Rovers Youth team got back on the winning trail with a convincing win at Grimsby Town.
Saturday, 12 October, 2013 at Grimsby Town Training Ground, Waltham
Football League Youth Alliance, North East Conference
On a wet and breezy morning and a first half of constant rain they got to grip with the conditions and put their opponents on the back foot. Goalkeeper Jack McLaren injured, Jonny Iveson of the U16s was brought into the team.
Both teams spent the first quarter hour getting used to the conditions and sounding each other out. FERGUSON was lively on the right flank and put a good shot just over the bar and went one better in the 27th minute when he received the ball following a throw in and got himself into a good shooting position to fire the ball into the net. Rovers were solid in defence and the home team had to resort to long distance shots, one of which went just over the bar otherwise Iveson wasn’t unduly troubled.
At the other end Jack McKay shot wide from a good position just outside the penalty area in the 41st minute and in the last action of the half Head got in a terrific strike that the Grimsby keeper fumbled but managed to get to it before Jack McKay could get there.
Half Time – Grimsby Town Youth 0 Doncaster Rovers Youth 1
The rain stopped by the start of the second half so that the conditions were much more pleasant. The players appreciated it and Grimsby set about restoring parity but the Rovers defence were not in the mood to give anything away. The only save that Iveson had to make came on the hour when a good cross from the Grimsby left to the far post was headed for goal but the keeper saved.
In the 64th minute, the Rovers put further distance between the two sides when, following a good move down their left, influential midfielder Spencer LUND received the ball and cut in to drill it into the far bottom corner of the net. In the 75th minute, following a free kick from Ferguson, Askins won the header against a much taller central defender but put it over the bar. Spencer Lund was then played in down the inside left channel but fired over from the edge of the area. Rovers dominated the game in the last fifteen minutes but couldn’t add to their score and the final whistle went on a well deserved victory.
Result – Grimsby Town Youth 0 Doncaster Rovers Youth 2 (Ferguson 27 S Lund 64)
ROVERS TEAM – Jonny Iveson; Paul McKay, Ben Askins, Scott Brown (c), Mitchell Lund; Lewis Ferguson, Alex Head, Spencer Lund, Billy Whitehouse; Liam Mandeville, Jack McKay
Subs used – Aaron Gordon for Mandeville 73 mins; Ryan Burnyeat for Jack McKay 78 mins; Callum Terrell for Ferguson 86 mins; Subs not used – J Lindley