Saturday 19th April 2008-04-20 Cantley Park Doncaster 11am

It was a bitterly cold Saturday morning that greeted the Rovers youth for their last match of the season. The Rovers kicked off and straight from the start Fairhurst had a chance, which he pulled wide. Rovers were doing all the attacking in the early stages, and were playing some neat football. This was the last match for some of the youngsters, who have been released by Rovers. On twenty minutes there was a collision between Fairhurst and Mark Gray the Grimsby centre half. Gray lay prostrate and the referee had no hesitation in calling on the phsyio. It turned out that Gray had dislocated his thumb, and it looked nasty. He was sent straight to hospital. A minute later and a long bouncing ball into the Grimsby area, HENDERSON latched on to it, and as the keeper came to meet him, he coolly lobbed him for the first Rovers goal.

Twenty six minutes gone and the Grimsby scored to make it 1 - 1 PARKER getting onto a cross from the right wing, which went across the face of goal, and he tapped in at the far post. From then on play was pretty even up to the interval, where the teams went in level at 1 - 1.

Just two minutes into the second half, and the fireworks were set off. A long ball into the Rovers half was chased by a Grimsby forward, Biggs the Rovers keeper came out, and handled the ball outside his area, the referee applying the law had no option to send the young 'keeper off. Rovers had to make a change, so they brought off Bibby and sent on Hawksworth who went into the net. His first sign of action was to pick the ball out of the net from the resulting free kick, from BRADLEY WOOD. It was all Grimsby now as they had the extra man. But the young players rallied, and held them at bay with only ten men. The Rovers gradually got on top, and you would have thought that Grimsby had only ten men.

An hour played and it was all Rovers, attack after attack and they could and should have scored more goals, as they were far superior. It was left to a cracking goal after sixty four minutes from TOM GRIFFITHS to settle the match. A free kick was awarded to Rovers some thirty yards from goal. Griffiths stepped up to unleash an unstoppable sot from all of thirty-yards. Two minutes later and Henderson was clean through with only the keeper to beat for his hat trick, but the keeper got a leg in the way of his goal bound shot. Another minute on and Tom Griffiths hit the Grimsby bar, it was all Rovers with only ten men. On seventy eight minutes Sam Woods of Grimsby was booked for dissent. Rovers still pressed right up to the end, and were worthy winner in the end. There were a lot of sad faces as the referee blew for time. And I only hope all the youngsters released find another club quickly.

So now Willo, Stan, John Chappell, and yours truly Barry Watson can have a deserved rest till next season. Hope to see you all next season.

TEAMS:
DONCASTER Biggs Fenney Conkleton Fisher Charles Duffy Hall Shielis (Stoddart
80) Fairhurst Bibby (Hawksworth 47) Henderson.
Unused subs: Jack Nodder Aaron Moxam Mathew Martin.

GRIMSBY Overton Wood Liam Davis Brittle Gray (Woods 21) Parker Fuller
Rhodes Dixon Freeman (Steve Davis 69) Greening (Birdsall 64)