An inexperienced Rovers side dominate against title contenders
Doncaster Rovers U18s – 3 (Overton 20’, Longbottom 46’, Mbuti 90’)
Burton Albion U18s - 0
Saturday 23rd April 2016, 11:00am
Cantley Park Training Ground, Doncaster
Youth Alliance League
Skipper Joe Pugh picked the ball up and rifled the penalty towards the bottom left corner however out came the stretched right hand of Lewis Walker to pull off a tremendous one handed save to keep the scores level.
Rovers picked themselves up and would not be denied the opening goal and eight minutes later they were ahead, a long throw in by Pugh was headed down by Kevin Mbuti into the path of Overton who lashed a half volley into the bottom right corner.
Just after the half hour mark the hosts could have doubled their lead, full back Reece Fielding bombed down the wing and drilled a ball across the box which found the advancing Lloyd Henderson who poked his effort just wide.
There was one final chance of the half and it fell to the home side, striker Pugh left Smith for dead once again which included a very nice nutmeg, he pulled the ball back to the edge of the box which found Parkin however as he was about to pull the trigger Gatter got back and made a crucial interception.
Half Time: Doncaster Rovers U18s 1-0 Burton Albion U18s
The second half started in the same fashion as the first did with a carbon copy penalty decision which gave the referee no choice but to award it, Gatter once again put in a daft challenge and took out Pugh.
This time it was a different penalty taker which came with a different out come, first year Longbottom dispatched it without problem to double Rovers’ lead.
It should have been game over on the 51st and 55th minute respectively, first it was some brilliant build up play by Parkin and Pugh down the right hand side, the ball was fired in and was somehow blasted over the bar by goal scorer Longbottom.
The second chance in that four minute spell somehow fell to the lively Pugh, the striker took one touch to give himself some room for the shot but like Longbottom he fired it well over the bar.
Burton had their first notable chance of the game on the 63rd minute, some slick build up play by the visitors created some space for Cameron Steele to let fly from 25-yards out, the ball look destined to end up in the top left corner but out came the hand of Louis Jones to make a superb save.
As the second half progressed Rovers looked certain to score another and it nearly came through an unlikely source in full back Fielding, the ball fell to him on the edge of the box and he unleashed a powerful left footed effort which flew inches wide.
That third and final goal did eventually come and it was something off the training ground, a short corner from Pugh found Parkin who fired the ball across the box, there was Mbuti to get the final touch to round off a very impressive performance by the a dominant Rovers.
Full Time: Doncaster Rovers U18s 3-0 Burton Albion U18s
DRFC STARTING XI: Jones, Fielding, Amos, Walker (James 22’), Mbuti, Bingley, Henderson, Parkin, Pugh (C), Overton (Scattergood 70’), Longbottom.
DRFC SUBS NOT USED: Townrow, Hillam.
BAFC STARTING XI: Walker (Hawkins 83’), Cotterill, Hutchinson, Hallahan, Smith, Gatter, Dowd, Matthews, Davies, Sbarra, Steele.
BAFC SUBS NOT USED: Harrison, Brown, Saville, Henchcliffe.
CAUTIONS
Joe Pugh – Yellow- 85’
Max Smith – Yellow- 85’