Rovers U18s get back to winning ways at the expense of Notts County.
Notts County U18s – 0
Doncaster Rovers U18s – 1 (Henderson 53’)
Saturday 26th March 2016
Arnold Town Football Club, Nottingham
Youth Alliance League
Doncaster Rovers first team manager Darren Ferguson claimed that he would not rule out playing the youth team in Monday’s game against Blackpool and after today’s performance the youngsters certainly gave him something to think about.
It was a very wet and windy morning in Nottingham which saw the ball swirl around the pitch giving the goalkeepers a very hard job indeed, with that in mind Michael Carberry set out to give County goalkeeper Curtis Hall a tough time.
An early free-kick by the left footer was whipped into the far post, the ball was taken by the wind and startled the flat-footed goalkeeper but luckily for him the ball ended up in his grasp.
There was an early shout for a Rovers penalty as Matthew Parkin was clipped inside the penalty area but the man in the middle was unconvinced.
On the 25th minute Rovers came close to breaking the deadlock, some lovely build up play from Parkin and Lloyd Henderson. The ball was whipped to the back post by Parkin in the direction of the on-rushing Joe Pugh whose goal-bound header was somehow cleared off the goal line.
The visitors had another shout for a penalty 11 minutes later and this time it was on striker Henderson, the youngster managed to trick his way into the box before having his ankle clipped in the box but somehow the referee failed to give the stonewall foul.
Half time: Notts County U18s 0-0 Doncaster Rovers U18s
Rovers came out for the second half in fighting fashion which we have come to expect this season from Paul Stancliffe’s men and it took five minutes after the break to have their first real opening.
A long throw into the box by Pugh was miss-judged by the goalkeeper, however he managed to somehow tip the ball over the bar via the crossbar.
Notts County had their first notable effort on the 50th minute, the ball was picked up in the centre of midfield by Alex Howes who carried the ball a long way before offloading it to Ryan Ebanks, the youngster lashed his effort well over Louis Jones’ crossbar.
Three minutes later Rovers finally found their opener.
A lovely piece of team football as the visitors worked the ball from back to front with ease, the ball worked into the feet of Jordan Linley who offloaded it to Ryan Wanless who returned the favour, Linley advanced into the box before forcing a one handed save from Hall.
The ball was pushed into the direction of the lurking Henderson who had the easy job of sticking the ball into the empty net to give Rovers a well-earned lead in Nottingham.
With 10 minutes of the game remaining Rovers could have had the fixture sown up, an out-swinging corner by skipper Linley was met by the head of Mbuti who had made his way up from the back but the defender could not angle his effort on target.
Full Time: Notts County U18s 0-1 Doncaster Rovers U18s
NCFC STARTING XI: Hall, Wildin, Layton, Ebanks, Richards, Bugg, Osborne, McMillian, Campbell (Brownhill 60’), Gibbons (Gibson 45’), Howe.
NCFC SUBS NOT USED: Slarson-Smithard, Aghatise, McCartney
DRFC STARTING XI: Jones, Fielding, Carberry, Williamson, Mbuti, Longbottom, Parkin, Linley, Pugh, Wanless, Henderson.
DRFC SUBS NOT USED: Barker, Overton, Leverton, James