Rovers fight back from two down to secure admirable draw.
Chesterfield U18s - 3
Doncaster Rovers U18s - 3
Saturday 26th September 2015, 11:00am
Staveley Miners Welfare F.C. Chesterfield
Youth Alliance League
This was always going to be a difficult game and it was made even harder when the hosts went 2-0 in front after 12 minutes but whatever manager Paul Wilson said at half time sparked a superb comeback which almost saw them pick up all three points.
Chesterfield took the lead on the second minute through Tom Jarrald, a corner from Tom Marshall was met on the volley at the back post by Jarrald who managed to squeeze the ball past Louis Jones at his near post.
10 minutes later the hosts doubled their lead, a rash tackle from Tyler Walker gave the referee no option but to point to the spot, up stepped Derik Daley who rifled the ball down the middle giving the diving Jones no chance.
Rovers nearly pulled one back just after the half an hour mark, a corner by Parkin was met by the head of the skipper Conner Williamson who sent his effort just over the crossbar.
Goalkeeper Jones made a superb double save towards the end of the first half which would prove to be a vital contribution.
HT: Chesterfield U18's 2-0 Doncaster Rovers U18s
Rovers came out in the second half a totally different side that went into the changing rooms at the break.
The team in red and white should have pulled one back 10 minutes after the restart and it was another superb set piece by Parkin, his whipped cross was met by the head of approaching Ben Greasley but his header rippled the side netting.
Less than a minute later they got their reward, a huge mix-up between defender Jake Hudson and goalkeeper Dylan Parkin as they ended up cleaning each other out both going for the same ball, there was Michael Carberry to tap the ball into an empty net.
Rovers equalised just after the hour mark, it was another goalkeeper and defensive mix up as Luke Randal played a short back pass to Parkin but there was Joe Pugh to nick the ball off the keeper, he rounded him and slotted the ball home.
Chesterfield nearly retook the lead from a set piece, a corner from Daley was initially cleared by Carberry but it was brought down on the chest and angled just over the crossbar by substitute Joe Rowley.
The comeback was completed on the 86th minute by Rovers, some intricate passing from Carberry found the feet of McCormick who managed to force Parkin in the Chesterfield goal to make a brilliant one handed save but it was not pushed wide enough as there was youngster Will Longbottom to fire the ball into the roof of the net.
But it was not to be the fairytale ending for Doncaster as the linesman came to the Spireites rescue. He flagged for a penalty on the 95th minutes as Greasley was adjudged to have handled the ball on the line, up stepped Daley and it was the same out come as before as he blasted the ball high into the net.
FT: Chesterfield U18s 3-3 Doncaster Rovers U18s
CFC STARTING XI: Parkin, Hudson, Randle, Smith (Taylor 71'), Holmes, Jarrald (Greaves 60'), Daley, Daswell, German, Milner (Rowley 70'), Marshall.
CFC SUBS NOT USED: Spencer.
DRFC STARTING XI: Jones, Greasley, Carberry, Willamson, Barker, Fielding, Parkin, Longbottom, Pugh, McCormick, Walker.
DRFC SUBS NOT USED: Gains, Morris, Townrow, Slater.
CAUTIONS
Carberry - Yellow - DRFC
Fielding - Yellow - DRFC
Holmes - Yellow - CFC
German - Yellow - CFC