Doncaster Rovers

Rovers lose opening development fixture to Iron.

Rob Jones took charge of his first competitive fixture as newly appointed Development Team coach in their opening game of the season against local rivals Scunthorpe United.

A young Rovers team, with Richie Wellens adding some experience and getting some match-time under his belt faced a much more experienced team from the steel town.    

The visitors started the game by going straight on to the attack and winning an early corner that former Rovers player, Andrew Boyce, headed over the bar. Lyle Taylor then fired wide for the visitors before the Rovers could get going.

A free kick for the Rovers in the tenth minute near the left corner flag was put into the middle by Billy Whitehouse and met on the volley by Lewis Ferguson but it went too high over the bar.  
 

On the quarter hour Scunthorpe forward Billy Kee was fouled just outside the penalty area in a central position. He took the kick himself but his tame effort was comfortably saved by Slovakian stopper Marko Marosi. A minute later and another free kick on the visitor’s right was headed over by Boyce.

The match evened out in the second part of the first half, with the only real chance at goal coming five minutes before half time when a four-man move by Scunthorpe put Taylor in on goal but he fired wide.

The Rovers were straight on to the attack at the start of the second half, with Alex Peterson putting wide from 25 yards. A good push by the Rovers saw Matty Sparrow booked for a foul on Harry Middleton in the 48^th minute. From the resulting free kick, Ferguson regained the ball on the right before chipping to the far post for Ben Askins to head in but Boyce cleared it off the line.

A minute later and a shot from Middleton was deflected into Pat Weaver’s hands and then, just before the hour, Weaver blocked Peterson’s effort at the post.

In the 63^rd minute a free kick from just inside the Rovers half from Terry Hawkridge was launched into the Rovers penalty area. CALLUM HOWE rose the highest to head the ball past Marosi for the opening goal.

This gave the visitors the fillip they needed having been second best in the second half up to this point.

A minute later and substitute Levi Sutton was clean through on goal but as Marosi came out he fired wide of keeper and the goal.

The Rovers tried hard to get something from the game but in the 85^th minute a pass from Alex Head in the penalty area was intercepted by another Iron sub in KYLE WOOTTON, who fired across the keeper from close range into the far corner of the net.
 

The home team pressed hard for the rest of the game and gained some reward in the 88^th minute when the McKay twins combined resulting in JACK McKAY slotting the ball past Weaver in the Scunthorpe goal.   

A hard fought game ended in a win for the visitors but it had been close.

Teams:
Rovers – Marko Marosi; Liam Wakefield, Ben Askins, Paul McKay, Mitchell Lund; Lewis Ferguson (Aron Gordon 81), Richie Wellens (Alex Head 65), Harry Middleton, Billy Whitehouse; Liam Mandeville, Alex Peterson (Jack McKay 61)
Subs not used – Scott Brown, Jack McLaren gk
Caution – Head 84 mins

Caution – Sparrow 48 mins
Subs not used – Ben Ledger, Jacob Hood
   Scunthorpe United – Pat Weaver; Emilio Oliver-Stothard, Reece Mosanya, Andrew Boyce, Callum Howe, Nicky Featherstone, Matty Sparrow (Levi Sutton 58), Terry Hawkridge, Billy Kee (Kyle Wootton 70), Lyle Taylor (Rory Fallon 53), Jennison Myrie-Williams