Doncaster Rovers

Skybet League Championship

Referee – Mr Fred Graham

Attendance – 7,396 (902 visitors)

Rovers had to make a change when Rob Jones was injured during the warm-up, with Luke McCullough coming in for his Rovers debut. Rovers defended the South Stand end in the first half.

In the third minute the Rovers were awarded a free kick just a yard outside of the Brighton penalty area. Duffy took it but it was just the wrong side of the near post. 

Then, five minutes later, a crushing blow to the Rovers when FORSTER-CASKEY tried his luck from 35yards and put his effort into the far top corner of the net. 

Rovers then got forward but a cracking shot from Duffy was pushed out by the keeper for a corner. Another corner followed but it was cleared. 

On the quarter hour Buckley, for the visitors, had a go from 25yards but Turnbull tipped it over the bar. 

In the 21st minute, Cotterill on the left curled a shot for the far corner but saw it shave the outside of the post. Cotterill then chipped the ball forward in the 28th minute where it was headed on by Coppinger for Yun to run on to inside the area but he put it wide as the keeper came out. 

Midfield play then ensued, with Brighton having the majority of the possession. In the 40th minute Turnbull saved a shot from 20yards by Conway.

Half Time – Doncaster Rovers 0 Brighton & Hove Albion 1

Rovers came out for the second half and went straight on to the attack. Three corners in the first ten minutes showed their attacking intentions but not once was Kuszczak, in the Brighton goal, called into action. 

Nevertheless Rovers plugged away with only isolated instances of Brighton getting into the Rovers half. 

Then, in the 75th minute, Cotterill was brought down by Calderon on the Rovers’ left halfway into the Brighton half. Calderon was booked for the foul and Brighton were further punished when BROWN stabbed the resulting free kick just inside the near post for an equaliser. 

This affront stung Brighton into action and Crofts hit the angle of bar and post with a shot. The visitors then won a corner, which wasn’t cleared properly and following a scramble LITA slammed the ball into the net from close range in the 85th minute. Paynter then got in a header to a cross from Duffy but the keeper saved. 

Then, on 90 mins, Brighton were awarded a free kick 25 yards out for a foul on Lita. LOPEZ took the kick from a central position and placed it into the top left hand corner of the net. 

Into six minutes of added time and Turnbull blocked an effort from Andrews who had been put clear on goal.

Result – Doncaster Rovers 1 (Brown 75) Brighton & Hove Albion 3 (Forster-Caskey 8 Lita 85 Lopez 90)

Teams – ROVERS – Ross Turnbull; Reece Wabara, Bongani Khumalo, Luke McCullough, Suk-Young Yun; Mark Duffy, Paul Keegan, Richie Wellens, David Cotterill; James Coppinger; Chris Brown

Subs used – Billy Paynter for Coppinger 61 mins;

Subs not used – Paul Quinn, Dean Furman, Liam Wakefield, Marc De Val, Alex Peterson, Jon Maxted gk

Brighton & HA – Tomasz Kuszczak; Bruno Saltor, Stephen Ward, Gordon Greer ©, Matt Upson; Keith Andrews, Craig Conway, Andrew Crofts, Jake Forster-Caskey; Will Buckley, Ashley Barnes

Subs used – Inigo Calderon for Saltor 53 mins; David Lopez for Buckley 66 mins; Leroy Lita for Forster-Caskey 82 mins;

Subs not used – Adam El-Abd, Soloman March, Rohan Ince, Casper Ankergren gk

Cautions – Forster-Caskey 33 mins; Crofts 45 mins;