Rovers out of the FA Cup, with Budweiser, after defeat at the hands of Oldham Athletic
Saturday, 1st December 2012 at Boundary Park, Oldham
FA Cup 2nd Round
Oldham Athletic 3 DONCASTER ROVERS 1
Referee – Mr Neil Miller
Attendance - 2,783 (510 visitors)
An icy but gentle breeze on an otherwise fine day was the setting in the Pennines town of Oldham for this FA Cup Tie. The home team made two changes from Tuesday’s meeting at the Keepmoat. Alex Cisak was brought back from loan to take the place of Dean Bouzanis, who was suspended after his sending off on Tuesday and Cristian Montano started in place of Cliff Byrne, booked for the fifth time this season on Tuesday and suspended for this game. The Rovers made four changes, Shelton Martis, David Syers, Robbie Blake and Sammy Clingan came in for Martin Woods, James Harper, both injured, David Cotterill and Iain Hume both suspended. Three members of the Under 18 team made up the bench.
The Rovers kicked off and were quickly on the attack reaping the reward in the 4th minute when Wabara slipped on the turf allowing Syers to take the ball to the right byline before pulling it back for BLAKE in the middle to round his marker and slot past Cisak. Continuing to have the better of the play the Rovers were awarded a free kick 20yards out in the 12th minute. Keegan’s shot was blocked and the home team went down their left to win a corner. This was cleared. In the 19th minute the Rovers won a corner on their left, which Clingan pulled back to the edge of the area where the onrushing Jones hit it first time for Cisak to tip over the bar. Two more corners followed for the Rovers, the second of which came out to Blake but he shot wide from 20yards. On 23 minutes Wabara played Montano in on goal with a great pass but the Oldham man tried to lob the oncoming Woods but put the ball on to the roof of the net. It appeared to be tricky underfoot with a number of players slipping on the greasy or icy turf. Just before the half hour Croft, for Oldham, on the angle of the six-yard box on the right blasted a shot against the bar to bounce away. Even play in midfield ensued for a period before the Rovers won a corner, which set the home team on the attack to win a corner. Nothing came from these but in the 40th minute the home team won another corner, which was played out to Montano on the edge of the penalty area. His fierce drive went off the top of the bar and over. The teams then swopped corners again before Keegan brought down Wesolowski about twenty-five yards out on the home left in the first minute of added time. Baxter put the free kick into the middle where WABARA rose highest to head past Woods for an equaliser.
Half Time – Oldham Athletic 1 Doncaster Rovers 1
The home team got the second half underway and four minutes in Croft hit a fierce drive from 25yards that Woods could only beat away. Then following a throw in on the Oldham left Baxter had a go from the edge of the penalty area but put it over the bar. A corner to the Rovers had Jones having two attempts at goal but blocked each time. In the 55th minute Furman got down the home right but his cross to the middle went through untouched. Successive corners to Oldham came to nothing and on the hour a cross from the Oldham right by Croft caused some indecision in the Rovers defence before being headed out for a corner. Past the hour and Baxter shot high over the bar from 25yards. The Rovers were pushed on to the back foot as the home team, belying their League position, swept forward, with some good play. It paid off in the 70th minute when Furman got into the Rovers penalty area and had a shot knocked back by Woods straight to DERBYSHIRE, who pushed it into goal. Then, in the 77th minute the home team made it three when DERBYSHIRE shot in from 16yards. At last the Rovers started to play football and pushed Jones up front. But it was too little too late. The nearest they got to a goal was a cross from Clingan on the left, which was headed well wide by Jones. So it is Oldham who go into the next Round of the FA Cup.
Result – Oldham Athletic 3 (Wabara 45+1 Derbyshire 70 77) Doncaster Rovers 1 (Blake 4)
Teams – Oldham Athletic - Alex Cisak; Connor Brown, Reece Wabaka, Jean Yves M’Voto, Jonathan Grounds; Lee Croft, Dean Furman ©, James Wesolowski; Jose Baxter, Cristian Montano, Matt Derbyshire
Subs not used – James Tarkowski, Robbie Simpson, Matt Smith, Daniel Taylor, Kirk Millar, Youssouf M’Changama, Liam Jacobs gk
ROVERS – Gary Woods; Paul Quinn, Shelton Martis, Rob Jones ©, Tommy Spurr; Robbie Blake, Paul Keegan, Sammy Clingan, James Husband; David Syers, Chris Brown
Subs used – Michael Woods for Syers 88 mins;
Subs not used –Andy Griffin, Jamie McCombe, Evan Finnegan, Josh Meade, Harry Middleton, Jon Maxted gk
Caution – Clingan 50 mins; Jones 55 mins; Quinn 72 mins;