Doncaster Rovers (U18s) 3-0 Emley AFC (U18s)

Doncaster Rovers (U18s) 3-0 Emley AFC (U18s)

Friendly Game

Saturday 4th September 2021

A very generic photo from last week's win at Scunthorpe. Emley appeared in similar colours.

A dominant Doncaster Rovers Under 18s looked full of confidence as they eased to a comfortable 3-0 win over non-league Emley AFC in a hastily-arranged friendly at Cantley Park.

Rovers were good value for their win - spending the majority of the game in possession, playing on the front foot and showing positive signs of work that's been put in on the training ground and had it not been for Emley's excellent 'keeper who made a string of impressive saves, the margin of victory would have been far greater than just three goals.

As things transpired, Faris Khan got the opener not long prior to half-time before Owen Scattergood and Tom Parkinson added further goals in the second half.

Gary McSheffrey's side were originally set to face Harrogate Town in the EFL Youth Alliance this weekend but Covid-19 issues at the North Yorkshire outfit put paid to that plan - thus allowing Emley the chance to fill the void at short notice. 

Despite being a non-league outfit, Emley were never going to be easy pushovers and their 14-1 win over Staveley Miners Welfare in the First Qualifying Round for the FA Youth Cup earlier this week shows they're a team very capable of doing well and scoring goals.

This challenge, however, proved too much for the West Yorkshire outfit as Rovers (as some might have expected being a professional club's academy side) dictated large amounts of the play.

Plenty of good chances were created and Will Hollings, operating at right-wing-back for the first 45 minutes before being pushed into midfield later on, came within a whisker of a very early opener with a well-struck drive from 25-30 yards that had the 'keeper beaten only for the shot to cannon back off the upright.

On the opposite flank Jak Whiting showed glimpses of the quality which has made him one of the most impressive and consistent players so far this season and when he cut between two Emley defenders to burst into the box, it was unfortunate that his eventual lay-off to a team-mate didn't result in an opener. Whiting himself, previously with Leeds United, came no closer with a shot soon afterwards which went narrowly wide of the target.

Tavonga Kuleya had a couple of shots blocked prior to a situation where he had time and space inside the penalty area but was denied by the 'keeper when he ought to really have scored. Shortly afterwards, the winger again had the ball at his feet in a promising attacking position following a set-piece delivery but with options either side of him inside the box, his eventual effort was charged down by a defender. He posed plenty of problems throughout his minutes in action and in another instance he'd already beaten a defender for pace and was about to burst away, only for the referee to pull play back for a foul on Whiting.

Having linked up play well and been involved in quite a few attacking moves, Corie Cole was another who was thwarted during Rovers' quest for an opener - this time it was in a one-on-one situation where a goal seemed probable only for the Emley 'keeper to again prove himself as a formidable figure.

Hollings also went close again in an attack where his initial shot was blocked inside the area before the ball was recycled. He then tried his luck with a speculative acrobatic attempt where the ball fell just the wrong side of the target. Had either that chance or his earlier one found the net, they would have been contenders for the 'Goal Of The Month' award. As it was the scoreline somehow remained 0-0.

Although a breakthrough remained elusive, Rovers' dictation of proceedings showed no signs of easing and when Bobby Faulkner was left unmarked at a corner just past the half-hour mark, the big defender planted a firm header goalwards only to see the ball go straight at the visiting 'keeper.

Roll on, roll off substitutes were used throughout the 90 minutes and it was one of those who began the game on the bench that bagged the opener when it finally arrived. Skipper Dan Wilds played a crucial part in the goal as he burst into the box and played a simple pass into the feet of Faris Khan who looked up and instinctively planted his shot into the bottom corner.

In command and now in the lead, the one-way traffic continued after the re-start with Rovers 'keeper Luke Chadwick rarely being troubled and a second goal, during which former trialist Owen Scattergood played a key part, came around the hour mark.

Scattergood was alert enough to both intercept a loose ball on the inside-right and then get into a decent position between defenders inside the area. Having initially won the ball, he immediately switched the play to Tom Parkinson on the inside-left who accelerated into the box and hit a low drive across the Emley 'keeper which was knocked into Scattergood's path for a simple yet predatory close-range finish.

The nature of the game ensured it was the perfect chance to blood a couple of the Under 16s - one of whom appeared at right-wing-back and was unfortunate not to bag a goal from a well-struck 20-yard effort which rattled the upright for a second time.

Another from the Under 16s got a taste of the action by appearing on the left-hand side during the final half-hour or so, before the scoring was completed on 78 minutes.

Scattergood again played a crucial role - demonstrating nice technique to carve out an attacking position and having got inside the six-yard box his somewhat powerful cross-shot was knocked into the net by Parkinson - thus meaning the duo each had a goal and an assist apiece.

Overall, not too much should be read into the scoreline, though it ought to have been greater given the amount of good chances created. More ruthlessness in the final third is needed going forward, but the ideas, philosophies, principles and pattern play were decent during the course of the 90 minutes and it was a worthwhile workout for everyone involved.

There's no photos this week due to iPhone problems - thus meaning this report is entirely from memory, and other plans mean I won't be at the upcoming league games against Mansfield Town (11th September) or Huddersfield Town (18th September).