Tuesday 24th November 2015 (7:45pm), Sky Bet League One, Keepmoat Stadium.
Doncaster Rovers will look to get back to winning ways against their former manager Dean Saunders on Tuesday evening when Chesterfield visit the Keepmoat Stadium.Rovers took four points from the Spireites last term, while Saunders - who arrived at the Proact Stadium in the summer - will look to avoid a repeat of the 5-0 thumping he endured while manager of Crawley the last time he faced the South Yorkshire side.
The hosts – with a win – would be able to bridge the three point gap which currently separates the sides that sit in lower mid-table of League One who are both hoping to mount play-off pushes as the season progresses.
Rovers have not lost to the Spireites in the last seven meetings between the sides in all competitions and are currently on a run that stretches back to February 2005 where Tcham N’Toya’s late strike settled a third tier affair at Belle Vue.
Supporters of a neutral persuasion would love to see a repeat of last season’s thrillers where there was little respect for defensive duties given.
Paul Dickov’s men beat his namesake Cook’s 3-2 over a year ago at the Keepmoat. Nathan Tyson and Kyle Bennett notched to set the early tempo and though Sam Clucas responded before half time, the hosts were always in the box seat – emphasised just after the interval when Jamie McCombe rammed home from close range. Hitman Eoin Doyle gave the visitors hope, but no more than that.
The return was thoroughly entertaining too and after finishes from James Coppinger and Andy Butler put Rovers ahead early on, they really should have been out of sight by half time but lost their momentum due to the withdrawal of the former through injury.
Chesterfield then gained the upper hand and halved the deficit on the stroke of half time through Doyle and carried on much of the momentum in to the second half. Despite throwing everything at Doncaster, the visitors looked to have withstood the onslaught only for Jimmy Ryan to steal in at the back post and, in turn, a point.
TEAM NEWS: Keshi Anderson (ankle) has returned to parent club Crystal Palace after his serious injury on Saturday. Harry Forrester, Richie Wellens and Luke McCullough (all virus) are struggling to make the game and may join Richard Chaplow, Rob Jones, Gary MacKenzie, Paul Keegan, Curtis Main and Mitchell Lund on the sidelines.
Last time out (Sat 31st January 15):
CFC 2 (Doyle, 43; Ryan, 87)
DRFC 2 (Coppinger, 3; Butler, 9))
League One
Proact Stadium
Attendance – 7838
CFC - T Lee, D Jones (B Harrison, 45), C Raglan, S Hird, T Darikwa, S Clucas, J O'Shea (R Humphreys, 64), D Gardner (I Evatt, 29), J Ryan, S Morsy, E Doyle
DRFC - S Bywater, R Wabara, A Butler, L McCullough, E Stevens, H Forrester, J Coppinger (K Bennett, 31 (N Tyson, 65)), R Wellens, P Keegan, C Main, U Ikpeazu (D Furman, 73)
Head to head league results (in Doncaster):
Rovers – 19
CFC – 13
Draws – 11
WHAT ARE THE ODDS? Rovers 8/5, Draw 12/5, CFC 15/8
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