It's all to play for in the final two games of the season as Rovers get 3 vital points again at the Keepmoat against Coventry.
Rovers: 2 (Rowe 21’ , Williams 32’)Coventry: 0
Saturday 23rd April
Keepmoat Stadium, Doncaster
SkyBet League One
Rovers went into today’s game with absolutely everything to play for. With just three games remaining they were looking to close the gap on the teams sitting just above them in the League One Table.
Rovers defeated league leaders Wigan at the Keepmoat last weekend against all odds, followed by a 1-1 draw at Chesterfield in the week and a win today against Coventry would throw the battle to stay in League One wide open as the season nears its climax.
Darren Ferguson made one change to his starting lineup as Riccardo Calder came back into the side for Richard Chaplow.
There was a real urgency about Rovers from the start. Tommy Rowe and Gary McSheffrey picked up where they left off in midweek linking up well.
They had a great chance to go ahead and everyone in the ground thought the ball was in when Rowe played in Calder down the left who struck a fierce shot across the face of goal- inches away.
Coventry settled and looked a real threat on the attack through Armstrong and Jones who took on the Rovers defence a number of times.
Jack Stephens beat Mitchell Lund at the near post to play a dangerous ball across the face of goal for Armstrong but a fantastic block from McCullough denied him the goal.
On 20 minutes the home side deservedly took the lead. Gary McSheffrey added another assist to his name when he whipped in a corner that was met by Tommy Rowe at the near post to flick home.
Remi Matthews had to be on his toes when a Murphy shot took a wicked deflection, forcing him to make a fantastic reaction save with his legs.
Nathan Tyson was introduced to the game earlier than expected when Gary McSheffrey picked up an injury but the striker had an instant impact when Cedric Evina set him free down the left. Crossing brilliantly, Andy Williams was at the back post to head the ball past Charles-Cook.
From then in was all Rovers and the hosts went in at half time 2-0 up.
HALF TIME: Rovers 2-0 Coventry
As the second half got underway Rovers had a string of corners. Tommy Rowe went close after linking up well with Calder again but his shot was deflected wide.
Adam Armstrong went close on the hour mark as Andy Rose delivered a good ball into the box, Armstrong got a head to it but Matthews made the save.
Chances in the second half were few and far between but Rovers continued to dominate possession wise as Coventry offered little threat. Nathan Tyson worked Charles-Cook again as Rovers caught the visitors on the break. Great inter-play between him and Rowe led to Coppinger playing a ball in, as Tyson headed at goal Charles-Cook got a vital hand to it to deny him.
Andy Butler almost got himself on the scoresheet as well as he headed a Coppinger corner just over the crossbar.
With three minutes added time Rovers kept the ball well and frustrated Coventry, taking all three points at the Keepmoat ahead of the trip to Crewe next weekend.
FULL TIME: Rovers 2-0 Coventry
Team Lineups-
Rovers: Matthews, Alcock, Butler, Evina, Lund, McCullough, Rowe, Calder (Middleton 79’), Coppinger ©, Williams, McSheffrey (Tyson 27’)
Unused Subs: Stuckmann, Mandeville, Stewart, Taylor-Sinclair, Chaplow
Cautions: Middleton 82'
Coventry: Charles-Cook, Fleck, Armstrong, Stephens, Rose, Phillips, Jones, (Tudgay 58’), Vincelot (Gadzhev 58’), Murphy (Maddison 69’), Ricketts, Martin
Unused Subs: Lameiras, Lorentzson, Antoine-Fortune, Addai
Attendance: 6,364 (779)