Last minute goal at the Keepmoat sees Rovers Development advance to round two of the Premier League Cup.
Rovers Development - 1 (Hector 90’)Preston Development - 0
Wednesday 16th September, 2015
Keepmoat Stadium, Doncaster
Premier League Under 21 Cup
Rob Jones and Paul Stancliffe included first team player Dany N’Guessan in their starting eleven, while Harry Middleton came back in to captain the side.
Rovers Development started the game strong and looked to dominate from the off.
Dany N’Guessan looked like he would be a threat to the Preston defence with his power and strength up front. Inside the first ten minutes he’d won the home side a free kick.
Winger Billy Whitehouse stepped up to deliver the ball and Callum Roberts was forced into his first save of the afternoon following a flick towards goal from Paul McKay.
Rovers went close shortly after, Whitehouse again delivered a good ball to the back post, this time Kevin Mbuti headed towards goal but it just cleared the crossbar.
N’Guessan was in the thick of the action again as Matty Davies ball in fell to him, striking on the volley his shot was deflected leaving Robert scrambling to make a good save.
Under pressure, the Preston defence were having to be alert and there were chances in quick succession for Liam Mandeville and Michael Carberry.
Weaving his way into the box with Carberry to his right, Mandeville struck at goal forcing Roberts to make a stunning save low to his right. From the resulting corner the ball fell to left back Carberry whose shot from the edge of the area was headed off the line by Sean Whelan.
With Rovers dominating, the visitors almost went ahead as Middleton lost possession in midfield setting free Andy Little. Releasing his shot on the angle he could only hit the side netting.
HALF TIME: Rovers 0-0 Preston
After a regroup at half time Preston came out in the second half looking strong and dominated possession in the early minutes.
They had a couple of early chances through Little and Meulensteen but neither of them were able to test Marko Marosi in the Rovers goal with shots on target.
Substitute Matthew Parkin had the chance to make his impact on the game when a failed clearance fell to him on the edge of the area, releasing a snap shot he dragged the ball wide of the right post.
It was the visitors however who should have taken the lead on 65 minutes, as a dangerous ball in from the right beat everyone in the area eventually falling to Jonathan Lunney. Connecting on the half volley from six yards out his effort cleared the cross bar.
Going into the final third of the game chances for both sides were limited as no one was able to find the final ball to test the opposition goalkeeper.
With Rovers pushing for a winner the Preston defence put their bodies on the line to deny them, good shots from Mandeville and Davies were well blocked.
With the game looking like it was heading to extra time, substitute Daniel Hector won it for the home side on 90 minutes. The ball fell kindly to him just inside the area and he struck a volley towards goal. Despite Roberts getting a hand to it the ball looked to have crossed the line and the referee awarded the goal.
FULL TIME: Rovers 1-0 Preston
Team Lineups-
Rovers: Marosi, Greasley, P.McKay, Mbuti, Williamson, Davies, Middleton (c) (Parkin 45’), N’Guessan (J.McKay 45’), Mandeville, Whitehouse (Hector 76’)
Unused Subs: Jones, Pugh
Preston: Roberts, Smith, Whelan, Jagne, Roberts, Heaton (c), Boyd, Robinson, Little (Barry 80’), Meulensteen (Davidson 77’), Lunney
Unused Subs: Earl, Joseph Robinson, Kwateng