Rotherham United 3-2 Doncaster Rovers

Rotherham United 3-2 Doncaster Rovers
EFL Trophy
Tuesday 9th October 2019

For many of the younger lads at Doncaster Rovers who featured in this game, this experience will be absolutely priceless in their development into hopefully making a career at a decent level.

It's as close to the 'first team' matchday experience as it gets without actually competing for points and playing in a Football League game.

Unlike a 'development' fixture which is usually played on either a windswept training ground with half-a-dozen spectators on the sidelines or on an uneven pitch at some nondescript non-league venue, it's in a proper stadium environment.

There's the plush surroundings of the dressing room, the opportunity to work alongside 'proper' senior players who compete in the first team each week, the named and numbered shirts - something you don't get in youth/reserve team football, the fact there are many fans who have travelled to watch the game and all the b*llocks that brings with it.

Most importantly, though, with the manager present on the touchline, in the changing room and around for a 'matchday' - again, not always the case in youth/reserve football, it's an opportunity to impress and get noticed with a stellar display that's not just 'in training'.

The EFL Trophy might be maligned by ignorant fans who'll still turn up at Wembley anyway should their club get to the final, but for the reasons I've mentioned it's valuable for players such as AJ Greaves, Shane Blaney, Danny Amos and Will Longbottom who all featured tonight.

After the first quarter-of-an-hour by which the lads were already trailing courtesy of Joe Wright's own goal, there was a nagging feeling in the back of my mind that Rotherham might rock up a significant scoreline which just ends up demoralising certain players.

As things panned out, Rovers got to grips with it eventually and were maybe a shade unfortunate not to hold out and get a positive result which would have either ensured qualification for the knockout stages or put them in with a very good chance of doing so.

Instead, tonight's result means all four teams in this group; Manchester United's U23s and Lincoln City being the other two, could all still qualify with various permutations.

Nevertheless, the game was very enjoyable - much more so than last week's three-hundred miles per hour Central League Cup clash at Cantley Park (which was littered with mistakes) and there were various different scenarios that tested the lads. On the whole, this challenge is better than a group of players just winning every week, not being properly challenged and thus becoming better footballers.

Other match reports with precise minute-by-minute/blow-by-blow stuff can be found elsewhere, but as I saw this game: Rotherham fielded an experienced/very capable XI (despite making several changes from Saturday's win over Coventry City) and enjoyed success in the air. Rovers had a good 15-minute spell prior to the break then another period of good play in which the goal came after half-time - as well as Longbottom's chance, before the hosts pressed well, squeezed back the initiative and carved out the 3-2 victory which reflected the territorial pressure they enjoyed.

In terms of individual player performances, Ian Lawlor guessed right when he saved their penalty and, in my view, there wasn't an awful lot he could do about any of the three goals which he conceded.

At left-back, Danny Amos was okay - calm, composed, offered an attacking outlet on occasions, showed good positional awareness most of the time and never looked as if he'd get caught out if their was a quick turnover in play. Up against Julien Lamy (who was decent in the Under 23s game last week), he reduced that threat to a minimum and, on the whole, deserves praise. The only minor criticism that I've got was when a left-sided cross was palmed by Lawlor beyond the back-post around the hour mark, Amos opted to make a partial-headed clearance under pressure instead of just knocking it behind for a corner. As a result, Rotherham won the second ball, recycled it and the pressure wasn't over until Lawlor had claimed another cross into the box. In a worst-case scenario, if that particular attack had resulted in an equaliser (at that point), he might have been held responsible for it. However, that aside, it was a good performance and he should be happy with it.  He also went quite close to pole-axing the referee in injury-time with a long kick towards the centre circle, which made me chuckle - not what I needed following hernia surgery last week though as it bloody hurts the tender areas!

At right-back, Brad Halliday delivered his 'usual' performance - pushing up very high and offering a wide option to supplement rare, first half attacking forays. Initially, this characteristic was something which worried me but it's grown on me as the weeks have passed.

Donervon Daniels replaced Halliday at the half-time interval and I don't want to write too much about his 45-minute performance as it's only the second time which I've seen him play - and tonight he was on the far side to where I was.

Shane Blaney and Joe Wright, the centre-back pairing, had indifferent games. Wright scored with two headers - one of which was obviously the own goal, but that's football - it happens, he got over it and responded in the best way possible by scoring and doing well in the air. Blaney, in my opinion, struggled in the air against physically stronger opponents and was like a rabbit caught in headlights in the very early stages. However, as the game progressed, he got better, put in three or four solid challenges - didn't shirk them or pussyfoot around, had that organisation and leadership - communicating/organising, etc, and he's clearly got potential. Yes, he gave away a penalty and it was a mistimed challenge and the referee made the right decision, etc, but it happens - that’s football and the more games he plays, the better he will become. To reach the next level, he probably needs to become stronger and more dominant - particularly in the air, and if he can glean some of Wright's attributes in that area, then he's going to be a solid enough defender in two or three years time. His distribution was 'hit and miss' and most memorable one was when, with Rotherham pressing high, he paid a pass out wide to a stretching Amos - which ended up going out of play, when he should have just sent it long.

Given it was his debut, AJ Greaves seemed to have absolutely no nerves. He looked fully focused, in the zone and composed, from the very first minute and was a calming influence - receiving/distributing short passes in the middle, covering the defence, getting moves going and putting in challenges when he had to against more experienced opponents. He didn't look out of place in this game and he'll probably scoop the 'Man Of The Match' award which people vote on. It was a performance which he can take positives away from and it'd have been a nice reward for the lad had his speculative pot shot found the target just before half-time.

Madger Gomes, similar to AJ - albeit to a lesser extent, was good for chunks of the first 45 minutes but then seemed to tail off after half-time. Having seen him a few times, he's certainly unpredictable - something which can work both ways. The biggest regrets he'll probably have after this game is not releasing a ball a second or two earlier to Alfie May (early in the second half) in a quick turnover when May was busting a gut to get forward and pull the hosts’ defence open. Ultimately, when a ball was played it was too late - behind May, and too easy to defend against. Also, there was Rotherham’s equalising goal at 2-2, which came as a direct result of Gomes colliding with Greaves and the Millers quickly having a chance to get possession and spring an attack.

Will Longbottom had an indifferent game in a supporting three. It's true that he wasn't as effective as what he was against Portsmouth in the Premier League Cup, a fortnight ago, and he did look tired in the closing stages - criticisms which I've seen on other mediums before cobbling this blog post together. However, probably not recognised by some supporters, was that he had to drop back to stop an overload on the left-side quite a few times in the second half - thus, as a result, the opportunity to create something going forward wasn't possible. An example of Longbottom tracking back was around the quarter-hour mark when he did all the leg work quite well, before a short pass-back, inadvertently, nearly resulted in Rotherham scoring a second goal. From an attacking perspective, he did force a save from the 'keeper shortly after the break and if that shot had gone in, he'd have thoroughly deserved it. I've no doubts whatsoever that he'll find the net soon - especially given that in other games, the lads will naturally enjoy more territorial dominance and with that will come chances! It's just a case of when and I sincerely hope it's in a game such as this, where a crowd is there to see it, so it doesn't go unnoticed.

Kwame Thomas got the assist for Kieran Sadlier's opening goal. He performed alright for his debut, possesses a definite height presence (unlike other front players at the club) - even though there was one instance where he should have challenged for a header in the first half yet disappointingly didn't, and he'll certainly be that 'something different' which a lot of supporters have craved for ever since the season began. Despite knowing a little bit about him due to his upbringing at Derby County and loan at Notts County, I'd like to see more of him in action before forming a better opinion.

Jon Taylor, who came on for the last 15 minutes, got a to-be-expected reception off Rotherham's fans (or at least those sat near me). He wasn't really on for long enough to make an impact but there were a few bits where he did okay.

Alex Kiwomya started well; literally within the first minute he was challenging for possession and looked 'up for it' yet for whatever reason the game then seemed to bypass him without him making a real impact until Lewis Price saved his header in injury-time. It's disappointing - especially so soon after a recent powderpuff showing in the Portsmouth (Premier League Cup) encounter, though on the flip side he did score in the Under 23s game last week.

Up top, Kieran Sadlier was on the receiving end of some tough defending from the Millers' centre-backs yet still bagged a fabulous goal - which had shades of Niall Ennis' opener against Lincoln City in the league, a few weeks ago. I assume he went off at half-time as a precaution and his replacement, Alfie May, did lots of pressing/chasing/closing down, which is certainly a positive, albeit to little avail.