REPORT
Doncaster Rovers 2
(Mandeville 54, Longbottom 82)
Derby County 2
(Wilson 8, Weimann 90)
(Rovers win shootout 4-3)
Tuesday September 24
Keepmoat Stadium, Doncaster
Checkatrade Trophy
Rovers secured two points in an entertaining Checkatrade Trophy clash with Derby.
Rovers had to come from behind after James Wilson's opening strike, but goals from Liam Mandeville and Will Longbottom looked to have secured all three points for Rovers,
Andreas Weimann's late leveller denied Rovers the win but brought the drama of a penalty shootout for a bonus point - where two saves from Marko Marosi earned Rovers the bonus point.
Darren Ferguson made a number of changes, with James Coppinger, Andy Williams and Tommy Rowe among those rested following Saturday's impressive win at Portsmouth.
That meant opportunities for players such as Liam Mandeville, Alfie Beestin and Harry Middleton. Both sides started well and looked assured on the ball, but Derby created the first chances. James Wilson saw an effort deflected wide for a corner after four minutes, but made no mistake four minutes later when he lashed home a low drive.
Joe Wright became the first player booked after 13 minutes when he brought down Nick Blackman. The Derby forward dusted himself off to take the free-kick, but his fierce effort was straight at Marosi who parried the ball away.
The next chance did not come until the half-hour mark, when Beestin's long free-kick into the area was headed just wide by John Marquis.
Ferguson made two changes, with Wright and Cedric Evina coming off in a pre-planned move. Reece Fielding and Tyler Garrat came on in their place.
Derby will have felt they could have doubled their lead after 34 minutes after Wilson was brought down for a central free-kick about 25 yards out. Rovers have every man back behind the ball, but Blackman blasted the set-piece well over.
Mandeville went closer than anyone to a leveller after 40 minutes when he broke into the area but his low shot went just wide of the far post.
Visiting keeper Henrich Ravas also had to be out quickly to close down a Riccardo Calder effort as Rovers finished the half strongly.
HALF-TIME: Rovers 0 Derby County 1
Neither side made any changes at the break, and Rovers drew level after 54 minutes through Mandeville.
Beestin's impressive pass took out the entire Derby backline to find Mandeville. He collected the ball and calmly slotted it home into the bottom left corner.
Marosi had to be alert to parry away a fine drive from Blackman, but Rovers were now pushing for a second.
Mandeville passed up a shooting chance to instead chip the ball over to his strike partner Marquis, whose powerful volley was too close to Ravas.
Mandeville again went close as he slid in to try and get on the end of an inviting cross from Garratt, but it was blocked just in time for a corner. He was taken off with 15 minutes to go, to be replaced by Will Longbottom.
Rovers looked the most likely to get the match's third goal, with Baudry twice heading the ball dangerously towards Ravas and Beestin also going close.
Longbottom ensured the chances Rovers created did not go to waste. A free-kick was headed back across goal by Marquis, and Longbottom got down low to head it home for his first Rovers goal.
But this was not to be the fairy tale ending Longbottom had hoped for. A long cross to the far post found Andreas Weimann, whose looping header went past Marosi and in at the far post.
The late equaliser meant there was a shootout for the extra point, with Marosi pulling off two stops to ensure Rovers sit top of the group with five points from their opening two games.
FULL-TIME: Rovers 2 Derby County 2
ROVERS | Marosi, Mason, Wright (Fielding), Baudry, Evina (Garratt), Keegan, Calder, Beestin, Middleton, Marquis (c), Mandeville (Longbottom). ROVERS SUBS | Etheridge, James, Amos, Scattergood. BOOKED | Wright, Keegan, Beestin.
DERBY XI | Ravas, Russell, Wilson (Camara), Blackman, Weimann, Rawson (c), Cover, Guy, Santos, Stabana, Vernam. (Bennett). DERBY SUBS | Babos, Barnes, Gordon, Jakobsen, Bateman. BOOKED | Rawson
ATTENDANCE | 1,515 (94 away).