Saturday, July 28, 2012 at the Keepmoat Stadium, Doncaster
Pre-Season Friendly
DONCASTER ROVERS 0 Sheffield Wednesday 0
Referee – Mr R Joyce
Attendance – N/K
The Rovers kicked off but the Wednesday won the ball and set Lines on a run to the edge of the Rovers penalty area before his shot was pushed round a post by the diving Woods for a corner to the visitors. Over the next few minutes the Rovers retaliated by going close and then putting a free kick from the left straight into Kirkland’s arms. The visitors had started at a fair pace and monopolising possession at this stage. However, in the 11th minute, A miscued clearance by Wednesday in defence let Brown lay the ball back to Syers, 20 yards out. His fierce drive brought a brilliant flying dive to tip round a post for a corner to the Rovers. A few minutes later and Coppinger fed Bennett, who had a good run down the middle but his final shot lacked power. The Rovers were well in the game now. On the half hour Reda Johnson got down the Wednesday left, got the better of Wakefield and from close range tried to shoot in at the near post but Woods was there to block it. A couple of minutes later and R Johnson was there again to head over following a corner. In the 37th minute, good work by Brown on the right touchline gave him the chance to lay the ball back to Coppinger but his cross skimmed off the top of Bennett’s head for a goal kick. Five minutes on and Harewood was in on the Rovers goal but Woods denied him. The Wednesday attacked to the break but the Rovers defence steadfastly refused to yield.
Half Time – Doncaster Rovers 0 Sheffield Wednesday 0
The Wednesday set the second half going and spent the first five minutes on the attack without troubling Woods in the Rovers goal. Then the Rovers, having warmed up, got into the game forcing successive corners in the 54th minute, having caused the visiting defence problems with the first corner. Following this Brown had a go from 25yards that was deflected for another corner. When this came out of defence Keegan smashed it wide from 30yards. Just past the hour the Wednesday got forward to give O’Grady the chance of a crack from the edge of the area but Gary Woods saved well. The Rovers then made a round of changes. In the 68th minute, the Wednesday got into the Rovers penalty area. First O’Grady had a shot blocked and then Pecknik’s effort was also blocked before Lines tried his luck from 12 yards but this was deflected for a corner. Play continued mostly in the Rovers half over the next ten minutes before a long clearance out of defence by Wakefield was headed on by Blake to Brown in the Wednesday half. Gardner attempted to pull him back but the Rovers man got in a strike from 25 yards but put it wide. It had been a decent performance by the Rovers against a team who are expected to do well in the Championship.
Teams – ROVERS – Gary Woods; Paul Quinn, Liam Wakefield, Tommy Spurr, James Husband; James Coppinger, Paul Keegan, David Syers, David Cotterill; Chris Brown, Kyle Bennett
Subs used – Martin Woods for Keegan 66 mins; Brian Stock for Syers 66 mins; Robbie Blake for Cotterill 66 mins; Jordan Ball for Brown 90 mins;
Subs not used – Paddy Mullen, Jake McCormick, Jon Maxted gk
Sheffield Wednesday – Chris Kirkland; Joe Mattock, Reda Johnson, Jose Semedo, Miguel Llera, Anthony Gardner, Nejc Pecknik, Chris Lines, Marlon Harewood, Chris Maguire, Jermaine Johnson
Subs used - Michael Jones for Jermaine Johnson 26 mins; Chris O’Grady for Harewood 46 mins; Mark Beevers for Reda Johnson 65 mins; David Prutton for Maguire 84 mins;
Subs not used – Kieron Lee, Mark Reynolds, Diogo Amado, Ryan Lowe, Giles Coke, Stephen Bywater gk