Saturday, 2nd February 2013 at Gigg Lane, Bury
npower League 1
Bury 2 Doncaster Rovers 0
Referee – Mr Tony Bates, Staffs
Attendance – 3,618 (1,181 visitors)
A cold, dry and fine afternoon dawned for the match against Bury. It’s over nine years since the Rovers visited Gigg Lane and a similar result, it was 3-1 to the Rovers, would have been great. The transfer window had closed without the Rovers adding to their squad but Bury had released some players and brought others in. The Rovers starting line-up was unchanged from their last match a fortnight ago against Leyton Orient. Bury made two changes from last Saturday’s starting lineup, newcomer Carl Regan replacing David Worrall and Andy Bishop coming in for Lenell John-Lewis, who was released during the week.
The Rovers kicked off and spent the first few minutes in the Bury half without troubling the keeper. However, in the 4th minute, Coppinger and Bennett linked up well as the latter moved across the pitch before shooting from the edge of the area but putting wide as he was challenged. Bury then got into the game, with Woods having to come out to the edge of his area to clear a long ball. Then, in the 11th minute, a free kick on the Rovers right from Cotterill was met with a firm header by Brown but Carson saved well. The referee then dished out a couple of cautions, first to Quinn for a foul on Ajose and five minutes later to Eastham for handball. In the 20th minute a free kick by Cotterill came out of the home defence to Jones on the 18yard line but he shot hurriedly high and wide. At the other end Schumacher had a go from 30yards but it was well over the bar. Then, in the 26th minute, the deadlock was broken when a cross from the Bury left, was met at the near post by BISHOP with a glancing header into the far corner of the net. On the half hour the Rovers won the first corner of the game but nothing came from it. But that wasn’t the case in the 35th minute when Bury won a corner. Skarz put an inswinger to the far post where AJOSE put it into the net. The Rovers tried to hit back before the break but they came up against a brick wall that was the Bury defence. In added time Coppinger tried a shot from 25 yards but put wide.
Half Time – Bury 2 Doncaster Rovers 0
The Rovers hit their stride straight from the start of the second half but it the 52nd minute before any meaningful action in front of goal and then it was the home team, with Ajose getting in a shot from 25yards that was high and wide. At the other end a free kick by Cotterill caused panic in the home penalty box before the referee deemed the ball had gone out for a goal kick and not a corner. In the 57th minute, Schumacher took a free kick from 30yards but blazed high and wide. From the goal kick Brown collected but put his shot wide. Then a good Rovers attack down their right led to Quinn crossing to the middle but it was put wide. On the hour a Rovers defensive lapse in the middle let Bishop in on goal but Woods beat his shot out and McCombe put out for a corner. From this point on it was all Rovers. Playing good football they besieged the Bury goal. McCombe put a close range rebound over the bar, Jones headed wide from a long throw by Spurr and a good run through the middle by Coppinger ending with a stinging shot was tipped over the bar by Carson. Jones followed up another good attack and from a rebound put wide, Cotterill followed suit a minute later and then headed wide at the far post to another attack. The ball would not go into the net for the Rovers despite the incessant attacks. In injury time Bury should have added a third goal when they broke away but were stopped and then the ball fell to Thompson three yards from goal but he scooped it over the bar.
It was a case of 13th time lucky for Bury after twelve winless games and 13th time unlucky for the Rovers to end their unbeaten away run.
Result – Bury 2 (Bishop 26 Ajose 35) Doncaster Rovers 0
Teams – Bury – Trevor Carson; Carl Regan, Ashley Eastham, Stephane Zubar, Joe Skarz; Nicky Ajose, Steven Schumacher ©, Ethan Ebanks – Landell, Tom Soares; Zac Thompson, Andy Bishop
Subs not used – Craig Jones, Mark Carrington, David Healy, Cameron Belford, Sebastien Carole
Caution – Eastham 19 mins;
ROVERS – Gary Woods; Paul Quinn, Jamie McCombe, Rob Jones ©, Tommy Spurr; David Cotterill, David Syers, Paul Keegan, Kyle Bennett; James Coppinger, Chris Brown Subs used – Lee Fowler for Syers 53 mins; Billy Paynter for Bennett 56 mins; Emile Sinclair for Brown 84 mins;
Subs not used – Shelton Martis, Andy Griffin, James Harper, Jon Maxted gk
Cautions – Quinn 14 mins; Cotterill 72 mins;