Amazing comeback as Rovers progress in Cup.
Capital One League Cup 2nd Round
DONCASTER ROVERS 3 Hull City 2
Attendance – 4,703 (1,057 visitors)
Referee – Mr S Rushton
The Rovers, defending the South Stand end, found themselves a goal down after just 39 seconds when Hull, having kicked off, went down their left and a low cross to the middle was allowed to run through a line of Rovers defenders to McLEAN, who made room and fired low just inside the far post. The visitors were stroking the ball around from man to man denying the Rovers possession of the ball and reaped the dividends in the 10th minute with another goal. Cairney took a free kick from a central position about 25yards out and hit the bar, with SIMPSON meeting the rebound and shooting into the net. The Rovers first sortie into the Hull half came in the 17th minute when a good move down their left produced a cross from Spurr but no red and white shirt was at the end of it. The visitors dominated possession until the 30th minute when a forward pass down the middle was headed back by Coppinger to SYERS, who volleyed into the net from around thirty yards out. Hull went downfield from the restart for Stewart to over a cross from the right that skimmed off Simpson’s head and wide of the far post. Five minutes from the break a free kick from Hull’s left came out of the Rovers defence to Evans, who skied it over the bar from just outside the penalty area. A few minutes later and Olofinjana hit a fierce drive from 40yards that had Woods scrambling to push it around the post. The last play in added time came with some neat football from McLean on the right byline, then a pull-back to Evans on the six yard line, who steered the ball wide of the post from a central position.
Doncaster Rovers 1 Hull City 2
The second half saw the same Rovers players turn out but a different side altogether from the first half. Straight from the kick off they went on the attack and won a corner. There was more purpose about them and a greater confidence. It was now the Rovers turn to put the pressure on. Good play down the Rovers left let Spurr put over a high teasing cross to the far post that forced Hull to put out for a corner. Then in the 57th minute the pressure paid off. A long throw by Spurr from the right came back to him to place a high cross to the middle where JONES headed the ball down and just inside the far post for an equalising goal. Hull gradually got into the game and in the 67th minute McLean got into the Rovers penalty area and unleashed a cracking shot that Woods, diving to his left, tipped away for a corner. Aluko, for Hull, had just come on to the field but he had a go from 30yards that took a big deflection but Woods made the save. Then, in the 80th minute, came a flashpoint when an altercation happened between McKenna and Jones. McKenna was sent off and Jones was booked. Taking full advantage of the extra man the Rovers went for glory. Cotterill had a shot tipped away by Amos for a corner, which was headed over the bar by Syers. Then good work on the Rovers left by Spurr , Cotterill and Coppinger gave the latter a chance of a shot which was blocked. As extra time loomed up Evans had a shot saved by Woods and Simpson hit the post, the ball bouncing safely into Woods arms. Three minutes of added time said the referee and in the second minute Coppinger drove into the penalty area before shooting and SYERS turned the ball into the net. The last action came with Hull having a free kick on the left and a header at the far post going into the side net.
This was a definite case of a game of two halves.
Result – Doncaster Rovers 3 (Syers 30, 90+2 Jones 57) Hull City 2 (McLean 1 Simpson 10)
Teams – ROVERS – Gary Woods; Paul Quinn, Jamie McCombe, Rob Jones, Tommy Spurr; James Coppinger, Robbie Blake Paul Keegan, James Harper, James Husband; David Syers,
Subs used – David Cotterill for Quinn 60 mins; Billy Paynter for Blake 68 mins;
Subs not used – Josh Meade, Harry Middleton, Paddy Mullen, Jordan Binns, Neil Sullivan gk
Cautions – Keegan 51 mins; Jones 80 mins;
Hull City – Ben Amos; James Chester, Abdoulaye Faye, Andy Dawson, Joe Dudgeon; Cameron Stewart, Corry Evans, Seyi Olofinjana, Tom Cairney; Jay Simpson, Aaron McLean
Subs used – Paul McKenna for Cairney 37 mins; Sone Aluko for McLean 75 mins; Alex Bruce for Faye 89mins;
Subs not used – Liam Cooper, Jamie Devitt, Nick Proschwitz, Mark Oxley gk
Sent Off – McKenna 80 mins