Louis Tomlinson makes his Doncaster Rovers debut as the reserves draw 0-0 with Rotherham at the Keepmoat Stadium in the Final Third Development League.
Wednesday, 26th February 2014 at the Keepmoat Stadium, Doncaster
Final Third Development League
Doncaster Rovers Res 0 Rotherham United Res 0
Referee - Mr Neil Munday
A large crowd for a Reserve fixture had to wait for the attraction of such a crowd, Louis Tomlinson, to make his appearance after starting on the bench for Rovers.
Rovers started well and in the fifth minute a cross by Meade on the right was met with a firm header by Whitehouse from the edge of the penalty area but Shearer was in the right place to save comfortably.
Two minutes later a good run by Walker down the Rotherham right to the byline but his low cross was put wide.
A free kick for Rovers in the 10th minute was hit with such venom by Middleton that Shearer did well to tip it over the bar for a corner.
Minutes later Whitehouse put in a curling shot from the left angle of the penalty area that Shearer, diving to his left, managed to palm away.
The visitors then won successive corners that were well defended and in the 20th minute O'Connor took a free kick from a central position twenty-five yards out but put wide.
A corner to the Rovers was knocked on to the far post but De Val's header was blocked then a follow-up shot was blocked.and cleared.
In the 26th minute a shot from just inside the area by Hitchcock hit a post and bounced back into play and away. The same player followed this with a header over the bar from two yards after Brindley had headed back from the byline.
Past the half hour and Adams worked hard to find a shooting position on the right angle of the six-yard box but put his shot well wide of the far post.
The game then settled down to midfield play, with neither team able to break through on goal although it had been an interesting first half.
Half Time - Doncaster Rovers Res 0 Rotherham United Res 0
The first strike at goal in the second half came from the Rovers when Whincop received the ball halfway in the Rotherham half, took it on and from 25yards, chipped the ball over Shearer, who was off his line, but saw it hit the bar and bounce back into play.
A corner to Rotherham ten minutes in came to nothing and general play developed over the next ten minutes.
Past the hour and the shrill squealing of the assembled coterie of young girls rose to a crescendo as Louis Tomlinson took his place on the field of play.
Rotherham then had a period of sustained pressure, with Yates shooting wide from 25yards and then, in the 69th minute a quick break following a Rovers attack brought a cross from right to left and then to the middle for Yates to scuff his shot and a perfectly good chance went begging.
A good build-up by Rovers gave Whincop chance of a shot from the right of the six-yard box but it was a weak effort and was cleared.
O'Connor at the other end put wide from 25yards for Rotherham, with Ferguson, for the Rovers, cutting in from the left but firing wide of the far post.
As the last ten minutes came up Brindley shot wide from 35 yards at one end and Peterson at the other end hit a good drive from 30yards that Shearer comfortably pouched.
Three minutes of added time couldn't produce a goal and the match ended in a goalless draw but a young Rovers team had played well against a more experienced Rotherham team.
Result - Doncaster Rovers 0 Rotherham United 0
Teams - ROVERS - Jon Maxted; Jordan Binns, Luke McCullough, Liam Wakefield, Evan Finnegan; Josh Meade, Harry Middleton, Marc De Val, Billy Whitehouse; Alex Peterson, Chris Whincop
Subs used - Louis Tomlinson for Binns 65 mins; Lewis Ferguson for Whitehouse 77 mins; ;
Subs not used - Mitchell Lund, Ben Askins, Jack McLaren gk
Rotherham United - Scott Shearer; Richard Brindley, Daniel Rowe, Craig Morgan, Miles Addison, Robert Milsom, Nicky Walker, Tom Hitchcock, Jerry Yates, Michael O'Connor, Nicky Adams
Subs used - Mason Warren for Milsom 46 mins; Andy Norfolk for Adams 63 mins; Max Hallett for O'Connor 77 mins; Subs not used - Jake Fenton, Charlie Bryan