Match Report | Doncaster Rovers

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A mild but dull afternoon welcomed the Sky cameras to the Keepmoat Stadium for today's match against Huddersfield Town. A good match is expected as both teams look to pull away from the problem area at the wrong end of the table. The Rovers made one change from last Saturday's line-up at Luton, Gordon Greer coming in for the injured Steve Roberts. There was also a change on the bench, with Gareth Roberts taking a place after his hamstring problem. Our visitors, old foes Huddersfield Town, also made changes. Chris Brandon reported fit and takes his place in the line-up and Danny Cadamarteri comes in after suspension. However, Frank Sinclair is suspended, Jon Worthington is out with a stomach problem and Robbie Williams is not yet fit. The Rovers defended the South Stand end in the first half.

With the cameras rolling the Rovers set the ball rolling and it was match on. Both sides showed their attacking intentions in the first five minutes, with the Rovers winning the first corner of the game in the 6th minute. This came to nothing but the home team continued to attack culminating in Wellens getting in a shot from 25 yards that Glennon saved. Then a good move down the right, with O'Connor putting the ball through for Coppinger to shoot from an angle but it was deflected for a corner. In the 13th minute, another move down the right had Stock feeding Coppinger, who turned his man before laying the ball back for STOCK to rifle in from fully 25 yards. Glennon got a hand to it but was unable to stop it whistling past him into the net. The Terriers tried to hit back immediately with their first real incursion into the Rovers half for some time but the Rovers defence snuffed it out. It became one way traffic after this as the Rovers followed attack after attack. A corner from the Rovers left was headed into the side netting at the far post by Greer after 23 minutes. Two minutes later, a good move by the Rovers on their left forced a corner followed by a second one. On 28 minutes, a cross from the right by O'Connor following a great build-up was met by a Coppinger header which Glennon saved well. Then Hayter, on the right, passed inside to Wilson but he skied his shot high over the bar. Past the half hour and the visitors got the ball and put Cadamarteri through on goal but Mills tackle saved the day although Town claimed Cadamarteri had been barged over and therefore wanted a penalty. The referee wasn't remotely interested. Minutes later, following a Rovers corner, the Town launched a quick counter attack that forced a corner, which Clarke, at the far post, headed wide. The visit ors now had their best spell of the match as time ran down to the break. On 39 minutes Cadamarteri worked a shooting chance in the Rovers penalty area but miskicked, the ball travelling back to Wallwork, who fired woefully wide from 25 yards. On the stroke of half time they gained a corner on their right. The ball was played low across the face of goal but Beckett missed the ball and it was put out for another corner on the Town left. This time Holdsworth put a low ball in that travelled all the way across the face of goal in a crowded penalty area without anybody from either side managing to touch it. The break came with the Rovers going in with a single goal lead.

Huddersfield came out in the second half and carried on where they had left off, winning a corner in the first minute. Continuing to attack they pushed the Rovers back on defence but didn't provide any problems for Sullivan in the Rovers goal. The Rovers first threatening attack came after ten minutes of the half when a free kick on their right touchline caused problems in the huddersfield penalty area before the ball came out to Mills who fired wide. Two corners for the Rovers followed immediately, from the second of which Mills again put wide. Two minutes on and Glennon bravely dived at Hayter's feet to save. The match had evened out at this stage but on 65 minutes Wellens dribbled his way past several defenders before cutting the ball back from the left byline. It was behind the Rovers players but the ball was put out for a throw in on the Rovers right. The throw went to WILSON, who fired a low, left footed drive from the angle of the penalty area just inside the Huddersfield far post. The Rovers piled on the pressure now with a couple of corners, the second of which Greer headed just wide. Then Hayter was played in on goal but again Glennon foiled him by winning the tackle. Huddersfield put in an attack, with Beckett feeding Schofield, the substitute, on the right so that his first touch of the ball was to shoot at goal but Sullivan was equal to it and saved. On 74 minutes, a good link-up on the Rovers right had O'Connor giving to Hayter, taking the return ball and shooting from close range through Clarke's legs but Glennon, who must have been unsighted, saved brilliantly. The Rovers, now dominating the game continued to press and two minutes from time could have added to their score. Following a corner on the Rovers right, Stock put in a cross that skimmed off Greer's head. Nelthorpe picked it up on the left and lifted a high ball that came off the face of the bar and the Town defence cleared. In added on time, Heffernan fed Nelthorpe on the left and a low cross bypassed Heffernan for Green to come in at the far post and have his shot blocked. The whistle went on a good win for the Rovers following a good footballing display that hopefully entertained the TV watchers and showed the standard of League 1.

Teams - ROVERS - Neil Sullivan; James O'Connor, Matt Mills, Gordon Greer, Adam Lockwood, Sean McDaid; Richie Wellens, Brian Stock, Mark Wilson; James Coppinger, James Hayter.

Subs used - Paul Heffernan for Coppinger 78 mins; Craig Nelthorpe for Hayter 87 mins; Paul Green for Wellens 87 mins;

Subs not used - Gareth Roberts, Sam Hird,

Huddersfield Town - Matt Glennon; Andy Holdsworth, Richard Keogh, David Mirfin, Nathan Clarke, Joe Skarz; Ronnie Wallwork, Michael Collins, Chris Brandon; Danny Cadamarteri, Luke Beckett.

Subs used - Malvin Kamara for Murfin 72 mins; Danny Schofield for Brandon 72 mins;

Subs not used - Andy Booth, Shane Killock, Alex Smithies (GK)

Cautions - Clarke,