Doncaster Rovers 3 Charlton Athletic 0
Tuesday, 28th January 2014 at the Keepmoat Stadium, Doncaster
Skybet League Championship
Referee - Mr Paul Tierney
Attendance - 7,289 (448 visitors)
Doncaster named an unchanged line-up from the 1-1 draw with Blackpool on Saturday.
Tamas, for Rovers, got in the first strike on goal in the second minute but put over the bar from 30yards. Minutes later and Jackson, for the visitors, from a similar distance fired well wide of the goal.
Sharp then had a cracking shot from 15yards blocked. A couple of corners to the Rovers either side of the quarter hour brought no reward but the home team were playing well and having most of the play.
A rare foray into the Rovers half brought Charlton a corner but it was cleared.
With Coppinger rampaging down the right the chances were starting to come and nearly did in the 25th minute when Duffy put a corner kick low across the face of goal and Meite at full stretch poked it goal-wards but it was put out for a corner.
From the corner kick the threatened goal came. Placed to the near post by Duffy, MEITE eventually forced it into the net to give Rovers the lead.
Another corner to Rovers on the half hour came to nothing but five minutes later the pressure paid off when Sharp made a beeline for goal but was brought down by Wilson from behind in the penalty area.
The referee had no hesitation in pointing to the penalty spot and then showing a red card to Wilson, who was already walking off. BROWN took the kick and put into the corner of the net to the keeper's left as Alnwick went to his right.
Playing good football, Rovers pushed on trying to take advantage of their numerical superiority.
In the 41st minute a good link-up between Wellens and Coppinger nearly brought another goal when Coppinger fired at goal from the right and Alnwick stuck his right leg out to stop the ball going in. Following up Sharp's drive was saved by Alnwick.
The visitors attacks were few and far between but the Rovers defence were not in a mood to let them get very far into their territory.
Half Time - Doncaster Rovers 2 Charlton Athletic 0
The second half started with Rovers on the attack and Wellens well to the fore. Alnwick saved from Brown and a corner from Duffy, which was going under the bar was pushed over for another corner, which was cleared out to Duffy but he shot wide.
In the 53rd minute Church was played in on the Charlton right but shot high over the bar.
In the 55th minute the Rovers played possession football, keeping the ball for a full minute or so before Duffy tried a shot from 20 yards that Alnwick saved comfortably. Sharp then fired wide from 25 yards.
Rovers had now slowed the game right down and seemed content to monopolise possession.
However, in the 67th minute, a good build-up by the Rovers ended with DUFFY receiving and, after making space, he rifled into the net.
A free kick from Rovers right by Husband was headed out by a Charlton defender for a corner and then a great through ball by Duffy for Sharp was stabbed goal-wards from close range but a defender had got back and cleared off the line.
Rovers played out time but Charlton tried hard to get something from the game but it was hard for them, with the Rovers completely on top from the edge of the penalty area.
In the 85th minute Cotterill, on the left, made room to put a right foot drive just wide of the far post and repeated the scenario three minutes later but put just over the bar instead.
In added time Wellens, who orchestrated everything from midfield, fired just over the bar. A goal would have crowned a brilliant display from him.
A terrific display from Rovers, with a lot of good football played in a comprehensive win.
Result - Doncaster Rovers 3 (Meite 26 Brown pen35 Duffy 67) Charlton Athletic 0
Teams - Ross Turnbull; Gabriel Tamas, Bongani Khumalo, Abdoulaye Meite, James Husband; James Coppinger, Richie Wellens (c), Paul Keegan, Mark Duffy; Chris Brown, Billy Sharp Subs used - Paul Quinn for Tamas 77 mins; David Cotterill for Sharp 77 mins; Alex Peterson for Brown 89 mins; Subs not used - Dean Furman, Marc De Val, Enda Stevens, Jon Maxted gk
Charlton Athletic - Ben Alnwick; Lawrie Wilson, Michael Morrison, Dorian Dervite, Cedric Evina; Jordan Cousins, Johnnie Jackson (c), Dale Stephens, Harry Lennon; Yann Kermorgant, Simon Church
Subs used - Richard Wood for Evina 46 mins; Callum Harriott for Church 76 mins; Astrit Ajdatevic for Stephens 79 mins; Subs not used - Yohann Thuram-Ulien, Danny Green, Marvin Sordell, Joe Pigott, Caution - Dervite 75 mins;
Sent Off - Wilson 35 mins;