Doncaster Rovers (U18s) 2-2 Rotherham United (U18s)

Doncaster Rovers (U18s) 2-2 Rotherham United (U18s)
Football League Youth Alliance
Saturday 17th August 2019

Jack Watson's smashing injury-time spot-kick meant Rovers' youngsters maintained their unbeaten start to the campaign in a game where, on reflection, a point apiece was a fair result.

Rotherham probably felt as aggrieved with themselves at being unable to hold on for a victory, as much as the officials - who some folk from the other part of South Yorkshire vented their frustrations towards at the final whistle.

But the truth is that neither team played well enough to deserve three points.

The Millers were certainly bigger, stronger and more aggressive, and adopted a direct style due to their height advantage which caused the Rovers defence several problems. They comfortably won more second balls, used their frontmen and wide players exceptionally well at times, and posed a threat in many areas.

Rovers, on the other hand, played much the better football of the two teams - keeping it on the deck, trying to keep possession and using 'balls to feet' to try and cause problems. However, the performance over 90 minutes just simply wasn't consistent enough and too often attacking moves were either rushed or they fizzled out somewhat disappointingly.

On occasions, there were glimpses and snippets of promise - good moves, passes, bits of play, etc, but things were quite scrappy, bitty and frustrating for larger periods and that without doubt suited Rotherham's style and enabled them to get on top and better dictate proceedings.

There were positives which can be drawn as the Rovers lads battled hard to twice come from behind with Will McGowan heading home an equaliser around the hour mark, prior to Watson's spot-kick conversion deep into injury-time.

If it had been a worse team chasing the game against well-drilled and challenging opponents, they may have crumbled and end up slumping to defeat by a bigger margin, but these Rovers boys don't give up that easily; something which bodes well for the future!

Despite a few showers during the pre-match warm-up, it was bright and sunny by the time the game did get underway with Paul Stancliffe naming an unchanged line-up for the second successive weekend.

Rovers began okay in the very early exchanges and created the first opportunity as Watson initiated a move with a quick turn-and-pass-out-wide from the centre circle which then culminated with Liam Ravenhill drawing a low save from the visiting 'keeper.

Rotherham's game-plan; spray direct balls to wide and front players and use their height advantage to good effect - very soon became apparent and they posed a significant threat.

They took the lead after 10 minutes in a move where their player got behind Lewis Cunningham, cut inside slightly, and drilled a low ball towards the centre of the box. Neither skipper Ben Blythe or defensive partner Nathan Dimou could intercept and a striker subsequently cushioned a low shot past Kian Johnson.

It was disappointing for the boys to have gone behind, though things could have got a whole lot worse on the quarter-hour mark when a very similar move ended with a visiting striker being unable to convert.

The need to tighten up defensively to better deal with Rotherham's threat was evident and there were other moves - particularly in the first half-hour, where Johnson was called into action with relatively routine saves and work, whilst Dimou and Blythe had to make timely interceptions, too.

On the whole though, it was largely scrappy and bitty by this stage, yet Rovers did have spells of pressure where they kept possession well, pushed Rotherham back and asked questions.

Lirak Hasani went close with a speculative 20-yard shot, fellow midfielder Ethan Bojang also had an attempt and approaching the break, the boys were beginning to get to grips with their challenging opponents and pose more questions but without fully stamping their blueprint on things.

Generally speaking, barring the individual lapses in concentration which littered the game, that momentum continued early in the second half up to the point where Rovers equalised around the hour mark.

In a brilliant move, Elliott Walker, always a threat in an attacking-sense, burst down the right-flank and linked up with Ravenhill, then floated a teasing cross towards the back-post where McGowan glanced a header beyond the 'keeper.

At 1-1, there was a hope that Rotherham would tire in the last half-hour and the lads would go on to properly get on the front-foot and win the game, but that didn't prove to be the case whatsoever.

Instead, the Millers reacted to conceding in the best possible manner and quickly imposed their game-plan to better effect again and within 10 minutes, they re-established a lead with a low shot eluding Johnson.

It was very much a case of 'back to square one' and given they were chasing the game again, Rovers had no option but to press forward more.

Slowly but surely, it worked.

In one move, Ravenhill should have done better when he was played through by Watson but his touch allowed the covering defender to get back and make a vital interception.

Rovers began to go long themselves in a desperate bid for an equaliser and were offered an additional height advantage at set-plays in the closing minutes as Max Jemson came on for his first appearance of the campaign, replacing Cunningham, with Blythe shifting to left-back.

The referee allowed seven minutes of injury-time; during which Blythe firstly went close to an equaliser with a far-post header following a corner.

Rotherham really needed to see the game out in a professional manner and keep possession as opposed to aimlessly clearing their lines (thus subsequently giving the ball away again), and whether it was nerves or naivety, they didn't do it and it proved costly!

In the fourth minute of injury-time, Watson used his pace to run at a defender before eventually being brought to ground.

The referee immediately blew for a foul then had a long, hard think before deciding the offence had took place inside the box - much to the fury of some folk from Rotherham on the sidelines.

Watson, scorer in last weeks win at Notts County, dusted himself down, stepped up and was cool, calm and composed under pressure to send the 'keeper the wrong way and salvage a point.

However, clearly buzzing at having equalised, the lads seemingly forgot there were still a few minutes remaining of injury-time and nearly threw their hard work away again. Following a lapse in concentration, only some last-ditch defending and a goalbound block prevented the Millers from immediately re-taking the lead.

Incredibly, there was still time for a Rovers chance at the other end, before the referee finally blew his whistle and brought an end to this topsy-turvy contest.

On the whole, there is definitely room for improvement in the Rovers ranks but positives, already mentioned, which can be drawn too.

I'm not going to signal players out for criticism because, by and large, if a player has endured a difficult game, they don't need telling about it. They're capable of working things out for themselves, analysing their own display, acknowledging things, then seeking to improve.

For the majority of the team, both on a collective and individual level, some parts were good, some parts were not so good and need to be worked on.

The challenges which get thrown up against potentially tricky opponents such as Rotherham's side, will undoubtedly help the lads become the best possible versions of themselves in years to come and certainly aid their development.

Between now and next week's game; coincidentally it's against Rotherham at Cantley Park again - this time in the Football League Youth Alliance Cup, I'm also sure the coaching staff and analysts will dissect things to help the lads deliver a more consistent display over 90 minutes.

Team: Kian Johnson, Elliott Walker, Nathan Dimou, Ben Blythe (C), Lewis Cunningham (Max Jemson), Ethan Bojang (Charlie Bell), Lirak Hasani, Will McGowan, Junior Smith, Liam Ravenhill, Jack Watson. Unused Subs: Ben Bottomley, Alek Wolny, Gage Parton.

MOTM: Jack Watson. This was difficult to choose as nobody was absolutely outstanding today, unlike the past couple of weeks, but he wins it for his composure under pressure with the penalty in injury-time and some good work which led to chances.