FA Youth Cup Third Round
Friday 19th March 2021
5.00pm - THAT'S IT!
That's everything for today as Doncaster Rovers bow out of the FA Youth Cup for another season.
If this was England at an international tournament, it's at this point where the editor would start playing the sombre music in the closing credits (think 'Walk Away' by Cast at Euro 1996), but all that can be said is the lads gave it a good go, tried their best and came up short.
They can be proud and pleased with their efforts because it was 10 times better than last time out at Mansfield Town. If they can replicate this performance in their next game which after tomorrow's trip to Bradford (where, one would assume nobody who played today will be involved) is ironically against the Stags again, there's every chance they'll get a better result.
I hope everyone enjoyed the articulated gibberish for one afternoon and not too many people who read this were sent to sleep.
4.45pm - SOME WORDS ON TOM PARKINSON
It's usually around this time of year that players from the Under 16s are blooded into the youth team and this was exactly the case for Tom Parkinson who came off the bench for the final few minutes of this afternoon's game.
The left-sided player, already offered a scholarship for next season, comes highly recommended to the club by none other than former midfielder Paul Green who himself featured in some youth team matches for DRFC before going on to enjoy a sustained career in the Football League.
For more on Tom (and some other future stars) including quotes from Paul Green, click here.
FULL-TIME THOUGHTS:
Well, it wasn't to be in the end, despite plenty of effort and desire from the lads involved.
In the second half, arguably the changing point was Charlie Bell's yellow card where he spent a while down injured. Up to then, Posh weren't creating anything - their through balls were weak, ineffective and running through to Ben Bottomley. Rovers' shape was holding up and they were still on top.
Liam Ravenhill's influence, so strong during the first 45 minutes, gradually waned and the biggest signal that the pendulum was shifting was when he gave away a cheap free-kick out wide and the subsequent set-piece into the box resulted in Bottomley having to pull off a splendid reaction save.
The equaliser was frustrating. Whilst there can be no complaints about the decision from the referee to award a penalty, the fact Charlie O'Connell (the taker, mentioned below in one of the updates) switched it from where he'd put a spot-kick in a previous round, was decisive. Had he gone to the 'keepers left (which is where Bottomley was always going to dive) it may well have been saved. It was picked up on beforehand and the usual taker, Flynn Clarke, has always tend to put efforts to the 'keepers left this season.
By the final 10 minutes, it was easy to sense Peterborough were on top - even though Rovers had initially responded well to being pegged back. If extra-time had been had been offered around 80 minutes (and with that the chance for a breather, to introduce some fresh legs and discuss things), it's probable that most of the lads would have accepted it because they'd become the underdogs by this point - proven by more impressive stops from Bottomley who'd kept Rovers on level terms.
But it wasn't to be as the winning goal came in the final five minutes with a Peterborough player tucking home a low finish on the rebound after Bottomley parried a low drive from 20 yards.
If Rovers had held out for extra-time, who knows what might have happened - it could have been a different story and someone in a red and white shirt could have been the match winner? Holding out at 1-1 was the critical aspect, in my eyes, in the minutes beforehand and right now there'll be lots of disappointment with players pondering what might have been.
There are still some positives which will be seen once the dust has settled, but good luck to Peterborough in the next round against Sheffield United - where they'll be the underdogs hoping to pull of an upset.
FT: PETERBOROUGH UNITED 2-1 DONCASTER ROVERS
The Posh turn the game on its head with two goals inside the final quarter of the game to progress through to the next round where they'll face Sheffield United at London Road.
HALF-TIME THOUGHTS:
On the whole, a positive first 45 minutes for Rovers who lead thanks to Liam Ravenhill's well-taken spot-kick (much better than the one last time out)!
It's fair to say that, overall, things have been 'Jekyll & Hyde' in terms of performances this season but the first 45 minutes this afternoon has been a relatively decent showing.
Despite a sluggish start where they rode their luck in the first 10-15 minutes, ever since Rovers have been on top and the energy, desire and commitment has been very good. Ravenhill has been influential, Charlie Bell has been problematic up and down the left flank (an unfamiliar position as he hasn't played there so far this season) and Alex Wolny is a battering ram up top who deserves plenty of praise - and I think there's success to be had with the clever corner routine he tried with Lewis Cunningham early on.
If they can maintain this energy over the next 45 minutes, 'dig in' and stay in the game if/when they come under spells of pressure (as they did in the first 10-15 minutes) then they're going to be in with a good chance of progressing to Round Four. Also, if they can just be cuter, more clinical and cleverer in possession - keep the ball better when they get hold of it; because they've been the better footballing team by some distance so far, they're capable of hurting Peterborough and making it very difficult for the hosts to build up any sort of momentum.
Overall, a good first 45 minutes - very positive but it's only half a job done as yet.
HT: PETERBOROUGH UNITED 0-1 DONCASTER ROVERS
Liam Ravenhill's penalty is the difference at the interval.
1.57pm - AND THEY'RE OUT!
The lads are on the pitch - Rovers first in their traditional red and white hoops.
Lets get ready to rumble!
Time to go full screen and watch the game (and crack open a packet of jelly babies). I'll be back in just over 45 minutes! See you then!
1.53pm - WARM UP'S COMPLETED
Both teams are completed and are back in the dressing rooms (or changing areas, or concourse, or wherever they're getting changed at London Road during a pandemic).
There'll be one more update before kick-off and then I'll be back at half-time to offer some articulated, elaborate, considered thoughts on whatever unfolds...
1.49pm - THE SOUND OF FLYING BALLS!
Hallelujah! The fuzzy, un-tuned TV sound which was making ears bleed up and down the country for those who've paid to watch the online stream is no longer and there's normal stadium surround noise now.
The pitch looks in an horrendous state so just how much will this effect the game for both teams? Whose hands will it play into more? Will a bounce or a bad bobble make all the difference? Who will benefit from the conditions?
Just over 10 minutes to go until kick-off.
1.43pm - THE PETERBOROUGH TEAM
And here's how the hosts will line-up...
1.40pm - 20 MINUTES TO GO...
There's now just 20 minutes to go until two tribes go to war (as the song goes) and Peterborough United and Doncaster Rovers finally lock horns in this FA Youth Cup Third Round tie.
Here's a reminder of the Rovers starting line-up and substitutes.
1.35pm - THE VIDEO STREAM IS LIVE
The live video stream, costing £5, is now available from London Road. It's clear that A LOT of grass seeds are going to be needed to make that pitch look decent anytime soon...
Also, can someone tell Peterborough United to turn the f**king sound off as it's making a horrible, screeching noise like one of an old, un-tuned television set from a bygone era!
1.29pm - VOTE FOR LEWIS CUNNINGHAM
A shameless plug but whilst there's a few people reading this blog at the moment, it's worth mentioning that Rovers' stand-in captain for the past few weeks, Lewis Cunningham, has been nominated for the LFE's Goal of the Month award for February.
He probably won't win it (blame strange voting patterns in the Stroud and Bermondsey areas) but if you want to give him a vote, you can do so here.
1.25pm - THE POSH ONES TO WATCH?
Not an awful lot is known about Peterborough other than they've been in fine form for many weeks, won their league and have several players who are either about to be, or have already been, offered professional contracts for next season.
It's perhaps a surprise (and certainly a boost for DRFC) that talisman Flynn Clarke isn't involved - one can only assume he's either injured or with their first team. Therefore, Charlie O'Connell is likely to be the key man. He'll wear No.6 for Posh, is likely to skipper the team and take any spot-kicks during normal time as he took one earlier in the season in a Youth Cup win.
1.16pm - THE LAST TIME IN ROUND FOUR...
It might be six years ago, but the memories will last a lifetime for the lads who were involved.
The last time Doncaster Rovers reached the FA Youth Cup Fourth Round (to my knowledge) was back in the 2014/15 season when Norwich City, including Todd Cantwell, were beaten 3-1 at the Keepmoat Stadium in Round Three with Jack McKay bagging a hat-trick. It set up a trip to Swansea City.
Cantwell was marked out the game that night by Ben Greasley who then came up against this familiar face in the next round and is now playing for Manchester United...
1.10pm - WHAT CAN BE EXPECTED FROM BOBBY FAULKNER?
Having seen him in action a few times for Rossington Main, for whom he played a handful of games before the season was curtailed as a consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic, he's a strong, tough, vocal (he gets that from his mum) and uncompromising figure who won't be over-awed by this challenge. Aged 16 (and not 17 until August - thus making him one of the youngest in the year group), this is his big chance to impress.
1.06pm - TWO CHANGES...
So there's two changes to the Rovers starting xi, as well as a shuffle in personnel, to the team which lost at Mansfield in the EFL Youth Alliance six days ago. Bobby Faulkner (more on him shortly) replaces Michael Nesbitt in central defence whilst Ethan Bojang returns to the line-up in place of Charlie Petch.
Under 16s full-back Tom Parkinson, who has already been offered a scholarship for next season, is on the substitutes bench.
1.00pm - ROVERS TEAM TO FACE PETERBOROUGH...
12.56pm - TEAM NEWS COMING SHORTLY
The lads have arrived at the stadium and have inspected the ploughed field which is meant to represent a football pitch. Team news will be due out soon...
12.50pm - SO HOW DID BOTH TEAMS GET HERE?
Rovers' path to Round Three was straightforward enough with away successes at Coventry Sphinx (2-1) and Hull City (3-2). Luca Nelson, a second-year frontman, was the key player, scoring in both games, whilst Ben Bottomley saved a penalty at the Kcom Stadium.
Peterborough's passage included comeback successes over Newmarket Town (7-2) - a game where they were just moments away from elimination, and Altrincham (2-1).
The winners of this game will host Premier League Sheffield United on home soil in Round Four on a date yet to be decided.
12.43pm - GRASS SEEDS FOR PETERBOROUGH
Whilst the majority of clubs involved in the Third Round have put a free-to-watch live stream on YouTube, today's hosts are charging a fiver to watch a live stream with the link available here and scheduled to begin at 1.30pm.
One can only assume that profits from the venture are going towards some much-needed grass seeds for the London Road pitch which has been looking slightly worse for wear for several weeks now.
12:37pm - IT'S ONLY 87 DAYS LATE...
Nobody, realistically, expected either of these teams to still be in the competition as we approach the end of March but this elongated pandemic has caused strange things to happen across the football world.
It's actually 87 days since the game was initially meant to be played (on Tuesday 22nd December), but that was postponed following positive Covid-19 tests in the Posh camp. Subsequently re-arranged for January and switched to Peterborough Sports' ground just up the road at Lincoln Road, the tie was then called off again as the competition was suspended as a whole following the third national lockdown.
Third time lucky now, perhaps?
12.32pm - GOOD AFTERNOON!
Welcome to this very 'wishy washy' attempt at a live blog for this afternoon's long-awaited FA Youth Cup Third Round tie for Doncaster Rovers away to Peterborough United - there's a small chance it might work well, there's a much greater chance it'll flop and it's debatable as to whether anyone will actually read it during the game anyway.
But here goes...
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