Doncaster Rovers (U18s) 3-1 Rotherham United (U18s)

Doncaster Rovers (U18s) 3-1 Rotherham United (U18s)

EFL Youth Alliance

Saturday 19th February 2022

This was a well-deserved, battling and hard-earned win for Doncaster Rovers' youth team as they showed sufficient character to overcome Rotherham United in challenging conditions.

Following back-to-back defeats to title-chasing Grimsby Town and Bradford City over the past fortnight, there were a few questions (which needed an answer) hanging over Rovers and it was an important game for both teams to win if they're to realise their ambitions of achieving a top half position in the North-East Youth Alliance prior to the league 'split' after 18 matches.

Despite having in excess of half-a-dozen players absent through injury or suspension, plus the fact the weather was as dull and dismal as Rotherham's awful all grey away strip, Rovers' performance was the more spirited as the lads 'dug in' and were gutsy and gritty before dominating the second half in order to get the better of a typically strong Rotherham team.

Talisman Jack Goodman broke the deadlock with his 12th goal of the campaign just after half-time but a set-piece finish at the opposite end meant the Millers quickly found themselves back on level terms.

Nevertheless, no sooner had Rotherham leveled, they were behind again as Alex Wolny scored the first of two goals by guiding the ball home from a yard out following a corner, before he claimed his second with a looping cushioned strike over the 'keeper on 75 minutes.

Rovers were good value by the final whistle and could have even won by a bigger margin as Owen Scattergood, Will Hollings, Jack Goodman and Wolny (on two more occasions) all went close, whilst Tom Henson was unlucky not to fluke his first strike of the season with a teasing cross-shot that needed to be palmed over at the very last moment.

The win means Rovers have leapfrogged Burton Albion to move back into the top half and now find themselves two points behind fourth-placed Rotherham with three games of the regular season remaining - so achieving a top half finish is very much in their own hands!

Match Report

A sense of 'proving a point' was certainly in the air ahead of this encounter.

Despite getting to within 30 seconds of victory, Rotherham somehow conquered Rovers in their FA Youth Cup meeting back in November - equalising with pretty much the last kick in normal time before going on to win in extra-time. It was a horrible defeat; one which left a lingering taste of sickness that nobody involved will forget in a hurry, and with this being the first meeting between the two teams since that night, revenge was sought.

Defeat to a very strong Bradford City team last time out, meanwhile, was overshadowed by two red cards given to Michael Nesbitt and Dan Wilds, and they both missed this game through suspension as a consequence. With their absences being added to by quite a few players who are sidelined by injury at present, it only paved the way for a more difficult and uphill challenge.

As has been the case for the past few weeks both Nick Buxton and Calum Oakenfold were in the dugout leading the team with Tony Cook (Academy Manager) also watching on from the sidelines.

The first 10 minutes saw Rotherham enjoy plenty of territorial pressure as Rovers were penned back quite a bit whilst they figured out how to best combat their opponents.

The ball seemed to come back as quickly as it got cleared and the Millers' threat was as evident as their height advantage. When a looping long-throw was hurled into the penalty area, it also led to the first chance as a glancing header whistled just wide of Luke Chadwick's right-hand post.

Rotherham didn't muster up that many chances as Rovers defended relatively well though. 

Josh Lindley tracked back well to 'stand up' his marker in one instance after he'd broken down the right flank whilst Charlie Petch, who has been a pleasure to watch with his dominant defensive displays recently, cleared plenty of the danger when balls came into the area.

With the rain lashing down on the 4G pitch and temperatures feeling very cold (even by my standards), conditions weren't pleasant whatsoever, but as the first half wore on Rovers began to warm the appetite by getting up the pitch more and it culminated in a big chance on the half-hour mark. Tom Henson and Jack Goodman linked up via a well-worked one-two before Henson squared a right-wing ball towards Owen Scattergood whose shot was kept out by the 'keeper.

A half-chance followed soon afterwards as Will Flint tried his luck with a speculative shot from distance which was off-target, before both teams squandered good opportunities within a minute of one another with half-time fast-approaching. Firstly, Rotherham's No.8 flashed an effort just wide when the ball dropped for him on the edge of the area after a partial clearance and from Chadwick's subsequent downfield goal-kick the ball found its way to Goodman who unleashed a hard effort that forced a near-post save.

Another Millers player cleared the upright with an effort right on the half-time whistle and with things being very much in the balance at this point, it was pleasing that Rovers 'upped the ante' in the second half,

to emerge as thoroughly deserved winners.

The deadlock was broken just three minutes into the second period in a well-orchestrated move as Tavonga Kuleya's well-executed pass set Will Hollings away high up the right flank. In-behind thanks to his anticipation and reading of the situation, Hollings then arrowed an inviting low ball towards Goodman who poked the the ball over the advancing 'keeper from a central position (albeit in slightly unorthodox fashion) and into the net. 1-0.

Rotherham, to their credit, didn't cave in just because they'd gone behind and within five minutes they hauled themselves back to level terms. A corner from the left wasn't dealt with and despite Chadwick seemingly pulling off a save from an initial near-post connection, the resulting loose ball was hooked home by a Millers player from close-range. 1-1.

Responding well to adversity is always a marker of a team's character and no sooner had Rotherham equalised, they found themselves behind again as Alex Wolny (having only just come on for Scattergood) exposed some of the visitors' own frailties at defending set-plays. Hollings was again the architect as he delivered a pin-point corner towards the edge of the six-yard box where Alex Fletcher, despite not being the tallest, showed bravery to make the first connection - heading the ball downwards towards Wolny who gratefully flicked it over the goal-line to claim his first goal of the campaign. 2-1.

That goal paved the way for a dominant spell by Rovers who, having now got on top and having completely got to grips with Rotherham's style, pressed hard for more rewards.

Henson almost got on the score-sheet with a vicious and dipping cross-cum-shot which the visiting 'keeper did well to tip over his woodwork at the last moment and the Millers' custodian was soon involved in a contentious incident where he escaped with a yellow card despite rushing outside his penalty area and clattering into Goodman who'd latched onto a ball over the top and was bearing down on goal. The decision might easily have gone the other way with a different referee but this one judged there to be a covering defender - thus only a yellow card.

Rovers' pressure continued well into the final 20 minutes and Wolny screamed in sheer frustration when he poked a low shot just a yard or so wide on the rebound after Goodman's initial attempt had been fumbled, yet it ended up hardly mattering because the 'super' sub soon had his second goal of the game anyway. Once again, Hollings claimed the assist by floating a delicious set-piece from the halfway line towards the edge of the area where Wolny's cushioned mid-air flick on (via his foot) looped up and over the 'keeper and nestled nicely in the net. 3-1.

With the rain having finally eased as the game entered three minutes of injury-time, Wolny was thwarted by the Rotherham 'keeper who did well to smother the ball into his grasp as he pressed for a hat-trick but the two goals were still just reward for his effort and the part he played in a well-earned win.

Overall Analysis

On the whole, it was a pleasing display by the lads - not perfect by any means (and the goal conceded from a set-piece remains a frustration) but considering the number of players absent, the recent defeats which may have knocked confidence a bit, the crap weather and the fact that Rotherham can be difficult opponents, the positives far outweigh the negatives

Arguably the most pleasing aspects, other than some individual displays, was the game-management during the latter stages (it was good) plus the fact that chances were put away when they came along. That paved the way for a more comfortable finale than a one-goal lead would have.

Rotherham are always a strange and interesting proposition to come up against. Tall, strong and imposing, you always know what you're going to get from them and they're no mugs whatsoever - something which is backed up by their points tally this season. Their collective unit is strong and they're often difficult to break down so it's to Rovers' credit that they grew into the game after a quiet start, implemented their own ideas (particularly in the second half when they were clearly the better team) and negated the Millers' biggest threats to good effect by and large.

After a disappointing 45 minutes at Bradford last week, Alex Wolny's impact can't be understated. He did exactly what was required of him when he came on and that kind of display will put him in with a strong chance of starting the next game. Likewise Jack Goodman who, despite being flattened by the 'keeper, can take comfort in adding another goal to his tally and getting in the right areas to have two or three chances - on a different day, he might have scored more but his performance level was good. Meanwhile, Max Adamson can be happy with getting a few more minutes ahead of his scholarship which starts next season.

Tavonga Kuleya has had better games than this one but he still played a part in the opening goal and he'll be satisfied, if nothing else, to have got some minutes under his belt. Will Hollings, likewise, will be boosted by a much-improved second half showing where he was a proper enforcer, claiming two assists and playing a part in the other goal. The quality of his set-plays were superb; not said just because they led to goals but because of the areas the ball was delivered into and it made it difficult for Rotherham to defend against them.

Despite not scoring for a while Owen Scattergood just needs to keep on believing in himself and always focus on the next chance which comes his way because sooner or later he'll bury one. Every attacking player inevitably goes through a tough patch at some point; that's happening now (to a degree) for Owen but he'll learn a lot from this experience. As long as he keeps making clever runs, believes in what he's able to offer (because the impact he's previously made in this team has been brilliant) and keeps working hard then a goal will come. I don't doubt it for a second and when it does happen, I'll be absolutely buzzing for him. 

Elsewhere in the team, Josh Lindley is now enjoying a run of games which I've long been an advocate of wanting to happen. His pass completion was okay in the No.4 role, he got involved and won a few tackles, though his best contribution was standing up Rotherham's wide-right player (as mentioned in the report) midway through the first half as it allowed others to recover some ground and get back into position. Had that not happened, considering shape was stretched massively at the time, it could have easily resulted in a goalscoring opportunity. 

It'll be interesting to see whether Josh or Will Flint operates in the deep-lying midfield role next year because both offer different attributes and Will's performances across a few games in a few positions have been consistently steady this season. Still part of the Under 16s (and yet to begin his scholarship) he's proving he can handle the physicality and step-up to youth team football with no issues - especially in games such as this where nearly every opponent is 6ft. He could play an important role over the next two seasons and long may it continue.

The defence as a whole; the back four being Tom Henson, Charlie Petch, Jak Whiting and Alex Fletcher plus Luke Chadwick between the posts, can be content with their work (with the exception of the goal conceded because that was preventable). As individuals they've all offered different positives recently and this was a challenge made all the more difficult because of the various injuries/suspensions, yet they still came out on top and in the winning team. 

Rovers' next Youth Alliance game is a first-ever visit to Harrogate Town next Saturday and a win in that game will go even further towards achieving a top half finish.