Rovers head to East Anglia in search of three points against play-off chasing Ipswich.
Portman Road, Ipswich, awaits the arrival of Rovers this weekend as we look to get closer to securing our status in the Championship for next season. Unfortunately the last couple of games have seen a little blip but hopes are high going into the weekend that the job can be a closer to being completed with victory.
The Tractor Boys won’t relish the prospect of Rovers coming to town after the last time the two sides met in Suffolk it was the team from South Yorkshire who emerged victorious.
Ipswich Town went into the game in mid-table with Rovers occupying bottom spot in the Championship so many expected a routine victory for the home side, however, the away team had other ideas.
Rovers started the game very brightly and had George Friend’s touch not eluded him, they could have been in front within eight minutes of the start. Unfortunately Friend couldn’t divert Brian Stock’s pinpoint pass with the goal at his mercy, but it just served as a warning shot which the home side didn’t heed and they succumbed to the early pressure just ten minutes later.
James Coppinger picked up the ball on the left flank and swung in a perfect cross for El-Hadji Diouf to nod home in acres of space to net his first goal for the club. Just six minutes from the restart the visitors were two goals to the good and there was an air of similarity with the goal, Coppinger was again the architect but this time Billy Sharp met his left wing centre to confidently nod past David Stockdale. There was a nice touch from the home supporters who applauded the goal acknowledging the strength of character shown by Sharp who was still mourning the recent loss of his son.
Ipswich fought back and did have the ball in the net thanks to Michael Chopra who finished Reece Wabara’s cross neatly but the assistant’s flag ruled out the goal, adjudging the scorer was in an offside position.
Rovers however had little trouble with the officials in the first half as Diouf netted his second of the game before the break, he combined with Sharp before advancing unopposed then slamming a shot into the net.
At the break Town manager, Paul Jewell, changed personnel and threw on teenager Josh Carson for Jimmy Bullard and the youngster netted eight minutes into the second half. Neil Sullivan couldn’t keep hold of a fierce shot by Tamas Priskin and Carson pounced to prod home from close range.
Friend twice went close for Rovers in a second half where the home side tried to ramp up the pressure but failed to net a goal early enough to make a difference to the outcome of the game. Chopra netted what was to be a mere consolation of a second goal in injury time after being set up by Jay Emmanuel Thomas, but it was too little too late as Rovers more than deserved the victory.
Stats
Expect goals on Saturday, in the last five meetings between the sides there has been a minimum of three goals scored per game. In fact there has been an average of almost five goals per game in those previous five matches.
Rovers have only failed to score once in six previous trips to Suffolk and that was back in December 1957.
Overall there has been 51 goals scored in total in 14 games between the two sides in all competitions which is an average of 3.6 goals per game in total.
Sky Bet
The odds of there being 5 goals exactly scored is priced by Football League Sponsors Sky Bet at 11/1.
Ipswich Town 8/13
Draw 11/4
Doncaster Rovers 7/2
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* Odds subject to change, correct as of 10/04/14
Coverage
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