Saturday, July 25, 2009 at Don Valley Stadium, Sheffield
Pre-Season Friendly
Rotherham United 0 DONCASTER ROVERS 4
Referee - Mr R Wigglesworth
Attendance - 1,492

A breezy, fine afternoon greeted the Rovers on their visit to the Don Valley Stadium in Sheffield for the friendly game against local rivals Rotherham United. An athletics stadium, the pitch is surrounded by a 10-lane running track plus other facilities for the long jump etc.

Consequently the spectators are at least 25 yards from the football playing area.

The Rovers had a number of players out with injuries and illness but included three trialists, Quinton Fortune, John Oster and Jason Walker from Barrow, who played quite well against the Rovers last week.

The Rovers set the game in motion but it was the home team who got in the first attack to win a corner in the second minute. The Rovers were soon in possession of the ball and settled down to their passing game. Rotherham also played a passing game so the match settled down to a sedate affair played at a sedate pace. On 15 minutes, Roberts, on the Rovers left, sent in a high ball from 25 yards that had Annerson, in the Rotherham goal, backpedalling in order to tip the ball away as it dropped under the bar to give the Rovers their first corner. Minutes later, Shiels went on a good run at the defence but was blocked by three defenders before he could get in his shot. The ball was then played out to Law, on the home right, who put in a low cross which was missed by Taylor in the middle before Wilson put out for a corner at the far post as another Rotherham man came in. The Rovers had the ball in the net after 26minutes but Heffernan was clearly offside. However, a minute later, the Rovers got a legitimate goal when the Rovers were awarded a free kick on the right. Fortune, the man fouled, took it quickly and after three passes it reached HIRD in the middle from where he dispatched it into the net. The Rovers were now in the ascendancy and were having a majority of the play. Annerson, in the Rotherham goal, twice saved with his legs from Shiels. On the stroke of half time, Lockwood, on the right touchline, left his backpass to Smith short giving Brogan the chance to run on goal but Smith was able to divert the ball for a corner as the Rotherham man tried to get round him.

The Rovers made several changes at the start of the second half but they still had the better of play and went further ahead after 52 minutes when a short corner was played to Roberts, who chipped into the middle for HAYTER to head in. Five minutes later and new boy Walker was put through on goal. As the keeper advanced from his goal he shot from 18 yards, Annerson diving to save the ball. On the hour, the Rovers added a third when a free kick from the left was headed against the post by Hayter, with WALKER heading the rebound into the net. Rotherham's reply was to go forward down the right with Woods saving at the feet of Ryan Taylor when the cross came in. Continuing to enjoy good possession the Rovers added a fourth after 79minutes when Walker and Hayter found themselves in a 2 on 1 situation six yards out. A backheel from Walker left HAYTER the simple task of firing into the net. Rotherham tried hard in the remaining minutes to get something from the game but Ellison was wayward in front of goal, firing high over the bar from 15 yards with only the keeper to beat and then sliding in at the far post to a cross from the right and the ball actually hitting the post and bouncing away to be cleared. The final whistle went on a comprehensive win for the Rovers.

Teams - Rotherham United - Jamie Annerson; Mark Lynch, Ian Sharps (Marc Joseph), Nick Fenton (Andy Nicholas 65mins), Jamie Green (Kevin Ellison 52 mins); Pablo Mills capt, Danny Harrison, Micky Cummins (Jason Taylor 46mins), Stephen Brogan; Nicky Law (Andy Liddell 57mins), Ryan Taylor (Paul Warne 65mins)
Subs not used - Dale Tonge, Tom Pope, David Haggerty, Andy Warrington gk

DONCASTER ROVERS - Ben Smith; Mark Wilson, Sam Hird, Adam Lockwood, Gareth Roberts; John Oster, Quinton Fortune, Brian Stock capt, Martin Woods; Dean Shiels, Paul Heffernan

ROVERS 2nd half - Gary Woods; Mark Wilson, Sam Hird, Adam Lockwood, Gareth Roberts; John Oster (Robbie Clark 65mins), John Spicer, Quinton Fortune (Charles Fisher 75mins), Lewis Guy; James Hayter, Jason Walker