Darren Ferguson granted three points on his home managerial debut at the Keepmoat Stadium.
Rovers - 2 (Grant 41’ , Williams 64')Colchester - 0
Saturday 31st October, 2015
Keepmoat Stadium
SkyBet League One
Darren Ferguson took charge of his first game at the Keepmoat Stadium since being appointed three weeks ago. Conor Grant was named in the starting eleven and made his debut after signing earlier in the week, while Richie Wellens was dropped to the bench.
Rovers started the game brightly, however it was Colchester who had the first chance of the game and tested thorsten Stuckmann early on. George Moncur picked up the ball and curled one towards the top corner with his right foot forcing a great save from Stuckmann.
The Rovers goalkeeper was called into action again as George Moncur broke away from the defence hitting one from six yards but great reflexes from Stuckmann kept it 0-0.
Despite Colchester being the slightly better team, Rovers took the lead shortly before half time with a stunning goal from Conor Grant on his debut.
The Everton loanee received the ball twenty yards out and, finding space to shoot opened up his body before beautifully curling the ball into the top corner leaving Jamie Jones with no chance.
HALF TIME: Rovers 1-0
Rovers started the second half as they finished the first and were a threat on the counter attack right from the off.
James Coppinger found himself in space a number of times down the right and it was almost 2-0 to Rovers as his low cross into the box was just out of reach for Tyson and Williams.
As the visitors pressured from a string of corners the home side doubled their lead and it was Andy Williams with his long awaited goal at the Keepmoat.
As Coppinger broke again Rovers were three on one. Squaring the ball to Williams who was free in the area, the striker smashed the ball home from eight yards giving Darren Ferguson’s side a 2-0 lead.
Colchester almost found a way back into the game through Moncur again whose unmarked header at the back post was somehow kept out by a superb Stuckmann save.
The visitors weren’t without possession and certainly put Rovers under pressure but solid defending from the home side kept the U’s at bay.
Curtis Main was introduced to the game after being sidelined for some time through injury. He almost got on the scoresheet straight away as a lay off from Tyson allowed him to find space and shoot on the turn, but his effort was inches wide of the post.
After four added minutes the referee blew for full time and it was three valuable points for Rovers on Darren Ferguson’s home debut.
FULL TIME: Rovers 2-0 Colchester
Team Lineups-
Rovers: Stuckmann, Butler, Evina (Keegan 79’), Lund, Taylor-Sinclair, Grant, Coppinger (c), Stewart (McCullough 67’), Middleton, Tyson, Williams (Main 74’)
Unused Subs: Marosi, Forrester, Wellens, Mandeville
Colchester: Jones, Olufemi, Elokobi (Kent 65’), Eastman, Briggs; Gilbey, Garvan; Harriott, Moncur, Ambrose (Bonne 72’), Sordell
Unused Subs: Parish, Edwards, Lapslie, Sembie-Ferris, Curtis
Attendance: 5,324 (194)