Saturday, 29 March 2014, at Elland Road, Leeds
Skybet League Championship
Leeds United 1 Doncaster Rovers 2
Referee – Mr Darren Bond
Attendance – 23,476
Rovers included loan signing Lucas Neill at right back for the game at Elland Road, with Mark Duffy dropping to the bench and James Coppinger restored to midfield.
Leeds also made one change following their trip to Bournemouth in midweek, Cameron Stewart replacing Noel Hunt in the starting line-up.
Rovers kicked off and started the game brightly taking the game to the opposition and spending time in their half.
In the 14th minute a miscue by Quinn gave Leeds a corner but Johnstone easily caught it.
Midfield play dominated over the next few minutes and the Rovers won a corner following a good move on the right from Coppinger and Keegan.
COTTERILL put over the corner kick, Wellens gave it back to him and from just inside the right angle of the penalty area he rifled it into the far top corner of the Leeds net in the 23rd minute.
The home team were then sparked into life by this reverse. McCormack took a free kick on the left but it went straight through the crowded penalty area without anybody touching it and out past the far post.
As half time loomed a period of ball retention in the Leeds half by Rovers eventually switched play from left to right where Coppinger, in the 46th minute, fed SHARP in the middle. He turned his marker and scooped a left foot effort past the diving Butland.
In the third minute of added time, a cross from the Leeds left was met by McCormack on the six yard line. With the crowd cheering a “goal”, Johnstone blocked it with his legs and the ball was put out for a corner followed by a second corner.
The whistle went on a terrific half of football from the Rovers, who went in full value for their lead.
Half Time – Leeds United 0 Doncaster Rovers 2
Leeds made a double substitution for the second half before getting the game underway and went straight on to the attack to win a corner.
For the first five minutes the home team put the pressure on Rovers but the defence stood firm.
Then, in the 51st minute, a free kick on the Rovers right caused panic in the Leeds six-yard area as Rovers tried to force the ball past the keeper but it was eventually cleared.
Five minutes later and following a Rovers attack Cotterill had a go from 30yards on the left but put wide of the far post.
Back came Leeds, who now had the crowd, who had booed them off at half time, urging them on. The noise was deafening as Leeds pressed forward.
Then, in the 62nd minute, the decibels rose even higher when a free kick, from the Leeds left touchline, was headed on by Smith in the middle and McCORMACK put it into the net.
Leeds followed up with successive corners as they strived for an equaliser. McCormack was at the centre of everything for the home team and Smith was now causing problems in the Rovers defence.
In the 67th minute, good work by Coppinger on Rovers right let him put the ball into Sharp but a defender stopped him, the ball ran loose and Coppinger, following up, put over the bar.
Leeds continued to put pressure on Rovers and Pearce headed wide following a corner in the 74th minute. Johnstone then saved from McCormack and as time began to run out McCormack fired high and wide from 16yards.
Sterling defensive work by the Rovers defence and Johnstone behind them continually frustrated the home team and supporters, whilst the occasional foray into the home half relieved the pressure at the back.
A cracking ‘derby’ game came to an end, with the Rovers taking the three points after a terrific display.
Teams – Leeds United – Jack Butland; Sam Byram, Tom Lees, Jason Pearce, Danny Pugh; Alex Mowatt, Luke Murphy, Rodolph Austin, Cameron Stewart; Ross McCormack ©, Matt Smith
Subs used – Aidan White for Austin 46 mins; Michael Tonge for Murphy 46 mins
Subs not used – Noel Hunt, Stephen Warnock, Scott Wootton, Dominic Poleon, Alex Cairns gk
Cautions – Lees 25 mins; Byram 59 mins; Tonge 86 mins;
Doncaster Rovers – Sam Johnstone; Paul Quinn, Lucas Neill, Abdoulaye Meite, James Husband; David Cotterill, Richie Wellens ©, Paul Keegan, James Coppinger; Chris Brown, Billy Sharp
Subs used - Dean Furman for Wellens 71 mins; Theo Robinson for Sharp 84 mins;
Subs not used – Mark Duffy, Luke McCullough, Marc De Val, Enda Stevens, Ross Turnbull gk
Cautions – Quinn 32 mins; Keegan 41 mins; Johnstone 74 mins;