Rovers lose ground in the title race after last minute winner.
Mansfield Town U18s – 1 (Johal 88’)
Doncaster Rovers U18s – 0
Saturday 12th March 2016, 11:00am
Rainworth Miners Welfare, Mansfield
Youth Alliance League
Doncaster Rovers U18s returned to action for the first time since the 30th of January, it was looking like a well-earned point for the visitors however substitute Tyler Johal had the last say in the game giving the hosts three points on the 88th minute.
Paul Stancliffe’s men started brightly and it only took them six minutes to forge an opening, a long throw into the box by Michael Carberry, the ball landed at the feet of centre-half Kevin Mbuti who lashed the ball over Adam Bishop’s crossbar.
Mbuti could have been on the score sheet three times in the first half, his second effort of the game was a header at the back post, after some lovely build-up from back to front it was angled into Mbuti who was ghosting in at the back post to force Bishop to tip the ball over the top.
His third and final effort of the game was another header and on another day it could have easily dropped in, a whipped free-kick by Jordan Linley was met by the head of Mbuti but his flicked effort was inches wide of the left-hand post.
The best chance of the half fell to striker Joe Pugh, a quick-free kick from Rovers was picked up by Will Longbottom, the youngster drilled the ball across the 18-yard box and there was Pugh who was perfectly positioned but he sliced his effort well wide of the right-post.
Half Time: Mansfield Town U18s 0-0 Doncaster Rovers U18s
Rovers were fast out of the traps and should have taken the lead on the 48th minute, a smart quick throw by Tyler Walker was picked up by Pugh who saw Bishop off his line, the forward tried to dink the keeper but his effort just crept wide of the left post.
Mansfield were yet to register a shot on target in the game but that changed in their first attack of the second half, a corner was not dealt with by the Rovers defence and up popped Kane Baldwin to nod his effort on target, luckily for the visitors Walker was back on the goal line to clear the danger.
The game began to open up and both teams were starting to penetrate each other’s lines, however Rovers were looking more likely to break the deadlock as the second half progressed.
Mansfield began to get a foothold in the game and they could have taken the lead on the 85th minute, the Rovers defence were caught napping and failed to spot the run of Devante Reittie, he picked ball up and fired wide of James Leverton’s left-hand post.
A let off for Rovers.
Mansfield did however take the lead three minutes later, again Paul Stancliffe’s men were not prepared for a long throw in, it was picked up by substitute Tyler Johal who had only been on the pitch five minutes, he rolled his marker and blasted the ball past the stranded Leverton who had no chance of keeping it out.
Full Time: Mansfield Town U18s 1-0 Doncaster Rovers U18s
MTFC STARTING XI: Bishop, Bloor, Baldwin, Danquah, Ratcliffe, Harrison, Gibson (Johal 83’), Healey, Blake, Smith, Hakeem (Reittie 75’).
MTFC SUBS NOT USED: Wilson, Shaw, Marriott.
DRFC STARTING XI: Leverton, Turnbull, Carberry, Walker, Mbuti, Fielding, Parkin (Longbottom 20’), Linley, Pugh, Wanless (Henderson 66’), Barker.
DRFC SUBS NOT USED: Prior, James.