Rotherham United (U18s) 3-2 Doncaster Rovers (U18s)

Rotherham United (U18s) 3-2 Doncaster Rovers (U18s)

Football League Youth Alliance

Saturday 21st November 2020

Having seen full-match footage, here's a match report and some additional thoughts on what unfolded in Doncaster Rovers' latest youth team outing...

Doncaster Rovers' youth team were brought back down to earth with a bump as they were beaten by Rotherham United in the EFL Youth Alliance on Saturday.

Just three days after a stellar showing in their dramatic win over Hull City in the Second Round of the FA Youth Cup, the youngsters couldn't produce a repeat performance and only had themselves to blame in this defeat.

Despite conceding inside the opening few minutes, Ethan Bojang's leveller ensured Rovers were on level terms at half-time and achieving three points then appeared to be a real possibility after Alex Wolny pounced upon a goalkeeping error to make it 2-1.

Nevertheless, it proved to be a false dawn as two Rotherham goals only six minutes apart ensured it was the home team who were celebrating success come the final whistle.

Manager Paul Stancliffe was again without injured duo Charlie Bell and Max Jemson and with one eye no doubt on an upcoming cluster of games, he opted to freshen things up in attack as both Wolny and Tavonga Kuleya were given some much needed game-time and started in place of regular frontmen Owan Derrett and Luca Nelson.

Rotherham began with more purpose and intent and went close to an opener inside two minutes as a free-kick from the edge of the box had to be palmed away by Ben Bottomley.

There was nothing which the Rovers 'keeper could do to prevent the Millers from going 1-0 up only moments later, however, as a long and dangerous left-wing cross towards the edge of the six-yard box was emphatically volleyed into the net by a striker who'd peeled off Lewis Cunningham's shoulder.

It was a sloppy goal to concede and easy to fear the worst at this point!

Rovers did respond with a couple of openings in quick succession; firstly as Cunningham was off-target when he found space inside the box but snatched at his effort on nine minutes, whilst the pacey Kuleya went close too with an angled drive which went narrowly wide.

The lads' performance gradually improved as time progressed and they started to see more of the ball and spend more time inside their counterparts' half.

Despite this, it was Rotherham who enjoyed the next dangerous move when they broke away on a counter-attack but some good individual defending by Tom Henson, coupled with good shape in the backline, ensured the hosts' advantage stayed at just the one goal.

Rovers, wearing their away strip, continued to look decent in possession and hopes were raised when they won a free-kick in a dangerous position on the edge of the box on the half-hour mark. Bojang and Cunningham stood over the ball yet sadly the attempted set-piece routine came to nothing and the hosts were allowed to clear their lines quite easily.

Just a few minutes later, nevertheless, Bojang bagged a captain's goal to deservedly put his team back on level terms. His low 25-yard drive towards the bottom-right corner shouldn't have been all that troublesome or problematic for the home 'keeper who, somehow, managed to dive over the ball and was left to watch in horror as it found its way into the net.

Whether it was a goalkeeping mistake or not, it didn't matter, because the equaliser was reward for the lads' effort and they were very much back in the game at 1-1.

A quick turnaround then almost materialised and the Rovers captain was involved again as his pass inside found Kuleya who opened up his body and unleashed a 20-yard drive which caught a deflection to take it over the upright. From the subsequent corner, Michael Nesbitt (I think) rose highest and headed wide of the target when he perhaps should have at least tested the 'keeper with his attempt.

Rotherham replied to Doncaster's pressure with two corners in quick succession, which were both well defended, whilst Cunningham enjoyed the last notable opportunity before half-time with a 20-yard free-kick which was curled narrowly over the upright.

In the second half, Rovers initially remained on top and seemed the more likely team to achieve a win and only the referee's whistle prevented the Millers from being put in serious danger on 50 minutes with Wolny penalised for a push on an opponent as he attempted to reach a long ball down the flank which would have put him in the clear.

Moments later, the goal was gaping for an unmarked Josh Clemitson who capitalised on some slack Millers marking to get on the end of Cunningham's long set-piece from the left flank, only to see his headed attempt from only a few yards out go over the upright.

It was a significant miss but within less than a minute of it, Rovers managed to establish a lead for the first time in the game.

Another direct ball, this time from Henson, seemed as if it would run through to the 'keeper who was already crouching low on the edge of his area in anticipation of gathering it into his grasp. Wolny, however, had other ideas and his persistence to chase after what seemed to be a lost cause resulted in him getting to the ball first and nipping it around the stationary 'keeper before slotting home into the unguarded goal.

The Millers players pointed at each other in frustration and, whilst they only had themselves to blame, credit has to be given to Wolny for spotting the possible opening.

Now leading 2-1 - and looking good value for it, the lads continued to dictate things over the next few minutes - up to and just beyond the hour mark when they caught another glimpse of goal as Kuleya flashed a low shot wide.

However, Rovers' 'game management' from this point onwards, when things were going so well, left plenty to be desired. Ultimately, it proved to be their undoing as they contrived to throw away the lead which they'd worked so hard to establish.

The hosts, who enjoyed several corners, made it 2-2 on 69 minutes when one of their flag-kicks delivered towards the far-post area exposed weaknesses in the backline and was headed home too easily. Like some of the other goals during the contest - it was a sloppy one to concede; totally preventable, and it signalled another momentum shift. 

It was now Rotherham who pressed and probed with greater intent with Rovers being somewhat penned back and suddenly lacking structure, and the hosts were given a golden chance to reap the rewards for their spell on top when Dan Wilds' untidy challenge resulted in the referee awarding a penalty.

Despite saving from the spot in the midweek win at Hull, Bottomley was unable to repeat his heroics on this occasion as Rotherham's taker slotted past him to make it 3-2 with only a quarter-of-an-hour left to play.

Rovers now had no other option than to 'go for it' but, truthfully, they struggled to muster up meaningful openings as precious minutes ticked away. A series of long balls failed to create any significant danger, the lads looked short on ideas and it was all a bit too simple.

Eventually, time ran out as the referee sounded his whistle and Doncaster were left to reflect on how they'd been beaten - despite the fact they were in a position less than half-an-hour earlier where victory had seemed to be such a strong possibility.

On reflection, the performance poses more questions than answers because it's one which should have been won, was actually won, yet they contrived to let things slip.

I haven't seen the game/video from Hull City and that win - coupled with the fact that by numerous accounts it was the best display of the season, means it'll stop me from going overboard in my criticism.

But on this showing, it wasn't good enough. The game-management (from simple ball retention to utter determination through to the speed/urgency of their play) at the stage where they were winning with under a quarter of the game to go, wasn't anywhere close to being effective. Too much 'character' was missing during the same period, some players offered very little, and, not just those in the midfield, but every player involved has to shoulder their equal share of the responsibility for the end result.

I thought Charlie Bell was sorely missed from a game-management perspective and it's not been the first time where he's not been on the pitch and the team have been winning yet things have been 'wobbly' in his absence. It happened against Burton, it happened at Huddersfield (to a lesser extent) where a late goal set up a nervous period of injury-time. It happened again in this game!

Undoubtedly the worst thing about the result/performance, in my opinion, is that following the sloppy start, which has been an annoying trait this season, the lads recovered, worked hard to get on top, scored two goals (albeit fortuitously as the 'keeper could have done better for both) and they were the better team from around 10 minutes played until just past the hour mark.

The lack of a clean-sheet means it's now nine competitive matches this season without one and whilst I've used this point before, I'll use it again now - if goals are being conceded, it means the strikers have to score at least two goals (sometimes more) in order to win a game. It can't continue to happen.

Missed chances can easily be blamed for disappointing results but cold, hard statistics don't lie and although there are some players who I rate highly on an individual basis, as a collective unit - from the defence to the midfield (as things are going wrong in both parts) they've got to be more solid, tighter, compact and resolute to ensure there aren't any lapses or silly mistakes which prove costly. This defeat was preventable.

Taking everything I've seen into consideration, there's been a notable improvement in overall performances since the start of the season. Collective displays, however, now need to go up a few further notches (and more consistency needs to be shown) because generally the same things are becoming apparent time after time and this was a backwards step after the euphoria of winning in the FA Youth Cup.

If players have a poor game then they know themselves anyway - hence why I won't highlight individuals as that'll no doubt get said in discussions with the manager/coaches. 

Nevertheless, with a further six games between now and Christmas, there are plenty of opportunities to impress and to show progression and improvement as a team. Things such as 'game-management' can't continue to be talked about forever in the long-term; nobody is expecting perfection and mistakes/setbacks will always occur at every level, but if the same issues remain apparent going forward, then the lads are at 'Groundhog Day' and it's going to be a very mixed rest of the season.

For want of a better word, 'blame' will be attributed differently depending on who you ask, but I'm absolutely certain there's enough potential within the group to figure out how to better navigate matches and how to ultimately avoid disappointment from being in winning positions so it's a case of putting that into practice all of the time.

As stated, barring 'worldie' type-goals being scored by the opposition, this was a game that should have been won, was actually won (to a point), yet ultimately it wasn't.

I want to try and finish this post by reflecting on the positives which did happen. In open play, Tom Henson produced one of his best defensive games which I've seen to date as he stood up to the task in one-on-one scenarios, particularly during the first 45 minutes, where he stopped a couple of crosses and forced Rotherham to play the ball backwards. Ethan Bojang got his first goal of the season and even if the 'keeper should have saved the shot, every goal counts! Tavonga Kuleya also had some shots, demonstrated nice, neat footwork and good skill in parts and showed snippets of what he can do. If he's able to bring others into games more, there's an effective player (potentially) in the making!

Next up for the lads is a trip to Grimsby Town on Tuesday for another Football League Youth Alliance fixture.

Team: Ben Bottomley, Tom Henson, Michael Nesbitt, Josh Clemitson, Lewis Cunningham, Dan Wilds, Ethan Bojang, Will Hollings, Corie Cole (Luca Nelson), Alex Wolny (Owan Derrett), Tavonga Kuleya. Unused Sub: Luke Chadwick.