October 2013 at the Keepmoat Stadium, DoncasterthSaturday, 5
Sky Bet League Championship
DONCASTER ROVERS 1 Leicester City 0
Referee – Mr Mark Heywood
Attendance – 10,003 (3,312 visitors)
Rovers made an enforced change from Tuesday’s starting line-up, with injury keeping James Husband out of the game and Reece Wabara taking the left back spot.
Richie Wellens, David Cotterill and James Coppinger dropped to the bench, with Dean Furman, Mark Duffy and Theo Robinson taking their place against table-topping Leicester City.
The visitors were unchanged.
It was a fine, cool afternoon, perfect weather for football, with the pitch looking in good fettle. Rovers defended the South Stand end in the first half.
Rovers started quite brightly, with Keegan getting in a strike from 25yards that went wide.
In the 7th minute Leicester won a corner, which was placed to the far post but Morgan headed wide.
Midfield play ensued for a spell then on the quarter hour Duffy fed Robinson, who gave to Macheda in the inside right channel. Unfortunately for the Italian he slipped as he shot thereby putting the ball wide.
In the 16th minute, Rovers won a corner on their left, Duffy crossed it to the near post where SCHMEICHEL came off his line to make an easy catch but inexplicably he fumbled it and knocked it backwards into his net.
The Rovers were now on their mettle and having a good percentage of the play.
In the 26th minute Knockaert hit a terrific drive from just outside of the penalty area that Turnbull, diving to his left, palmed away.
Then Rovers, playing wonderful one-touch football came out of defence then Robinson put Macheda in on goal but he was well tackled, the ball ran loose to Robinson on the right but his shot was deflected for a corner.
Past the half hour and another good move saw the ball go to Furman, 25yards out. He hit a low drive, Brown stepped over it and Schmeichel was nearly caught napping but he went down to his right and pushed the ball out for a corner.
Gradually Leicester got back into the game and in the 36th minute a stinging shot from Konchesky on the Leicester left was well saved by Turnbull.
As time ran down to the break Drinkwater got to the Leicester left byline before firing goalwards. The ball hit the far post and bounced back into play.
The visitors were on the offensive to the break but couldn’t find a way to goal.
Half Time – Doncaster Rovers 1 Leicester City 0
The second half began and proceeded at a sedate pace, with both sides relying on building up their attacks.
In the 57th minute a free kick for the visitors on their right, was put over the bar by Konchesky.
Leicester began to have more of the play as time went on, with the Rovers showing some sterling defence and Turnbull sticking a foot out in a goalmouth scramble to block a goal-bound touch.
But Rovers were not out of the game. In the 77th minute, good play on the Rovers right led to Quinn crossing to the middle where Brown fired over as he fell backwards.
Leicester kept the pressure up to the end, with the tension mounting. The large contingent of Leicester fans roared their team on whilst Rovers fans showed their anxiety but they didn’t have to worry as Rovers defence was rock solid.
Full Time Doncaster Rovers 1 (Schmeichel OG 16) Leicester City 0
Teams – ROVERS – Ross Turnbull; Paul Quinn, Bongani Khumalo, Rob Jones ©, Reece Wabara; Theo Robinson, Dean Furman, Paul Keegan, Mark Duffy; Chris Brown, Federico Macheda
Subs used – James Coppinger for Macheda 75 mins;
Subs not used – Billy Paynter, David Cotterill, Luke McCullough, Richie Wellens, Kyle Bennett, Jon Maxted gk
Leicester City – Kasper Scheichel; Richie De Laet, Wes Morgan ©, Liam Moore, Paul Konchesky; Anthony Knockaert, Danny Drinkwater, Andy King, Lloyd Dyer; Jamie Vardy, David Nugent
Subs used – Marc Wasilewski for Moore 67 mins; Jeff Schlupp for Dyer 71 mins;
Subs not used – Dean Hammond, Matty James, Tom Hopper, Ignasi Miguel, Conrad Logan gk
Caution – Nugent 87 mins;