The Rovers made one change from Saturday's starting line-up, Paul Heffernan being recalled from his loan spell at Bristol Rovers and replacing Dean Shiels who drops to the bench. Blackpool also made changes to their side that won at Scunthorpe on Good Friday. Billy Clarke, Ben Burgess and and Steve Dobbie all dropped to the bench to be replaced by Steve Crainey, David Vaughan and DJ Campbell. Although the sun was shining there was a bitterly cold breeze as the teams lined up for the kick off. The Rovers defended the Bloomfield Road end in the first half.
Play opened at a sedate pace, with the home side probing for a way through the Rovers defence.Then on 6minutes the Rovers went on the attack culminating with Heffernan getting into the box and trying to get a shot in when he was grounded by a tackle. The referee said he dived and produced a yellow card. Two minutes later, the Rovers won a corner and after some tooing and froing the ball came out to Coppinger but his shot was blocked and the home side went on a quick break ending with Adam having a go from 30yards but putting wide. Back came the Rovers minutes later, with Roberts getting in a cross from the left that went across the face of goal and being put out for a corner at the far post. At the other end Bouazza put wide from 25yards. A couple of corners to the Rovers followed, the first of which brought a header for Emmanuel-Thomas which Gilks saved.Passing the halfway mark of the half a corner to the Rovers brought no reward but a good build-up a couple of minutes later concluded with Oster firing just wide. Then, in the 27th minute, following a throw-in deep in the Rovers half on the Blackpool, a cross came into the middle and O'Connor stretched to clear but only succeeded in diverting the ball on to the far post where it bounced back into play. CAMPBELL was the first to re-act and tapped the ball into the net for the opening goal. Past the half hour and a corner to the Rovers was played short to Chambers, who crossed for Emmanuel-Thomas to head into the keeper's hands.A piercing raid down the Blackpool right was only halted by O'Connor getting in a tackle at the expense of a corner.Southern then fired wide from just outside of the penalty area and as the break loomed up a terrific run by Coleman down the Blackpool right saw him go round three Rovers defenders, lose the ball and with great tenacity regain it to give to a teammate. In the first minute of added time a Rovers attack down the right brought a good cross to the left for Heffernan to get in a crack at goal from the angle of the six-yard area. Gilks got his left hand to the ball, Heffernan had the rebound blocked by a defender and his third try brought the Rovers a corner. The whistle went with the Seasiders leading by a single goal.
Half time - Blackpool 1 Doncaster Rovers 0
The Rovers got the second half underway and Heffernan was played in on the left touchline. He touched the ball past Gilks, the ball ran along the goal-line before Evatt cleared.A couple of minutes later, Martis gave to Heffernan then to Wilson but his shot went straight into the keeper's hands.Five minutes in and the home team got into the game when Southern got in a crack from 25yards that brought a flying save from Sullivan going to his left. At the other end Roberts had a go from a similar distance only to see Gilks palm it away.Campbell, for Blackpool, was played through on goal but as Sullivan came out he shot from just inside the area, Sullivan tipping the ball over the bar. Corners were swopped but nothing came of them then, just before the hour the ball was was played down to Heffernan on the edge of the Blackpool area. As the keeper came out Heffernan lifted the ball over him but saw it land on the top of the net. Just before the hour Coleman went on another run at the Rovers defence before firing wide from 20 yards. Past the hour and Emmanuel-Thomas hit a free kick from the Rovers left over the bar and in the 63rd minute Roberts put over a cross from the Rovers left for the onrushing Hayter to sweep against the bar and over. However, inthe 67th minute, the Rovers went further behind when Chambers lost the ball in midfield. It was fed out to DOBBIE on the left and from the angle of the penalty area he curled a ball for the far top corner, helped on it's way by a deflection off Martis. The Rovers tried hard to hit back but could not find a way though to goal. In the 74th minute, a free kick to the Rovers came out to Coppinger. His effort was blocked but Oster then had a go but skewed his shot wide.At the other end Vaughan had a weak effort saved comfortably by Sullivan and then Campbell was played through on goal but O'Connor chased him down, won the ball and cleared. The Rovers final throw of the dice came in the 90th minute when Mutch hit a low drive from distance that had Gilks at full stretch to push away to his right, Evatt completing the clearance before Heffernan got there.The final whistle went on a win for the home side, who greatly enhanced their chances of making the play-offs.For the Rovers the Easter period proved to be pointless.
Result - Blackpool 2 Doncaster Rovers 0
Teams - Blackpool - Matt Gilks; Seamus Coleman, Alex Baptiste, Ian Evatt, Steve Crainey; Keith Southern, Charlie Adam, Gary Taylor-Fletcher, Hameur Bouazza; David Vaughan, D J Campbell
Subs Used - Steve Dobbie for Bouazza 65mins;
Subs Not Used - Billy Clarke, Ben Burgess, Joe Martin, Jason Euell, Rob Edwards, Paul Rachubka gk
Cautions - Adam, Campbell
DONCASTER ROVERS - Neil Sullivan; James Chambers, James O'Connor, Shelton Martis, Gareth Roberts; James Coppinger, Mark Wilson, Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, John Oster; James Hayter, Paul Heffernan
Subs Used - Jordon Mutch for Coppinger 85mins; Dean Shiels for Oster 85mins;
Subs Not Used - Adam Lockwood, Sean McDaid, Sam Hird, Ben Smith (GK)
Cautions - Heffernan, Hayter
