Sunday 8th May 2016 (12:30pm), Sky Bet League One, Keepmoat Stadium.
On Sunday, Doncaster Rovers welcome Burton Albion to the Keepmoat Stadium for the first ever Football League meeting between the pair in Doncaster.It will, in all likelihood, be the last time that either side plays in the third tier for at least a year as they go their separate ways.
The respective fates of both clubs are all but sealed with Rovers 3-1 defeat at the hands of Crewe Alexandra all but relegating Rovers to League 2 barring an exceptional final day goal swing. Burton, under the stewardship of Nigel Clough however, will be promoted to the second tier for the first time in their history if they equal third placed Walsall’s result.
Rovers’ mini home revival which has seen them defeat Wigan Athletic (3-1) and Coventry City (2-0) on their last two outings at the Keepmoat has come too late for Darren Ferguson’s side.
The sides met in a pulsating encounter in the reverse just prior to Christmas where the lead changed hands three times before a 3-3 draw was a fair result to a game that could easily have seen twice the amount of goals scored.
Andy Williams broke the deadlock early on with his snapshot effort before Calum Butcher latched on to a through ball for his first goal of the afternoon.
Williams spurned the chance to put Rovers back ahead when his spot kick – after a foul on Nathan Tyson – was smartly saved. On the hour mark, Butcher ghosted in for his and Albion’s second.
The drama was far from over though as Paul Keegan restored parity with a curling free kick and then Tyson reversed roles from the spot as he slammed home following a shove on Williams for 3-2.
Game over? Not quite as Rovers old boy Mark Duffy bent home a late leveller in the last minute.
TEAM NEWS: Loanees Remi Matthews, Riccardo Calder, Cameron Stewart and Tommy Rowe could make their final appearances in a Rovers shirt before returning to their parent clubs.
Attendance – 4103
Pirelli Stadium
Football League One
DRFC – 3 (Williams, 4; Keegan, 70; Tyson (pen), 83)
BAFC – 3 (Butcher, 18, 61; Duffy, 89)
Last time out (Sat 19th December 2015):
BAFC - McLaughlin, Edwards, Mousinho, Beavon, El Khayati, Butcher (84’), McCrory, Naylor O'Connor, Duffy, Flanagan
DRFC - Stuckmann, Butler, Evina (McCullough 54’), Alcock, Taylor-Sinclair, Grant, Coppinger (c) (Chaplow 90’), Middleton, Tyson, Williams, Lund (Keegan 54’)
Head to head league results (in Doncaster): N/A (Rovers did win 1-0 in February 2003 in Football Conference at Belle Vue)
WHAT ARE THE ODDS? DRFC 10/3, Draw 13/5, BAFC 4/5.
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