A bright, mild afternoon for this afternoon's game against Plymouth Argyle had the Rovers making one change from last Saturday, Dean Shiels replacing the injured Billy Sharp. In fact so severe was the injury situation that the Rovers could only field five substitutes.The visitors were unchanged from their home draw against Barnsley on Tuesday.
The early minutes were spent sounding each other out before a Plymouth attack ended with Reda Johnson having a 25yarder saved. The Rovers then went straight down to the other end and Wilson, from a similar distance, had a shot saved by Stockdale.Minutes later, the Rovers won the first corner of the game but nothing came from it .In the 17th minute, a good move by the Rovers provided Coppinger with a chance from the right but his thunderous drive was pushed away for a corner followed by another. Then getting to the Rovers end the Pilgrims won a corner.None of the corner kicks produced anything tangible. On 20minutes the visitors, following a free kick on their right, saw Duguid put over a good cross for Reda Johnson to get in a header but Sullivan saved comfortably. The Rovers then went down their right where a good cross from Coppinger was headed
just over the bar by Hayter. Minutes later, Reda Johnson and Hayter had a clash of heads, the ball ran to Oster, who put just over from 20yards. In the 29th minute Chambers, cutting in from the right, was barged over in the area but the referee wasn't interested and awarded a goal kick. Five minutes on and Emmanuel-Thomas weaved his way
through a crowded penalty area but was foiled as the goal-line loomed up. In the 36th minute, a mix-up in the Plymouth defence saw a clearance hit against a team-mate and rebounding just past a post for a corner to the Rovers. Five minutes from the break, Shiels picked the ball up on the centre line and played it through to Hayter, who tried his luck from 25yards but put wide. A good run by Emmanuel-Thomas down the Rovers right produced a corner but nothing came from it. A free kick on the Rovers left was played to Emmanuel-Thomas, who chipped the ball to the middle where, after a few touches here and there the ball fell to Coppinger, on the right, but he fired over. The Rovers shaded the half but Plymouth, although enjoying quite a bit of midfield play, didn't trouble Sullivan.
Half time - Doncaster Rovers 0 Plymouth Argyle 0
The Rovers got the second half underway but it was the Pilgrims who got in the first good attack when Judge went down their left before squaring the ball for Clark but he put wide. Then, on 54minutes, a tremendous drive from 20yards by Emmanuel-Thomas was too hard to hold for Stockdale, it rebounded off his chest for Hayter but he was blocked and the ball cleared. The Rovers came again and a great cross from the left by Roberts brought a header from Emmanuel-Thomas that Stockdale caught underneath the bar. The same player then fired wide from 25yards. Then, in the 58th minute, came the breakthrough. Shiels, on the Rovers left, gave to Hayter, who touched on to COPPINGER on the right. Getting the better of Bhasera he took the ball on and blasted it into the far bottom corner of the net. Although the Rovers were having the better of things the Pilgrims began to hit back and in the 67th minute drew level when Damien johnson hit a terrific drive from 20yards that rebounded off Sullivan's chest and MASON was first to the rebound to plant it in the net for an equaliser. Two minutes later and Coppinger, on the right, gave to Hayter, who got the byline, backheeled for Emmanuel-Thomas to hit a fierce drive that Stockdale beat out at the near post for a corner. When this came over Hayter was knocked to the ground but again the referee wasn't interested. A throw-in from Emmanuel-Thomas on the Rovers right into the middle of the penalty area was headed wide by the onrushing Hayter. Plymouth were having their fair share of possession but the chances at goal weren't there. As the last ten minutes came up O'Connor, now at right back since the subsititutions started, went on a good run deep into the Pilgrims half, gave to Coppinger, who backheeled to Hayter but his shot from 12yards hit the bar. Minutes later Oster and Emmanuel-Thomas combined on the Rovers left to provide the latter with a shot that he put wide from 25yards. Oster then put wide from 20yards. In the 89th minute, the visitors were awarded a free kick on their right touchine halfway in the Rovers half. The kick was swung high over to the far post where there were two men in white shirts waiting totally unmarked. WRIGHT-PHILLIPS was the first one and he had all the time in the world to head just inside the post. Into four minutes of added time and Hayter laid the ball back for Wilson, whose shot was deflected for a corner. This was played out of defence to Hird but he fired wide. The Rovers tried hard but they couldn't get back to parity and the whistle went on a win for the Pilgrims that will boost their chances of escaping the drop.
Result - Doncaster Rovers 1 Plyfmouth Argyle 2
Teams - ROVERS - Neil Sullivan; James Chambers, Shelton Martis, James O'Connor, Gareth Roberts; James Coppinger, Mark Wilson, Dean Shiels, John Oster; Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, James Hayter,
Subs used - Sam Hird for Chambers 77mins; Jordon Mutch for Shiels 77mins; Adam Lockwood for Roberts 88mins;
Subs not used - Sean McDaid, Ben Smith gk
Plymouth Argyle -David Stockdale; Karl Duguid, Bond'z N'Gala, Reda Johnson, Onismor Bhasera, Alan Judge, Chris Clark, Damien Johnson, Yannick Bolasie, Jamie Mackie, Bradley Wright-Phillips
Subs used - Joe Mason for Bolasie 61mins; Kenny Cooper for Judge 82mins;
Subs not used - Rory Fallon, Chris Barker, Yoann Folly, Ryan Leoward, Roman Larrieu gk
