A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OUR FANS

A mild, pleasant afternoon greeted the Rovers at Walsall, where everyone looked forward to a good game to welcome in the New Year. For the Rovers, of course, three points will be a welcome New Year present and also avenge the defeat we suffered at the Keepmoat earlier in the season. However, Walsall have an unbeaten run of 14 games to protect and are only 1 point behind the Rovers in the play-off positions. The Rovers made one change from Saturday, James Hayter starting and switching places with Mark McCammon, who drops to the bench. Walsall include Don Fox, back from suspension but have lost Tommy Mooney, with a hamstring problem. The Rovers defended the end where their sizeable following were seated and attacked the end with the double tiered Stand.

The Rovers kicked off but it was the home team who set the pace getting in a couple of long range shots in the first few minutes from Taundry and Dann that Sullivan saved comfortably. The game soon settled down to an even contest. On 13 minutes the Rovers attacked with Coppinger down the left but Steve Roberts, in the middle, got under the ball and headed over from 15 yards . Two minutes later and Coppinger, on the left, turned inside Gerrard but fired wide of the far post from just inside the Walsall penalty area. Coppinger followed this by taking a pass from Green on the right, getting into the penalty area before a great tackle by Taundry saved the day for the home team. On 21 minutes, Price put the ball in the net but was adjudged offside. Three minutes on and Weston , for the Saddlers, went down their right before putting in a good cross that Ricketts failed to get to. At the other end, a good build up led to Price having a clear shot at goal from 15 yards but he didn't get any power on the shot leaving Ince, the Walsall keeper, to collect easily. Back came the home team to win the game's first corner but it was cleared. Another corner followed shortly afterwards but Sullivan came out to catch well. Demontagnac then fired over from the edge of the penalty area. This was Walsall's best period and Ricketts was just wide with an effort from 25 yards. On 39 minutes, Ricketts, on the Walsall left touchline put a good cross to the middle for Sonko to nod in but he managed to put it wide from close range. A corner followed two minutes later but Bradley, at the far post, put a flying header over the bar. The remaining minutes of the first half were the Rovers. A long clearance out of defence found Coppinger on the left. His cross into the six yard box had price stooping to head in but the keeper was out to block and the header went wide as Price lay injured. Into added-on time and another Rovers attack saw Steve Roberts feed Hayter in the penalty area to the right. His shot was blocked by Ince but PRICE followed up to bundle the ball into the net thus letting the Rovers go in at the break with the lead.

Walsall started the second half but gifted the ball to the Rovers, who went down the left to Hayter. He drove in a shot from distance but Ince fumbled at the foot of the near post giving the Rovers a corner. However, this was cleared. Walsall's first assault on the Rovers goal came on 53 minutes, with a free kick on their left which Sullivan collected just ahead of several Walsall players. Straight to the other end and Coppinger fired wide from 25 yards. Walsall then attacked down their right but Sonko tried his luck from the angle and hit the side netting. Past the hour and Stock hit a terrific drive from 25 yards that Ince did well to tip over for a corner. On 68 minutes, Fox, on the Walsall left, put over a cross, which Deeney headed on goal only to see Sullivan catch it well under the bar. four minutes later and a free kick to Walsall 25 yards out was fired straight into the Rovers wall of players prompting loud shouts for a penalty but the referee ignored them. On 73 minutes, the home team forced a corner on their right, which brought a firm header by DANN into the back of the Rovers net. With ten minutes to go a Rovers free kick from Stock was headed wide by Steve Roberts. Walsall, who were having the better of things at this stage, then had a corner from which Dann headed over. Stock, with five minutes to go fired wide from 25 yards but Walsall kept the pressure on the Rovers defence. The referee somehow found four minutes to add on and it nearly worked in the Rovers favour. With the last kick of the game, they burst through the thin ranks of the Walsall defence. The ball was played into the six yard box to the left of goal, with Guy getting to it a split second before Ince but the ball finished in the side netting, with the Rovers fans behind that goal anticipating the inside of the net bulging for the winning goal. It was not to be and the final whistle heralded a point apiece, a result that was perhaps the fairest one.

Teams - Walsall - Clayton Ince; Rhys Weston, Daniel Fox, Anthony Gerrard, Darren Wrack, Ishmel Demontagnac, Scott Dann, Mark Bradley, Edrissa Sonko, Richard Taundry, Michael Ricketts

Subs used - Alex Nicholls for Taundry 57 mins; Troy Deeney for Sonko 64 mins; Paul Hall for Demontagnac 85 mins;

Subs not used - Ian Roper, Bertrand Bossu (GK)

Cautions - Sonko, Deeney,

DONCASTER ROVERS - Neil Sullivan; James O'Connor, Steve Roberts, Adam Lockwood, Gareth Roberts; Paul Green, Richie Wellens, Brian Stock, James Coppinger; James Hayter, Jason Price

Subs used - Mark McCammon for Price 66 mins; Mark Wilson for Coppinger 75 minutes; Lewis Guy for Hayter 81 mins;

Subs not used - Martin Woods, Craig Nelthorpe

Cautions - Steve Roberts,