Doncaster Rovers 0-1 Oxford United

Doncaster Rovers 0-1 Oxford United
Keepmoat Stadium
Saturday 21st April 2018
League One

A good afternoon for the southerners

Every now and then in football, teams dominate a game, create a shed load of chances and then suffer a sucker-punch where their hard work gets undone and the opposition are left celebrating.

Although there's close to nothing resting on the remaining fixtures of Doncaster's season, they endured a frustrating afternoon in South Yorkshire as Oxford visited the Keepmoat Stadium for the first time, picked their pockets and pinched three points.

The game wasn't a classic, and it even had shades of a pre-season friendly at times, but the result means that the visitors have all but mathematically guaranteed their League One status for another 12 months.

Oxford have goalkeeper Simon Eastwood to thank for their victory as his 'Man of the Match' performance was sublime and he pulled off several saves to deny Donny's frontline; spearheaded by the ever-impressive work-horse that is John Marquis.

Outside the ground before kick-off

It was Marquis' strike-partner Alfie May who first tested the U's 'keeper, midway through the first half, when he carved out a chance for himself with some clever footwork but Eastwood was quick off his line to narrow the angle and smother the youngster's powerful effort.

Marquis then powered a shot straight at Eastwood as Rovers searched for a win that would give them a very good chance of ending the season in the top half of the table.

At the other end, Oxford knocked the ball around quite well and they probably shaded the early midfield battle, but a combination of wayward shooting and attacks breaking down in the final third meant that Donny 'keeper Marko Marosi was hardly tested throughout the opening 45 minutes.

Oxford's fans traveled in good numbers for their first game at the Keepmoat Stadium

Marosi was finally given some real work to do shortly after the re-start when he made a routine stop from Jon Obika's low set-piece header, whilst Marquis had a similar effort gathered by Eastwood at the other end.

What could then be described as a game-changing moment occurred just shy of the hour mark when Oxford's on loan Doncaster-born midfielder Alex Mowatt was replaced by James Henry, who went on to score what would be the match-winning goal.

In some quarters, the substitution may fit straight into the book of 'Claptrap Cliches' and would be described as inspired, superb, etc, but it's worth remembering that for the first five minutes of Henry's time on the pitch, Oxford got absolutely ripped wide open and were lucky not to have found themselves behind.

The West Stand mafia had another afternoon of lino-bashing

Marquis emphatically smashed the ball home from Ben Whiteman's clever ball, but was judged to have strayed into an offside position so the goal didn't count, and then in a separate attack, Eastwood produced a magnificent point-blank save to deny Matty Blair when it seemed for all the world that the former York and Mansfield man would find the net.

With Darren Ferguson's team well on top, the visitors then went and did their best Dick Turpin impersonation by springing a surprise counter-attack from which they opened the scoring. Some slack marking meant Ryan Ledson wasn't noticed unmarked in the middle and he broke out-wide before delivering an inch-perfect cross for Henry who headed home.

It's become almost habitual for Doncaster fans to moan about referees over the years and this game was no different as the officials bore the brunt of protests after two failed penalty appeals.

Looking towards the East Stand's prawn sarnie army

May went down cheaply for the first appeal and then theatrically throwing his arms up in the air - evidently disappointed that his blatant dive failed to fool the officials, before substitute Jordan Houghton drew much more meaningful contact which, perhaps with a different referee, it would have resulted in a spot-kick.

The appeals at least proved Donny were getting the ball into dangerous areas despite Oxford's evident tactics to waste as much time as possible (who can blame them?) and they were yet again foiled when Eastwood's spectacular fingertip save denied Marquis a deserved goal with a quarter-of-an-hour remaining.

Nevertheless, Rovers run out of ideas in the dying minutes as the visitors soaked up the pressure and by the time the long ball tactics were adopted and started coming into the box, no home player on the pitch seemed capable of acting as a proper target man to give them half a chance of an equaliser.

These folk had little to cheer on a frustrating afternoon

Whether Ferguson's players missed the influence of James Coppinger, who grabbed two assists in Tuesday's 3-3 draw with Bury, is a valid argument but their season look dangerously as if it's going to peter out.

Oxford, on the other hand, barring an almighty cock up, now appear to be safe and Karl Robinson will be eager to ensure there's no relegation worries next term.