the hour mark after getting on the end of a Marquis knockdown. The forward could not get his body over his half-volley and the effort went over.

Barnet boss Rossie Eames made a double change to try and get back into the game, introducing Simeon Akinola and Nana Kyei.

Chances were at a real premium throughout the second half, although Rowe rifled an effort just over after 75 minutes.

Only a great save from Vickers denied Willams after 78 minutes, when the ball ran through to him after Blair's run down the right.

Vickers got down quickly to the bottom corner to palm it away. Marquis did well to keep the ball alive, but his pull-back for Coppinger was just behind his captain.

Lawlor had to be alert moments later, getting down quickly to deny Ricardo Santos after a Kyei free-kick found its way through to him.

Rovers made all three of their changes in the closing stages, with Joe Wright coming on to replaced the injured Mathieu Baudry.

Then Paul Keegan and Alfie May, making his first appearance in professional football, came on for Coppinger and Williams.

FULL-TIME: Barnet 1 Rovers 3

ROVERS | Lawlor, Blair, Butler, Baudry (Wright), Mason, Houghton, Rowe, Grant, Coppinger (c)(Keegan), Marquis, Williams (May). ROVERS SUBS | Etheridge, Beestin, Alcock. BOOKED | Baudry, Houghton.

BEES XI | Vickers, H Taylor (Tutonda), Johnson, Santos, Nelson (c), Wilson, J Taylor, Champion (Kyei), Akinde, Campbell-Ryce (Akinola), Vilhete

BEES SUBS | McKenzie-Lyle, Gambin,  Nicholls, Muggleton 

ATTENDANCE | 2,582 (826 away)