Lincoln City (U18s) 0-0 Doncaster Rovers (U18s)

Lincoln City (U18s) 0-0 Doncaster Rovers (U18s)

Football League Youth Alliance

Saturday 3rd April 2021

Finally it's happened! Doncaster Rovers' youngsters have kept a clean-sheet this season!

The long-awaited landmark occurred in a closely contested 0-0 draw against Lincoln City which was the first outing in the Football League Youth Alliance (North-East Division) since the 'post-split' fixtures were confirmed earlier this week.

In a game of few clear-cut openings, Donny were on the back-foot for periods but would have snatched all three points deep into injury-time had Will Hollings been able to convert a glorious chance when he met a cross on the edge of the six-yard box.

At the other end, Rovers' debutant 'keeper Tom Chambers made some fine saves to ensure his team stayed on level terms, including two important stops in as many minutes around the hour mark. 

Whilst there were both positive and negative aspects with the overall performance, it's good that the lads have not only registered their first shut-out in competitive action in over a year, but also put an end to their miserable recent losing streak.

The most over-riding and concerning aspect about what unfolded was the nasty injury which Tavonga Kuleya sustained in the opening few minutes. The winger appeared to fall awkwardly when challenging for the ball and was in clear discomfort before he eventually left the ground in an ambulance. Fingers crossed that there's no long-lasting damage and any recovery is swift and successful.

Rovers also lost Alex Wolny to injury before half-time whilst Charlie Bell, who again possessed great energy and desire - ratting about here, there and everywhere, received a blow to his face and was forced off the pitch with around a quarter of an hour remaining.

Despite Lincoln being the 'home' side, the game was actually played closer to Doncaster on the 4G pitch at the Roses Sports Ground in Gainsborough. The Imps sported their predominantly red home shirts which forced Rovers into donning their away strip with Ethan Bojang skippering the team for the first time since returning from the U20 African Nations Cup.

Pretty much the entire first 45 minutes was devoid of any real goalmouth action because both sets of players counteracted each other well but looked short on creativity, ideas and effective decision-making in key attacking areas.

Although there were some decent passages of play - the most notable being a 30-45 second spell from Lincoln not long prior to the half-time whistle, it has to be said that neither team retained the ball superbly well and it was a frustrating watch in parts.

Rovers probably had more possession yet their better openings came at set-play scenarios.

Lewis Cunningham, so often a key figure this season, had an early delivery tipped away by the Imps' 'keeper though he was soon licking his lips with delight when Corie Cole was brought down on the edge of the box and the referee signalled for a free-kick.

The set-piece was to be taken from a similar position to where he scored in the same fixture in February - a goal which was later nominated for the LFE Goal Of The Month award; however, on this occasion, Cunningham's low effort went straight into the defensive wall and was easily cleared away.

The second-year left-back was then off-target from another set-piece, albeit from 30 yards, on the half-hour mark as goalscoring opportunities remained at an absolute premium.

Due to the prolonged time in which Kuleya was receiving assistance from Rovers physio Andy Henson in the early minutes, coupled with Wolny also needing treatment before he came off later on, it meant there was a lengthy spell of injury-time at the end of the first half. 

During this, the Imps enjoyed quite a bright patch as they saw quite a bit of the ball, moved it well and pushed their opponents back but despite getting into one or two promising positions they couldn't create anything dangerous and their pressure fizzled out.

It seemed probable at this point that the outcome would be a goalless draw and so it proved.

Lincoln dominated for large swathes after the re-start, played on the front foot and implemented their game-plan quite well in fairness yet their profligacy infront of goal proved to be their undoing.

Having squandered a great opening just a minute or so earlier when their unmarked forward stabbed the ball wide at close-range from a glorious position inside the box, visiting 'keeper Chambers then got down extremely well and demonstrated that he had solid wrists to ensure he wasn't beaten from two well-struck efforts in separate attacks just a minute or so apart.

It was an impressive showing from the young shot-stopper although a concerning phase of play by the same token because it was clear that Rovers' defence was dropping too deep. 

Soon afterwards, only a perfectly-timed last-ditch tackle from another recent addition in Bobby Faulkner, prevented what was certain to be another attempt on goal.

The Imps continued to push forward in search of an opener and wasted another promising opening with 15 minutes to go - again lacking the necessary composure to hit the target as a shot from within a busy penalty area was flashed wide of the 'keeper's right-hand post.

With the possibility of a clean-sheet becoming more of a probability with each passing minute, Doncaster almost finished the game with a flourish.

Substitute Tom Parkinson, who looks to be lively and a real handful, went close - working the 'keeper, albeit routinely following a cross, whilst the Under 16s forward who replaced Kuleya during the early stages, tested the Imps shot-stopper in another team venture up the pitch. 

However, the best two opportunities were both enjoyed by Will Hollings. The attack-minded midfielder, sporting a very questionable alice band, firstly went close when he got his head to an out-swinging corner from Cunningham but the 'keeper wasn't troubled.

Deep into stoppage-time - in what was the fifth of seven added minutes, the first-year scholar could have been the match-winning hero when he did exceptionally well to peel into empty space between the Imps' two centre-halves on the edge of the six-yard box and chested down a right-sided cross from open play. The goal was gaping and it seemed impossible to miss yet his instinctive smash-shot on the half-volley somehow went low and wide of the target and Lincoln were left mightily relieved.

The hosts then held firm against a bit more pressure during the final minute before the referee eventually sounded his whistle to bring an end to what had been a closely-fought, albeit hardly exhilarating, game of football. 

All things considered, Doncaster were probably happier with the result though there was still a certain spark infront of goal that was absent from the performance. Things too often weren't quite there in the final third - whether it be positional play, the through ball or the tempo, and it was required to get a win. 

Individually, there were some okay performances. The centre-back pairing of Bobby Faulkner and Dan Wilds looked comfortable, Tom Chambers was solid between the sticks and Tom Henson put in more good work when he was on the ball. Charlie Bell, as is always the case, showed terrific energy, hunger and determination - covering every blade of grass, ratting around, getting stuck in to tackles, being a general pain in the backside for the opposition and those attributes are an asset to any team.

Elsewhere on the pitch, Tom Parkinson put in another decent enough 45-minute performance - not sensational or anything but more than enough to underline what I've already realised; that he could be a very important member next season.

The point gained will be added to the current league table. Rovers remain in ninth position in the Youth Alliance (North-East Division) table ahead of next week's home clash with Bradford City.