Report: Rovers 1-0 Oldham Athletic
Tuesday, 27th November 2012 at the Keepmoat Stadium, Doncaster
Npower League 1
DONCASTER ROVERS 1 Oldham Athletic 0
Referee – Mr Gary Sutton
Attendance – 6,066 (227 visitors)
A bitterly cold winter’s evening was the setting for this re-arranged match. The Rovers made one change to their starting line-up, Chris Brown coming in for Billy Paynter, who has a hamstring problem. The visitors also made one change to their starting lineup following their win over Shrewsbury Town on Saturday. Jose Baxter returned after injury to replace Matt Smith, who dropped to the bench. The Rovers defended the South Stand end in the first half.
The visitors kicked off but it was the Rovers who went on to the attack and winning successive corners inside the first minute. Nothing came from them but the home team’s intentions were clear. However, the first attempt at goal came from Oldham when midfielder Wesolowski shot wide from distance in the 8th minute. Even play followed until the quarter hor when another corner was won by the Rovers and headed wide by Spurr. Two minutes later, and M’Voto was booked by the referee for a foul on Martin Woods near the left byline but the free kick was collected by the keeper, Bouzanis. Oldham then went downfield where Furman got in a strike from distance that looped into the air off a Rovers defender for Gary Woods to catch. Another booking for Oldham came in the 23rd minute when Wesolowski fouled Husband on the touchline. The visitors were having a good portion of the play but the Rovers were hit a blow in the 33rd minute when Martin Woods suffered a leg injury. He was replaced by Sammy Clingan. Minutes later and Brown was fouled by M’Voto on the right touchline halfway in the Oldham half. Cotterill put the free kick to the near post where Hume got in a header that Bouzanis saved at the post. As the last few minutes came up Baxter, of Oldham made space about 25yards out for a clear shot at goal but it had no power behind it and was straight at Gary Woods who pouched it comfortably. Then a corner to Oldham came to nothing but overall the visitors had the better of the first half.
Half Time – Doncaster Rovers 0 Oldham Athletic 0
The second half opened with quite indeterminate play for the first eight minutes then the visitors were awarded a free kick on their left touchline halfway in the Rovers half. Baxter played it short to Croft, who fired wide of the far post from about 25yards. Then, following a Rovers throw-in in their own half, Baxter got the ball and fired high over the bar from 20yards. In the 56th minute, a corner to the Rovers was headed wide at the far post by Jones. Then Keegan, for the Rovers, fired over from 25yards. Past the hour and the Rovers were putting the pressure on. Syers first touch after coming on was to fire over from 25yards following a Rovers corner. Minutes later and a corner for the Rovers was headed goalwards by Brown but was cleared off the line by a defender and another corner to the Rovers resulted. This was met by the onrushing Syers and his full-blooded header from close range was palmed away by Bouzanis diving to his left. At last, in the 69th minute, the deadlock was broken when a free kick on the Rovers left from COTTERILL sailed into the far top corner of the Oldham net. It was all Rovers at this point. Minutes later successive corners were won by the Rovers, the second of which was headed over by Quinn. At the other end Furman put a shot from the edge of the D wide of the post. Then a corner to the visitors was cleared. In the 85th minute a corner to the Rovers came out to Clingan but he fired high and wide from about 30yards. Two minutes later and Brown was put clear on goal in the inside left position but as the keeper came out he fired wide of the far post. In the 89th minute Bouzanis handled outside the area but the free kick was deflected for a corner. Four minutes of added time was shown and in the first minute Hume was adjudged to have fouled Brown. Hume was pushed over by Bouzanis, who received a straight red card and Hume was booked twice, presumably for the foul and for dissent and subsequently sent off.
Result: Doncaster Rovers 1 (Cotterill 69) Oldham Athletic 0
Teams – ROVERS – Gary Woods; Paul Quinn, Rob Jones ©, Tommy Spurr, James Husband; David Cotterill, Paul Keegan, James Harper, Martin Woods; Iain Hume, Chris Brown
Subs used – Sammy Clingan for Martin Woods 33 mins; David Syers for Harper 63 mins;
Subs not used – Shelton Martis, Robbie Blake, Michael Woods, Jamie McCombe, Jon Maxted gk
Cautions – Cotterill 76 mins; Hume 90+1mins; Hume 90+2 mins;
Sent off – Hume 90+2 mins;
Oldham Athletic – Dean Bouzanis; Reece Wabara, Cliff Byurne, Jean Yves M’Voto, Connor Brown; Lee Croft, Dean Furman ©, James Wesolowski, Jonathan Grounds; Jose Baxter, Matt Derbyshire
Subs used – Matt Smith for Wesolowski 73 mins; Cristian Montano for Grounds 73 mins; Liam Jacob for Croft 90+2 mins;
Subs not used – Kirk Millar, Youssouf M’Changama, Carl Winchester, Chris Sutherland,
Cautions – M’Voto 17 mins; Wesolowski 23 mins;
Sent off – Bouzanis 90+1mins;