Doncaster suffer defeat at Turf Moor.
Tuesday, 25 March 2014 at Turf Moor, Burnley
Sky Bet League Championship
Burnley 2 Doncaster Rovers 0
Referee – Mr T Harrington
Attendance – 12,325
It was cold and wet in Burnley and in Lancashire generally, but the pitch looked in fine fettle and well grassed. Rovers were unchanged from Saturday and turned out in their blue and black hooped shirts.
Both sides sounded each other out and then forced a corner apiece but nothing came from them as both were cleared.
In the 10th minute, Barnes, for Burnley, laid the ball back for Arfield, to the right of goal, to rifle a left foot shot from 20yards just over the bar.
Minutes later and Stanislas came in from the Burnley left and fired at goal but Johnstone, diving left, pushed the ball away to be cleared by his defenders.
A corner to Rovers on the quarter hour was cleared but a few minutes later another corner from Cotterill forced Heaton to tip out for another corner.
In the 22nd minute a cross from the Rovers left by Duffy, was headed wide of the near post by Brown, who was under challenge.
At the other end Stanislas, from 15yards on the left, fired over the bar. Then, a terrific drive by Marney from a central position about 25yards out was palmed away by Johnstone diving to his left.
Past the half hour and Barnes shot high over the bar from distance and five minutes later a fierce low drive from the Burnley left was spilled by Johnstone, diving forward, but his defenders rallied and cleared.
Rovers were still in the game but were not making much progress. Then as the final minutes of the half came up the home team pressed hard.
Vokes fired wide from the edge of the penalty area and a low cross from the home left went through three Rovers defenders at the near post but a good reaction from Johnstone just behind them had him saving with his legs and the ball bouncing away.
In added time a cracker of a shot from the home left was tipped over by Johnstone. Another corner followed but Johnstone made a good catch.
Half Time – Burnley 0 Doncaster Rovers 0
The second half started badly for the Rovers when Coppinger was adjudged to have pushed Duff in the penalty area in the second minute. VOKES took the kick and fired high into the top corner.
Fired up by this success the home team pressed hard over the next few minutes but the Rovers defence stood firm.
Ten minutes in and Rovers forced a corner but it was cleared. At the Rovers end Stanislas had a 30yard drive saved by Johnstone.
Rovers continued to fight back but were finding it difficult against the Burnley defence. In the 63rd minute a free kick from their left by Cotterill was headed out of defence by Shackell straight to Sharp on the edge of the penalty area but he fired high and wide.
Five minutes later and from a Burnley corner Duff put wide at the near post. Then Barnes shot high over the bar from 7yards following another corner in the 72nd minute.
At the Burnley end Cotterill fired well wide from distance
In the 76th minute, following a Rovers attack, a quick break by the home team found rovers short at the back so that when STANISLAS was played in he had the simple task of slotting past Johnstone.
Rovers hit back and in the 82nd minute Cotterill took a free kick from around 30yards to the left of goal and hit the bar but Robinson fired over from 8yards.
Four minutes later and a ball from the left was knocked down by Sharp to Brown but his shot was saved by Heaton diving to his right.
Time ran down with Burnley on the attack but two goals proved to be enough for Burnley to take the points and improve their push for promotion to the Premier League.
Result – Burnley 2 (Vokes pen47, Stanislas 76) Doncaster Rovers 0
Teams – Burnley – Tom Heaton; Chris Baird, Ben Mee, Jason Shackell ©, Michael Duff; Dean Marney, David Jones, Junior Stanislas, Scott Arfield; Ashley Barnes, Sam Vokes
Subs used – Michael Kightly for Stanislas 90 mins; Keith Treacy for Mee 90+2 mins;
Subs not used – Kevin Long, Ross Wallace, David Edgar, Daniel Lafferty, Alex Cisak gk
Caution – Marney 82
ROVERS – Sam Johnstone; James Coppinger, Paul Quinn, Abdoulaye Meite, James Husband; Mark Duffy, Richie Wellens ©, Paul Keegan, David Cotterill; Chris Brown, Billy Sharp
Subs used – Theo Robinson for Duffy 70 mins; Dean Furman for Keegan 83 mins;
Subs not used –, Luke McCullough, , Marc De Val, Enda Stevens, Lewis Ferguson, Ross Turnbull gk
Cautions – Meite 43 mins; Duffy 70 mins;