Rovers were in Coventry to continue to chase for a Play Off place.
Coventry 1 (Samuel 4)
Doncaster Rovers 3 (Wellens 50, Clarke-Harris 71, Forrester 83)
Ricoh Arena, Coventry
Saturday 21st March 2015
Sky Bet League One
Paul Dickov named one change to Tuesday’s starting line up, Razak replacing Clarke-Harris who dropped to the bench.
The calm opening few minutes at the Ricoh didn’t last long when the Sky Blues took the lead on four minutes. A through ball was played between the Rovers centre backs and straight into the path of Dominic SAMUEL who one on one with Bywater picked his place to make it one –nil.
Rovers looked for a quick response with Wellens dragging a shot from range wide and Bennett having his shot blocked on the edge of the area.
Fifteen minutes in Razak charged out of midfield and unleashed a vicious shot on target from 25 yards stinging the palms of the Coventry keeper whilst diverting it away from danger.
It was the host that came closest to scoring next nearly doubling their leas on eighteen minutes when Stokes had a free header across goal but Bywater watched as it looped past the upright.
The pressure didn’t stop as two minutes later Nouble dribbled the ball from the left beating Wabara into the six yard area and from close range hit the post.
Rovers make an early substitution on twenty two minutes. Abdul Razak received a booking early on and after committing another foul shortly after he received a lengthy talking to from the referee and Dickov decided he should be replaced by Forrester.
After soaking up a spell of pressure Rovers front two linked up well, Main laying off the ball to Tyson inside the area, looking to curl the ball inside the far post but his effort went just the wrong side of the upright.
The game turned feisty after a penalty shout was turned down on the half hour mark Main on the receiving end of a challenge just inside the area.
Tackles continued to fly in from both sets of players lifting the atmosphere as Rovers looked to equalise before the break. The Sky Blues captain O’Brien, on a booking, hacked down Forrester on the run from central midfield. The referee decided to award a free kick but no second yellow much to the dismay of the Rovers faithful.
Main & Forrester were the latest in a string of Rovers players to have a shot blocked from distance but Burge remained untroubled in the Sky Blues goal during stoppage time as the first half came to a close.
Half time – Coventry 1 Rovers 0
Rovers were looking for a quick response as they kicked off in the second half. A minute in Forrester cut the ball back across the six yard area but Burge in the Coventry goal pounced on the ball before it reached Main closing in at the back post.
On forty-eight minutes a corner for Rovers came out to Forrester on the eighteen yard area, his powerful shot took a big deflection sending the ball looping over the crossbar.
Keeping the pressure on the host five minutes into the second half WELLENS picked the ball up on the edge of the area advancing on goal, smashes it past Burge from 8 yards out to level things. Celebrations were muted as the goal scorer received a knock whilst scoring and remained on the ground in pain requiring treatment but was deemed ok to continue.
Two minutes after the hour mark, the patience build up ended when Forrester cut inside and looked to bend a shot into the top corner, the substitute didn’t connect well enough allowing Burge to claim the ball easily.
The visitors enjoyed most of the possession since the equaliser but the pace significantly dropped.
On seventy one minutes CLARKE-HARRIS showed great skill to shoot inside the area, his initial effort was saved by Burge but he could only parry it back into the path of the substitute who slotted it home to give the visitors the lead. It was his first goal in a Rovers shirt and during celebrations that shirt was removed and the goal scorer was subsequently booked for doing so.
Into the final seven minutes and Main takes on the full back Stokes down the right hand side, he does well to cut the ball back into the six yard area where FORRESTER slots it through the defenders legs to give Rovers a two goal lead.
Four minutes added time were shown, allowing time for Fleck in a central position to test Bywater from twenty yards out, the Rovers keeper was equal to it.
Rovers saw out the rest of added time without incident and when the referee blew for full time the Rovers faithful erupted as Rovers come back from a goal down to win it and return to winning ways .
Full Time – Coventry 1 Rovers 3
Rovers:
Bywater, Stevens, Butler ©, McCullough, Wabara, Furman, Wellens, Bennett, Razak (Forrester, 22), Tyson (Clarke-Harris, 60), Main (Robinson, 89).
Subs not used –Marosi, McCombe, Evina, Middleton.
Cautions – Razak, Clarke-Harris
Coventry: Burge, Willis, Fleck, Ward, O’Brien © (Jackson,78), Samuel, Barton (Odelusi, 45), Nouble (Phillips, 68), Martin, Pennington, Stokes
Subs not used – Charles-Cook, Turgott, Finch.
Cautions – Nouble, O’Brien
Attendance – 8,699 (480 Away)