Doncaster Rovers

Rovers are back in action against Barrow in Sky Bet League Two on Tuesday night.

Gary McSheffrey’s side haven’t played in the league since suffering their first defeat of the season at home to Mansfield Town on September 3. 

Here we provide all the details on our latest opponents.

Manager

Pete Wild was appointed as Barrow boss in the summer, joining from National League side Halifax after an impressive three years in West Yorkshire.

After two stints in caretaker charge at Oldham Athletic, the 38-year-old was appointed at the Shay in the summer of 2019. The Shaymen finished sixth in his first season at the club, before a 10th-placed finish a year later.

His last season would turn out to be the best of all, as they ended the regular season in fourth having amassed 84 points throughout the campaign. The play-offs would ultimately end in heartbreak though as they were beaten 2-1 at home to Chesterfield in May.

Early season form

After finishing 22nd and six points above the relegation zone last season, the Bluebirds have started this season in fine form having earned 15 points from a possible 21.

They won 3-2 on the opening day at Stockport County, before beating Bradford City by the same score-line a week later. Their first defeat came on the road at Sutton United, but they bounced back quickly with a 2-1 win over Walsall three days later.

Their good form continued throughout August with consecutive 1-0 victories over Harrogate Town and AFC Wimbledon respectively, before they were beaten 3-1 at Northampton Town in their last outing.

Key men

Left back Patrick Brough joined Barrow from Scottish side Falkirk in 2019. Having made his professional debut for Carlisle United in 2013, he made almost 50 appearances for the Brunton Park outfit before signing for Morecambe in 2017. 

He spent just one season at Morecambe and a further 12 months at Falkirk, before arriving at Holker Street. In his first full season at the club, Brough made 33 appearances as the club won promotion to the EFL. He has now played 135 times for Barrow, and has made more than 200 league appearances throughout his career.

Ben Whitfield joined Barrow in the summer after leaving newly promoted Stockport County at the end of last season. A product of the Bournemouth Academy, he played the majority of his early career out on loan with the likes of Kidderminster Harriers, Yeovil Town and Port Vale, before a permanent move to Vale Park in 2018.

By that time he had already racked up well over 100 appearances, he has since had a spell with Torquay United before a season at with Stockport.

His time at Barrow got off to the perfect start, scoring at Edgeley Park on the opening day, before finding the back of the net against Bradford a week later.

Josh Gordon arrived at Barrow from Walsall in the summer of 2021. The former Leicester trainee moved to the Banks’s Stadium in 2018 after making four EFL Trophy appearances during his time with the Foxes. He scored his first ever league goal for Walsall in a Sky Bet League One clash with Sunderland in March 2018.

He scored 26 goals in 123 appearances for the Saddlers, before signing for Barrow. Having found the back of the net seven times in his first season at Holker Street, the 27-year-old is well on track to beat that this time around, having scored five league goals in the current campaign.

Last league meeting

Tuesday’s game will be the first clash between the two sides since January 1972, when Rovers ran out 2-1 winners in Cumbria.