League 1, Keepmoat Stadium, Tuesday 19th August, 7:45pm.
Paul Dickov and his Doncaster Rovers side will be looking to return to winning ways when they take on Preston North End at the Keepmoat Stadium this evening.Following Saturday’s 3-1 defeat to Port Vale, Rovers may have a tough ask when they face an unbeaten North End, who routed Scunthorpe United 4-0 at Glanford Park at the weekend.
Rovers have not faced North End since December 2012 where Rovers cruised to a 3-0 win over Graham Westley’s Lilywhites at Deepdale.
Dave Syers got the visitors off to the perfect start within the opening minute before a long range strike from David Cotterill and a Billy Paynter penalty rounded off the delight for Dean Saunders’ men.
It was sweet revenge for Rovers, who had lost to North End earlier on in the season when goals from Jack King, Scott Laird and Stuart Beavon helped overcome Rovers 3-1 on a Tuesday night at the Keepmoat.
For Preston boss Simon Grayson, who will return to his native Yorkshire, he will be looking for his side to gain their second win of the League campaign having stuttered against Notts County in a 1-1 draw last week – when a late Joe Garner strike rescued a point – before handing the Iron a heavy defeat.
Rovers have not defeated North End at home for nearly twenty years since a 2-1 win in September 1994; goals courtesy of Steve Harper and Gary Brabin in front of just over 3,000 spectators at Belle Vue.
Team News:
Rovers – Curtis Main (knee) is ruled out for up to six weeks. Defenders Reece Wabara and Jamie McCombe are rated as ‘50/50’ to make the game. Harry Forrester’s three match suspension is pending following an appeal.
Last meeting:
29th December 2012
Football League One
Preston North End 0
Doncaster Rovers 3 (Syers, 1; Cotterill, 30; Paynter (pen), 75)
Deepdale
Attendance: 9626
PNE - T Stuckmann, D Buchanan, P Huntington (L Foster, 35), B Wright, W Hayhurst, J Monakana, J Welsh, C Beardsley (A Elding, 65), J Mousinho, A Procter (J Byrom, 74), S Beavon.
DRFC - G Woods, J McCombe, P Quinn, T Spurr, R Jones, D Cotterill (A Griffin, 82), P Keegan, D Syers, J Harper, B Paynter (J Husband, 88), K Bennett (S Martis, 81).
Head to head (at Doncaster):
Rovers 6 wins
PNE 4
Draws 5
Sky Bet Odds: Rovers 12/5; Draw 23/10; PNE 23/20
Join Tom Biltcliffe and Darren Neagle on Rovers Player from 7:30pm.