| DONCASTER ROVERS | 0 | 1 | WEST HAM UNITED | |||||||||
| Nolan (5) | ||||||||||||
| 33 | G Woods | 1 | R Green | |||||||||
| 5 | R Naylor | 23 | H Ilunga (Stanislas-86) | |||||||||
| 3 | G Freind | 17 | J O'Brien | |||||||||
| 14 | T Spurr | 2 | W Reid | |||||||||
| 24 | M Dumbuya | 5 | J Tomkins | |||||||||
| 16 | J Oster | 14 | M Taylor | |||||||||
| 26 | J Coppinger | 8 | S Parker | |||||||||
| 18 | S Gillett (Hird-82) | 4 | K Nolan | |||||||||
| 17 | G Barnes (Keegan-76) | 16 | M Noble | |||||||||
| 9 | C Brown Y | 10 | J Collison (Sears-72) | |||||||||
| 23 | K Bennett (Baxendale-76) | 30 | F Piquionne (Cole-62) | |||||||||
| Subs | Subs | |||||||||||
| 1 | N Sullivan | 31 | R Boffin | |||||||||
| 21 | S Hird | 15 | A Faye | |||||||||
| 20 | O Radford | 25 | J Stanislas | |||||||||
| 30 | P Keegan | 9 | C Cole | |||||||||
| 25 | J Baxendale | 19 | F Sears | |||||||||
FUZZY STATS
| Doncaster | |||||||||||
| Off T | On T | Goals | Assist | Offside | Fouls Won | Fouls | A Saves | Yellow | Red | ||
| 33 | Woods | 1 | |||||||||
| 5 | Naylor | 2 | 1 | ||||||||
| 3 | Friend | ||||||||||
| 14 | Spurr | 1 | |||||||||
| 24 | Dumbuya | ||||||||||
| 16 | Oster | 2 | |||||||||
| 26 | Coppinger | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | ||||||
| 18 | Gillett | 1 | |||||||||
| 17 | Oster | 3 | 1 | ||||||||
| 9 | Brown | 1 | 2 | 5 | 1 | ||||||
| 23 | Bennett | 1 | |||||||||
| Subs | |||||||||||
| 1 | Sullivan | ||||||||||
| 21 | Hird | 1 | |||||||||
| 20 | Radford | ||||||||||
| 30 | Keegan | ||||||||||
| 25 | Baxendale | ||||||||||
| West Ham | |||||||||||
| Off Target | On Target | Goals | Assist | Offside | Fouls Drawn | Fouls | Saves | Yellow | Red | ||
| 1 | Green | 3 | |||||||||
| 23 | Ilunga | 1 | 1 | ||||||||
| 17 | O'Brein | 1 | |||||||||
| 2 | Reid | 3 | |||||||||
| 5 | Tomkins | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||||
| 14 | Taylor | 1 | |||||||||
| 8 | Parker | 1 | |||||||||
| 4 | Nolan | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||
| 16 | Noble | 1 | 2 | ||||||||
| 10 | Collison | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||||
| 30 | Piquionne | 1 | |||||||||
| Subs | |||||||||||
| 1 | Boffin | ||||||||||
| 21 | Faye | ||||||||||
| 9 | Stanislas | ||||||||||
| 17 | Cole | 1 | 2 | 1 | |||||||
| 23 | Sears | ||||||||||
Fuzzy's Fuzzy View
Well, not quite for the Rovers as they gave it a good go at the Keepmoat against West Ham United. After being second-best for the first half, perhaps fortunate to only go in one goal in arrears, the comeback was attempted but they didn’t manage to break down the Hammers.
It could not have started worse for Rovers. After just 5 minutes Naylor lost possession softly and from Collinson’s deep cross, KEVIN NOLAN smashed the ball past Woods.
Rovers were shell-shocked and for the first 15 minutes the Londoners were allowed to play with Nolan and Parker in particular working hard to get into Rovers’ players faces. Nolan was as close as you get to doubling the lead from the edge of the area but the ball came off the bar.
Anything good that Donny were doing was going through Oster and the first real look at goal that the home side got came from his ball over the top which Brown latched onto. The Rovers front-man was cleverly forced wide by Tomkins and in the end, Green was able to save easily. The England ‘keeper released the ball quickly to put Piquionne with just Friend between him and the goal but the Rovers’ captain proved that West Ham did not have the only cultured defenders on the park.
Nolan was at this time strutting around the Keepmoat as if he owned the place. The commentators commented on a lack of ambition on his part in that he has settled for the Championship for this season at least by joining West Ham. Well, he’s allegedly getting £10000 per week more at the Hammers than he was at Newcastle and in all honestly, he’s not a player who will get into the England set up, so I can understand why he’s decided to take the money! Whatever his motives, he was putting in an excellent shift for his new employers.
Half time came and the 0:1 score line was fair enough with the Hammers putting in a very hard-working performance to prevent Rovers from playing.
But the second half was to see Donny come into it a bit more. Oster had remained the focus for everything but now there was some good running off the ball giving the midfielder more options to choose from. West Ham were certainly standing firm though, if I’m honest, a little firmer than I thought they would and for all Rovers’ good possession, they could not break the Hammers down.
Nolan, although quieter in this half was still the pick of the West Ham team and from nothing, a shot was fired from range that required a nice save from Woods, the only one he made all game.
From the corner Rovers were able to reak quickly and had their chance of the game with Coppinger and Bennett in a 2-on-1 situation. Should I shoot or should I pass? Is always the decision in these situations and he passed but did not find his man. Spurr picked up the second ball though and his cross found Barnes but the header was easily saved.
Another chance for West Ham, Cole, on for Piquionne found some space but his shot only found the side netting. Rovers were bossing this half though. Coppinger ad another chance when he headed a great cross from Dumbuya but there was a little too much spin on the ball and it curled agonizingly wide. Another chance for Rovers, this time with Coppinger as provider for Gillett who’s turn and shot was pushed wide by Green.
A good performance by Rovers, but in the end, they were not able to break down a very professional West Ham team. Lots of positives though, not least of which was seeing nobody leave the field in any kind of distress.
