Post Match: Doncaster v Bristol City

DONCASTER ROVERS				1		1		BRISTOL CITY
Hayter (68)								Adomah (45)
33	G Woods							1	D James
5	R Naylor (O'Connor-46)							3	J McAllister (Woolford - 50)
3	G Friend							5	L Nyatanga
14	T Spurr							18	J Wilson
21	S Hird (Lalkovic-61)							2	J Spence
24	M Dumbuya							20	J Campbell-Ryce
16	J Oster							7	M Elliott
18	S Gillett							8	N Kilkenny (Pitman-59)
17	G Barnes (Brown-86)							14	C Skuse
12	J Hayter							27	A Adomah Y
23	K Bennett							10	N Maynard (Stead-75)
Subs								Subs
1	N Sullivan							22	D Gerken
2	J O'Connor							11	M Woolford
19	R Brown							6	L Carey
15	M Wilson							9	J Stead
27	M Lalkovic							34	B Pitman

FUZZY STATS

DONCASTER
				Off Target		On Target		Goals		Assist		Offside		F Drawn		F Con		Saves		Yellow		Red
33		G Woods
5		R Naylor		1
3		G Friend												1
14		T Spurr												1		1
21		S Hird
24		M Dumbuya		1		1
16		J Oster		0		1								1
18		S Gillett		0		1										3
17		G Barnes		0		1								5
12		J Hayter		0		2		1				3		1
23		K Bennett		0		1								2
Subs
1		N Sullivan
2		J O'Connor
19		R Brown		1
15		M Wilson
27		M Lalkovic		2						1
BRISTOL
				Off Target		On Target		Goals		Assist		Offside		F Drawn		F Con		Saves		Yellow		Red
1		D James																5
3		J McAllister										1				2
5		L Nyatanga										1
18		J Wilson														2
2		J Spence														1
20		J Campbell-Ryce												1
7		M Elliott														1
8		N Kilkenny												1
14		C Skuse														3
27		A Adomah Y		1		1		1				1		2		2				1
10		N Maynard		1								2
Subs
22		D Gerken
11		M Woolford
6		L Carey
9		J Stead		1
34		B Pitman

FUZZY'S FUZZY VIEW

...and Rovers season has lift-off!  That will also be enough of the rocket analogies. After all it was only a point against a Bristol side who didn't offer too much.  Once again, the stats don't lie (as I keep being told recently).  It could have and should have been more in the end.

It certainly didn't start that way though as Doncaster should have once again been behind to an early goal.  After a set-piece free-kick came to nothing, the Robins broke with the Rover's defence absolutely nowhere.  Nicky Maynard was clean through on Woods goal and managed to shoot wide of the target.  A huge let-off!

The match then descended into a dour shapeless affair.  There was plenty of industry from both sides with Oster chasing things down for the Rovers while Bristol were getting players behind the ball very quickly whenever Rovers looked like they might threaten.  

So dour was the spectacle that when a Rovers fan tweeted in to say he was listening in from Silverstone, the commentator said that sadly he wasn't bringing him a high octane game from the Keepmoat.  "No, but it is the Pits" said his co-commentator in the background.

There was little in the way of goal-mouth opportunity until the 40th minute when, like buses, many came along all at once.

First Oster worked the ball to Hayter then it went to Dumbuya who was invited to shoot and did.  James needed two attampts to gather that one and immediately set up a break.  A knock on found Adomah who's volley was just wide.  Back down the other end and Hayter brought a save from James with a similar effort.  Bristol's turn, but this time they were to make it count.

The ball found its way to Albert Adomah at the side of the penalty area.  Spurr fell over trying to get to him and Adomah's shot found its way under Woods to give Bristol the lead just before half time.

Down we went to the other end and another decent chance this time from Friend was spilled by James.

After the break it was back to the scrappy stuff for 10 minutes before Doncaster were given a gilt-edged chance to get back into the game.  Adomah lost possession in midfield and Bennett with his first decent run at the Robins' defence was brought down by Skuse in the area.  Hayter took charge of the penalty and took a powerful kick unfortunately straight at James.  He was onto the rebound but the ex-England 'keeper had done enough to prevent the equalizer.

Milan Lalkovic - Made an Impact

To Rovers' credit, where a missed penalty being 1-down could break a performance, in this case, it seemed to galvanize it.  They were also helped by an attacking substitution with Hird leaving the game for Lalkovic.  The Slovakian had an immediate effect, getting in a good, low ball for Barnes but his effort was deflected out for a corner.

Lalkovic then had a hand in the Rover's equalizer.  He received a short corner from Barnes and crossed to the far post for James Hayter to head goalwards.  David James couldn't do enough to stop the ball crossing the line and there were no complaints from the visitors when the linesman signalled that it had done just that.

Now both crowd and team sensed a win and Bristol were under real pressure for the rest of the game.  James was really earning his wages, saving well from Barnes after a twisting, turning run from Gillett.  Lalkovic was also wanting a goal and gratefully accepted an invitation to run at the Robins' defence only to fire over.  Bennett then had an effort that ended up with the same result after good work from Gillett and Oster.

All Rovers at the end.  Lalkovic hitting the side-netting after latching onto a clever backheel from Hayter and Bennett curling an effort, which James had to get down low to push around the post.  Right up to the end Rovers pushed.  Cries of "get it over" were met by a traditionally Rovers' build up as Oster found Gillett but James saved well again.  Even from that last corner, Rovers could have won it with Brown heading over the bar.

Great stuff at the end from Donny and there were some smiles to be seen from the players as they came over to the dug-out.  Our season is underway.  It hasn't flown out of the blocks but at least its moving.  An international break beckons with Rovers having several injured players on the brink of fitness.  Happier times to come at the Keepoat?

OTHER VIEWS

He’s really took over the mantle and led the line which is something we’ve missed.  If you lose Billy and James, we’ve really got nobody in the squad who does that job, regardless of scoring goals. - Sean O'Driscoll on James Hayter

But for the last 20-30 minutes they were on the front foot and Jamo has made some great saves, including from the penalty.  - Keith Millen

City were indebted to veteran goalkeeper David James, who saved Hayter's spot kick after Cole Skuse had brought down Kyle Bennett to concede a penalty 10 minutes into the second half. And man-of-the-match James again came to the rescue twice more, going full-stretch to keep out Bennett's curling shot two minutes from time and then making a startling save from Simon Gillett deep in time added on. - Bristol Evening Post

We were crap up until the last fifteen minutes. I hope people don't start getting carried away just because we got a point in the end.  I thought Bristol City were dire, and were there for the taking if we had more about us. - Viking James (VSC)

With regards to today, I'm happy with a point away from home, regardless of how poorly we played.  - Red-Robbo (Bristol City Fans Forum)

Milan made the difference.....George friend could play for one of the top four clubs in the premiership and wouldn't look out of place, awesome! - Keith Myath (VSC)

With Donny having zero points at the start it was always going to be a test, I have been supporting football long enough to realise that this was never going to be a steal. - ten minutes of rough (Bristol City Fans Forum)

After the missed penalty I thought we were done for but it seemed to energize the side and for most of the second half we played some really good stuff. - Albirossi (ja606)




MOM SEEN THROUGH FUZZY GLASSES

Based on listening and reading I'd say Milan Lalkovic for changing the game when he came on.  He had a couple of good runs at the Bristol defence and of course, supplied the cross that Hayter put away.

James Hayter gets a worthy runner-up for keeping going for a second match in a row after only coming back this week.  He missed a penalty but had enough character not to let it get to him. 

For Bristol, you don't have to look any further than David James who brought off some great saves according to the commentary and the press.  Their worthy runner up is Albert Adomah who was certainly a handful for the Rovers in the first half.