Saturday, 23rd February 2013 at the Keepmoat Stadium, Doncaster
Npower League 1
DONCASTER ROVERS 1 Yeovil Town 1
Referee – Mr Eddie Ilderton
Attendance – 6,356 (363 visitors)
Yeovil got the game underway and won a corner in the third minute. This was cleared out to Coppinger, who linked with Cotterill to put Paynter in on goal but he was tackled and lost out. In the 6th minute Spurr was penalised in an aerial challenge on the Rovers left touchline. The free kick was played to the far post where Woods, seeing it late because of the mass of bodies in front of him dived and parried the ball back into play. MADDEN, from two yards, hammered it into the roof of the net. The Rovers won a corner but nothing came from it then, in the 14th minute, a good attack from the home team gave Paynter a shot from 15yards that Stech tipped over the bar. From the Rovers corner the visitors’ broke away but only won a corner. In the 20th minute, good play down the Rovers right ended with Coppinger, just inside the penalty area, firing at goal but Stech caught the ball well. Two minutes later Burn, for Yeovil, had a go from 35yards but put well wide. This was followed by Cotterill, on the Rovers right, spotting Stech off his line and trying his luck from 45 yards but the keeper got back to catch the ball. The Rovers were trying hard but found a resolute defence in front of them. However, they pressed on and as time ran down they got their reward. In the 45th minute Husband got to the left byline and crossed for Paynter to head in but he headed the ball down for it bounce up against the bar, with Coppinger heading the rebound over the bar. Into added time and Husband hit a searing drive from the edge of the penalty area that Stech, diving full length to his left, pushed out for a corner. Cotterill put over the corner and PAYNTER, with a bullet header, levelled the score.
Half Time – Doncaster Rovers 1 Yeovil Town 1
The Rovers came out for the second half and played some good football for the first five minutes but got no reward. Then Upson, for the visitors, collected the ball on the halfway line, took it to the edge of the penalty area and fired wide. In the 58th minute Cotterill put a free kick to the far post where Spurr lifted it back to the middle but Jones headed over the bar. Past the hour and after a lengthy spell of possession for Yeovil Williams had a go from 25 yards but put wide. A corner shortly afterwards to the visitors’ was hit high over the bar from 20 yards by Madden. Then, in the 65th minute, Cotterill won a corner, put it to the middle where Jones headed it down and Coppinger put an overhead kick wide. A poor backpass to Woods in the 70th minute led to a race for the ball between Woods and Williams. The Yeovil man won but poked the ball wide of the post. Then a few minutes later and Lundstram had a twenty-five yarder saved. Hume, from the right, put wide of the far post and at the other end McAllister put over the bar from a free kick followed minutes later by Williams doing similarly. The Rovers pressed hard for a winner but Cotterill fired over from the angle of the penalty area on the right. Six minutes of added time couldn’t produce a winner for either side so the referee blew the whistle on a fiercely contested and equal battle.
Result – Doncaster Rovers 1 (Paynter 45+2) Yeovil Town 1 (Madden 6)
Teams – ROVERS – Gary Woods; Paul Quinn, Jamie McCombe, Rob Jones ©, Tommy Spurr; David Cotterill, Paul Keegan, John Lundstram, James Husband; James Coppinger, Billy Paynter
Subs used – Iain Hume for Husband 71 mins; David Syers for Lundstram 75 mins; Kyle Bennett for Paynter 84 mins;
Subs not used – Liam Wakefield, Emile Sinclair, Cameron Howieson, Jon Maxted gk
Caution – Husband 44 mins; Keegan 80 mins;
Yeovil Town – Marek Stech; Luke Ayung, Byron Webster, Dan Burn, Jamie McAllister ©; Kevin Dawson, Joe Edwards, Ed Upson, Sam Foley; Paddy Madden, James Hayter
Subs used – Gavin Williams for Hayter 57 mins; Nathan Ralph for Foley 68 mins; Lewis Young for McAllister 89 mins
Subs not used – Richard Hinds, Dominic Blizzard, Kwesi, Appiah, Gareth Stewart