Sat 13th December 2014 (3pm), Keepmoat Stadium, Sky Bet League One.
Doncaster Rovers face Gillingham on Saturday looking to kickstart their stuttering home form.Paul Dickov’s side have been imperious on the road and, after recording three wins and two draws from their five successive away games, they were brought back down to earth on Tuesday night with a defeat at the hands of Notts County in the JPT, having rested five players.
Rovers have not played Gillingham since the successful 2007/08 season under now England U19’s coach Sean O’Driscoll. After a creditable draw at the Preistfield Stadium on a Tuesday night in November, where James Hayter’s second half penalty cancelled out Chris Dickson’s first half opener, the clubs reconvened at Keepmoat Stadium in the New Year.
James Coppinger put the hosts ahead on four minutes, before Paul Heffernan’s penalty moments after the break put O’Driscoll’s men in control.
Andrew Crofts scored on 56 minutes to put the game back in the balance, but the South Yorkshiremen, who would defeat their West Yorkshire rivals Leeds United at Wembley in the play-off final, clung on.
The Kent side were relegated at the end of the season.
One man who is familiar with the aforementioned national set up is Gills boss Peter Taylor, who even took caretaker charge of the men’s side for one game following the departure of Doncaster-born Kevin Keegan.
Since leaving that role, Taylor has undertaken spells at a variety of clubs, most notably Hull City, whom he won back to back promotions with a decade ago.
Last time out (11/03/08):
DRFC 2 (Coppinger, 4; Heffernan (pen) 48)
Gillingham 1 (Crofts, 56)
League One
Keepmoat Stadium
Attendance –7867
DRFC – N Sullivan, P Green, M Mills, A Lockwood, G Roberts, R Wellens, M Wilson (S McDaid, 21), B Stock, J Coppinger (J Hayter, 89), M McCammon (S Elliott, 82), P Heffernan
GFC – S Royce, B Fuller, A Bygrave, S King, J Nutter, D Oli (S Jackson, 76), A Crofts, K Maher, A Miller, D Facey, L Griffiths (G Mulligan, 69)
Head to head league results (in Doncaster):
Rovers – 10
Gills – 11
Draws – 7
Team News:
Rovers – Enda Stevens is expected to resume his place in the side after sitting out the midweek defeat to Notts County. James Coppinger and Richie Wellens should return, while Paul Dickov waits on Nathan Tyson’s fitness.
Fancy a flutter? Rovers 4/5, Draw 14/5, Gillingham 15/4
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