Doncaster Rovers 2-2 Burton Albion

Doncaster Rovers 2-2 Burton Albion
Sky Bet League One
Saturday 2nd November 2019

There were probably few people walked away from the Keepmoat Stadium yesterday afternoon who wouldn't admit that Darren Moore's side were fortunate to get a point.

It was far from a vintage display from Doncaster as they laboured, toiled and looked quite sluggish for spells against opponents who always pressed high and forced mistakes, worked hard in the middle and simply just lacked a clinical finisher to convert the chances which they created.

On the whole, it was decent from Nigel Clough's men; better than I expected and definitely one of the more positive 'away team' displays in the nine league matches which have taken place at the Keepmoat Stadium so far this season.

Just like at the youth team's game against Lincoln City earlier in the day, the weather conditions at kick-off were pretty horrible with grey clouds in the skies above and pouring rain.

After an initially quiet start, Rovers created an opening on nine minutes as Reece James got forward down the left flank and found the ball at his feet inside a crowded opposition area. However, with bodies around - and at a tight angle - the best he could manage was a pretty tame left-foot shot which didn't truly trouble the Burton 'keeper.

The Brewers; backed by a noisy bunch of around 500 fans who were noisy throughout most of the first 45 minutes, eventually got on top as Seny Dieng became the busier of the two 'keepers - saving shots from Liam Boyce and Joe Sbarra around the midway point in the first period.

A player I'd wanted to see for a while, Oliver Sarkic - future Montenegro international, born in Grimsby (yes, Grimsby - near Cleethorpes) and the older brother of current Livingston loanee 'keeper Matija, posed a threat in his blue boots on the right flank for Burton. He looked dangerous in attacking plays, offering space, but notably also dropped back deep when he was required to and twice he made key clearances inside his own penalty area - taking the time to 'properly' put his foot through the ball and clear the danger as opposed to a 'panic shank'.

That said, I'll still never understand why he swapped the glorious sunshine and many golden beaches near Lisbon at this time of year; he was in the academy at Benfica this time three years ago - for grey, miserable and rainy days in the UK!

Anyway, Sarkic was heavily involved over the next few minutes - dispossessing an opponent on the edge of the area in one instance but still the Brewers couldn't find the target as Boyce fired wide in one attack, whilst he also had a shot saved before Scott Fraser's follow up went wide.

There were many moans and groans around the stands already by this point (the half-hour mark) and, personally, I wouldn't have been too disheartened to see the Brewers score 'early' - as it would had to have triggered a reaction and a response.

Doncaster did muster up a chance when Jon Taylor (undoubtedly the 'Man of the Match' by the way) saw an effort blocked by Brewers 'keeper Kieran O'Hara who then had to react quickly to foil Keiran Sadlier on the follow-up.

At the other end, Sarkic smashed a shot over the woodwork and into the South Stand as Burton continued to pose all sorts of problems and look lively.

Eventually, their pressure paid off - just as the time on the scoreboard ticked onto 36:00, as Templeton hit a sumptuous curling strike from the edge of the area which had flight, accuracy and power as it nestled into the top corner beyond Deing's dive.

It was a brilliant goal, even if he received possession courtesy of more than just a shade of slack Donny defending, and Burton finally had a lead which their display merited.

However, within minutes, they'd thrown their lead away.

Rovers moved the ball well in a move inside the Brewers' half and James Coppinger eventually saw a right-footed effort palmed away by O'Hara who then got a hand to Taylor's eight-yard follow-up shot, before Kieran Sadlier bundled home the subsequent rebound from that attempt.

It wasn't the prettiest of goals - scrambled against a static defence in many ways - but it didn't matter a jot, and Moore's men were back on level terms.

From this point up to half-time, Rovers enjoyed their best period in the game and nearly completed the turnaround when a curling free-kick by Taylor looped up and over the wall, hit the woodwork and hit the 'keeper who then clawed into his grasp.

Without doubt, Burton's high pressing style had caused Donny; content (and usually comfortable) in playing out from the back, all manner of issues in the first 45 minutes.

A combination of those two things resulted in the Brewers retaking the lead from the penalty spot shortly after the re-start. Dieng and Donervon Daniels got tangled up in trying to pass the ball around at the back and Daniels subsequently fouled an opponent, who'd nipped in on his blind side to try and dispossess him, just seconds after the WBA loanee had received the ball to feet.

It was sloppy play, very naive and a genuine mistake and some of the natives were still frothing at the mouth and spitting out their cheeseburgers in disgust by the time Lucas Akins sent Dieng the wrong way with the resulting spot-kick.

Yet again though, Burton's lead lasted barely a few minutes.

Coppinger threaded a piercing through ball to Sadlier from the centre circle and though the Irishman's initial attempt was blocked by the 'keeper, the ball ricocheted off Sadlier, at pace, and spun into the unguarded net to make it 2-2.

Burton probably felt annoyed that they'd been undone again and in the final half-hour they applied plenty of pressure and had quite a few corners, but they were unable to create that clear cut opening which they craved - despite Deing still having to make a few saves.

Home fans were spewing their guts up once again when another attempted 'pass from the back' by Dieng to Daniels saw the defender dispossessed, though others quickly gained shape and the danger quickly came to pass.

Rakish Bingham, signed 24 hours earlier, came on for his debut in the final quarter-of-an-hour and was only able to muster up one shot which drifted harmlessly wide of the target. Alfie May also came on in the dying minutes - a substitution which, for me, was strange as I'd have personally brought on Joe Wright to defensively 'guarantee' a point - even if it would have been perceived as a negative substitution by sideline critics.

Ultimately, Rovers were probably quite happy to have 'snatched' a point (if that's the right phrase) given such an indifferent performance, whilst Burton's players probably felt they should have made their game-plan and pressure count more and pick up all three points.

Some supporters, as stated, weren't happy in Rovers 'playing out from the back' and when it's resulted in a goal and two or three other openings for the visitors, when possession has been cheaply conceded as a result, then you can understand their frustration.

However, by the same token, it's a tactic which Darren Moore and his coaching team clearly want to implement. On this occasion, the players involved didn't execute it anywhere near well enough yet in other games when it's worked, there hasn't been the same level of criticism.

Keeping things balanced, it's a point gained without a brilliant collective performance - something which can only be considered as a positive, though it doesn't hide away from the fact there's plenty of work to be done on the training ground.