After heavy overnight rain the day dawned dry and mild for this afternoon's game at Selhurst Park, The home team were unchanged from their three-nil beating of Watford last Saturday on this ground but the Rovers made two changes, James Chambers and James Hayter coming in for Sam Hird and Simon Gillett. The Rovers defended the Whitehorse Lane end in the first half.
The home team got the game underway but it was the Rovers who got first strike on goal in the second minute when Oster, a former Palace player and receiving some boos when in possession, got in an effort from 25yards on the left but it was wide. Four minutes later, Chambers brought the ball over the centre line before giving to Hayter on the Rovers right. His low cross to the middle was met by Shiels at full stretch, who managed to stab the ball goalwards for the keeper to save, In the 10th minute Ertl, for the home team, got in a strike from 25yards as he tackled, to win a corner. This was cleared but they had a golden opportunity to take the lead three minutes later when the ball was blocked on the line by a posse of Rovers players and dropped to Danns inside the six yard box in front of goal. He sidefooted the wrong side of the post! Then, a cross from the Palace right reached Danns on the left. He fired across the keeper but Sullivan, diving to his left, palmed it away, the ball bouncing off O'Connor as Ambrose closed in for Sullivan to collect. On 20minutes the Rovers forced a corner on their right which Shackell headed over. Palace now had the edge and Danns fired over from 25yards and a corner to the home team was cleared. As the half hour came up the Rovers attacked down their left to force a corner but nothing came from it. Midfield play ensued as the Rovers battled their way back into the game. Five minutes from the break, good combination between Coppinger and Chambers on the Rovers right put Chambers into the Palace penalty area where he hit the ball hard and low into the middle producing a corner off a Palace player trying to clear. The corner initially failed to produce anything but back came the Rovers down their left before the ball was swept out to Chambers on the right, He rounded his man and again hit in a low cross for SHARP to sidefoot into the net from close range. Time ran down to the break, with the Rovers in the ascendancy and another good build-up brought a shot from Oster that was blocked. However, in the last minute the Palace hit back to claim successive corners that caused a flutter among the Rovers fans but they defended them well. The whistle went enabling the Rovers to go in a goal to the good.
Half time - Crystal Palace 0 Doncaster Rovers 1
During the half time break an appeal came over the tannoy for a qualified referee to report to the referee's room. It transpired that the referee couldn't continue so Mr Hopkins, the fourth official took over. The start of the second half saw the Rovers under the cosh for the first ten minutes. Moses put over the bar from 20yards in the first minute then Ambrose, from close range, stabbed a long throw-in for the goal but Sullivan, diving to his left, managed to knock it away for a corner. Three more followed as the Rovers defended desperately and successfully. Finally, on 54minutes, Fonte fired over from 30yards on the right. The Rovers reply was to break for Oster to have a shot from 30yards saved. On 56minutes, following a Palace corner, Coppinger was at the near post to head off the line. From this point on the Rovers took over the game. Oster had a shot from the right blocked at the expense of a corner, which Shackell headed over. Just before the hour Sharp laid the ball off for the oncoming Chambers to hit it off the top of thye bar and over. Palace then had a look in and won a corner and Sullivan saved from Moses. But, in the 62nd minute, a fine build-up by the Rovers ended with Sharp laying the ball back for WOODS to hit into the net with his right foot. Continuing to dominate the game the Rovers added a third after 77minutes when Shiels played a through ball for HAYTER to run on to and calmly slot past Speroni for a third goal. It was all over and the Palace, although they did try to hit back, were a spent force. The final whistle went on a fabulous victory for the Rovers, their first away win this season and well merited.
Full time - Crystal Palace 0 DONCASTER ROVERS 3
Teams - Crystal Palace - Julian Speroni; Danny Butterfield, Claude Davis, Jose Fonte, Clint Hill; Shaun Derry, Neil Danns, Johnny Ertl, Darren Ambrose; Victor Moses, Alan Lee
Subs used - Calvin Andrew for Lee 66mins; Freddie Sears for Fonte 66mins; Nick Carle for Derry 78mins;
Subs not used - Nathaniel Clyne, Sean Scannell, Ryan Smith, Alassane N'Diaye
ROVERS - Neil Sullivan; James Chambers, James O'Connor, Jason Shackell, Gareth Roberts; James Coppinger, John Oster, Dean Shiels, Martin Woods; James Hayter, Billy Sharp
Subs used - Mark Wilson for Oster 78mins; John Spicer for Coppinger 79mins; Sam Hird for Woods 81mins;
Subs not used - Lewis Guy, Byron Webster, Simon Gillett, Ben Smith gk
