Doncaster Rovers (U18s) 1-4 Mansfield Town (U18s)

Doncaster Rovers (U18s) 1-4 Mansfield Town (U18s)
Football League Youth Alliance
Saturday 27th March 2021

Thoughts from this morning's game having viewed the footage...

The regular Football League Youth League Alliance season ended in glib fashion for Doncaster Rovers as they were heavily beaten by Mansfield Town.

In a game where the fortunes of the two goalkeepers contrasted greatly, Rovers' stand-in 'keeper, deputising for Luke Chadwick who was injured during the warm-up, had a morning to forget whilst Stags custodian Owen Mason pulled off a string of impressive saves.

In spite of the scoreline (and it was 3-0 to the visitors at half-time), Doncaster actually had more possession, played the neater football and created the better openings but were punished for individual mistakes. Mansfield were miles more ruthless in the areas where things mattered, more organised, and ultimately that's why they won and finished higher in the league table.

Curtis Davies (2), Max Hurdis and Olly Wilson got the goals for them with defender Bobby Faulkner, making his Youth Alliance debut, scoring a late consolation.

Having lost in disappointing fashion to Mansfield only a fortnight ago, Rovers wanted to exact revenge and began positively enough - pushing their opponents back and causing problems. 

An opener nearly happened on the quarter-hour mark when Charlie Bell, operating in midfield, tried his luck with a speculative 20-yard pot-shot which almost evaded Mason. The towering 'keeper looked to have got his feet in a tangle as the shot ricocheted off him at his near-post but he recovered quickly enough to thwart Tavonga Kuleya on the follow-up.

Mason then saved well from a powerful Alex Wolny attempt before Mansfield went down the other end and opened the scoring, having gained possession inside their own half by winning a loose ball. A low left-sided delivery from open play reached an amber shirt inside the box and despite Rovers' 'keeper making a decent reaction save from the initial shot, the ball fell kindly for Davies who fired home on the rebound.

The goal, consequentially, means Rovers' wretched run of having not yet kept a clean-sheet in any competition this season drags on, but matters worsened when the Stags doubled their lead around 10 minutes later with Davies driving the ball into the roof of the net from the edge of the area - again, it was a move which began in similar fashion to the opener, ended with the same result, and at this relatively early stage it seemed as if it might be a long morning!

Doncaster didn't look phased at chasing a two-goal deficit because they continued to move the ball well when in possession, play on the front foot and create inroads - none better than when Tom Henson's drilled ball across the six-yard box was met by Corie Cole whose emphatic close-range attempt seemed destined for the net until Mason produced a phenomenal point-blank and instinctive save to preserve the visitors' two-goal cushion.

More home pressure followed and Wolny, as industrious as ever in leading Rovers' front-line, went into the referee's notebook when he was harshly have judged to have dived under pressure in search of a spot-kick. The forward also had a shot blocked in another attack whilst Cole and Kuleya were both flagged offside as plenty of questions were asked of Mansfield's shape, structure and defensive capabilities.

Ultimately, putting the ball in the back of the net is how football matches are won and that's what the visitors did again just a few minutes before the half-time whistle to give the scoreline a very lopsided look - though the actual goal which made it 3-0 was a disaster!

Only moments after Rovers' 'keeper was caught trying to play out from the back and a Stags forward intercepted the ball and hammered a warning shot into the side-netting, exactly the same scenario unfolded. 

On this occasion, Hurdis, unmarked and in acres of space on the edge of the box, was the grateful recipient and it seemed impossible for him to miss. He didn't - returning the gift with interest by powering a shot into the bottom corner, well away from the 'keeper's reach, for what might be the easiest goal he'll ever score in his career.

Given the balance of play, Mansfield's players were no doubt as astonished as Rovers' players were dumbfounded at this point; those in amber wondering how they were holding such a commanding lead with those in hooped shirts no doubt perplexed as to how they were trailing by such a margin. 

It's fair to say that whilst Doncaster had played the better football, the ruthlessness shown in both boxes were at opposite ends of the spectrum!

With the result effectively done and dusted, the second 45 minutes followed a similar pattern to the first as the Reds again saw more of the ball and had more efforts only to be thwarted by the exceptional Mason who, having saved two penalties in the meeting only a few weeks ago, ranks top of any opposition 'keeper seen at youth level this season.

The Stags shot-stopper showed good reflexes to tip away an attempt from Kuleya when the lively wide man flicked a teasing left-wing cross goalwards - though even if the ball had ended up in the back of the net, it'd have been disallowed due to offside.

Vocal and barking out orders and encouragement throughout, Mason's performance was as close to a goalkeeping masterclass that you'll see at youth level, and he showed good commandment of his box in both open play and at set-pieces. The next player he denied was Henson who went close after showing nifty ball control to accelerate inside and unleash an attempt which was bound for the top corner until the 'keeper adjusted himself well enough to tip it over.

Despite the balance of play and being put under pressure, the visitors' confidence increased by a few more notches when they made it 4-0 on 66 minutes. This time it was Wilson who capitalised on sloppy play and added his name to the score-sheet with a low drive.

It was a bizarre scoreline though Rovers at least reaped some rewards for their endeavour with a consolation goal from a set-piece less than five minutes later. Lewis Cunningham whipped in a dangerous delivery from the left and Faulkner rose highest to firmly head the ball home.

The last 20 minutes consisted of more urgency in Rovers' play and movement and some stifling tactics by Mansfield in a bid to eat away at the time remaining, though a comeback never seemed likely because nobody was able to get in-behind, test the 'keeper or produce a moment of magic which would have reduced the deficit to just two goals.

In reflection, it was a frustrating morning for everyone in a red and white shirt. Some aspects of the performance weren't bad - some things weren't great and it was individual mistakes, carelessness and wrong decision-making in vital areas which proved very costly, along with an opposing 'keeper in inspired form.

With the regular league campaign now completed, it's my understanding that the division will now split into two sections (top half and bottom half) and a mini-league will take place over the next two months to ensure the North-East Division games programme runs parallel to that in the North-West. 

Should that be the case (still to be confirmed), Rovers will lock horns with Huddersfield Town, Bradford City and two teams from either Mansfield Town, Lincoln City or Burton Albion.

A review of the season, covering events up to now, will also be published on this blog at some point in the next week or two before the mini-league season commences.