- by Tony Bluff at the Welfare Ground, Askern
The Rovers visited the Welfare Ground at Askern last night to play Askern Villa of Northern Counties East League. A good crowd, probably approaching a thousand, assembled despite the counter attraction of the World Cup game on television, to watch their local team against the Football League team, who played most of their stars and also some trialists. The pitch was very hard despite the Fire Brigade having watered it during the morning.
Askern started quite brightly but it was the Rovers who had first sight of goal after ten minutes when Roberts put wide from the edge of the penalty area. A few minutes later, the Rovers fans were ready to celebrate a goal when Stock worked his way into the penalty area, rounded the keeper and pushed the ball towards the empty net. However, the cheers for the goal were stifled when Taylor, the Askern left back, appeared from nowhere to clear off the line and receive the plaudits of the crowd. The Rovers kept plugging away keeping Scully, in the Askern goal, busy. Askern's best spell came halfway through the half when Vickerage had a crack at goal from 25yards but put it wide and a few minutes later he went for a through ball in the penalty area forcing Woods, in the Rovers goal, to come out and literally dive and punch the ball off his foot as he prepared to shoot. A good chance for the Rovers came just after the half hour when Coppinger, to the left of goal about ten yards out, hit a fierce drive that Scully did well to get to and parry away.
Both sides made changes for the second half so that it was practically a new game. Just past the hour Shiels got to the left byline and hit a low ball into Hayter at the near post but he stabbed it wide. At the other end, Smith, for Askern, headed wide from a corner. In the 71st minute, Hardy, for the Rovers, cut in on goal from the left and lifted the ball over the oncoming keeper only to see it hit the far post and rebound back into play. The Rovers were putting the Askern under pressure at this time and in the next minute SHIELS, just inside the penalty area to the right, chipped a neat ball over Hernandez for the first goal. Within seconds he tried again from a similar position but Lepianka got to it and cleared off the line. Askern tried to hit back but Cotton blazed his effort well over the bar from 25yards. Then, in the 77th minute, HAYTER received from Shiels and as the keeper came out to meet him he lobbed the ball over him for a second goal. Ten minutes from time Dumbuya, the Rovers right back, had a dazzling run beating man after man before being halted in the penalty area. The Rovers ran the game to the close as Askern tired but the Villa had put up a good show and given the Rovers a hard work-out.
Teams:
Askern Villa - 1st Half - Liam Scully; Steven Knifton, Dave Smith, Craig Fisher, Danny Taylor; Ashley Towler, Lee Pugh, Brad Johnston, Micky Evans; Tom McLaughlin, Mark Vickerage
2nd Half - Steve Hernandez; Luke Atkinson, Phil Whitehead, Craig Fisher; Craig Aspinall, Lee Pugh, Brad Johnston (Mark Vickerage 78mins), Matty Lepianka; Mel Cotton, Daniel Ferguson
Doncaster Rovers - 1st Half - Gary Woods; Mustapha Dumbuya, Shelton Martis, Sam Hird, George Friend; James Coppinger, Robbie Clark Tom Roberts; Waide Fairhurst, Josh Payne
2nd Half - Gary Woods; Mustapha Dumbuya, James O'Connor, Adam Lockwood, Tom Roberts (Sam Hird 55mins, Waide Fairhurst 78mins), Liam Hardy, Robbie Clark, Josh Payne (Richard O'Kelly 82mins), Mark Wilson; Dean Shiels, James Hayter
