Doncaster Rovers

Skybet League Championship

Referee – Mr Kevin Friend

Attendance – 11,843 (1,925 visitors)

It was raining and cold at Oakwell as this ‘derby’ game began. The Rovers made three changes to their line-up for this game.

Suk-Young Yun was out with an injured foot so Paul Quinn came in at right back and Reece Wabara moved to the left back position. Theo Robinson and Dean Furman came in for James Coppinger and David Cotterill, who both dropped to the bench.

Barnsley made one change, Jim O’Brien replacing the injured Jacob Mellis.

A minute’s silence was perfectly observed for Remembrance Day before the start of the match.

News also broke as the game kicked off that John Ryan had resigned from the Rovers Board and consequently from his position as Chairman. As the news permeated through to the Rovers fans there were refrains of ‘There’s only one John Ryan’.

The teams spent the first ten minutes cagily sussing out their opponents.

Then an in-swinging corner from Kennedy for the home team was headed wide at the far post by M’Voto, who was roundly booed by the Rovers fans every time he touched the ball.

Five minutes later and Duffy for the Rovers placed a good free kick to the far post where Khumalo headed wide.

A corner to the Rovers followed shortly after but came to nothing.

Then, in the 19th minute, as O’Grady broke into the Rovers penalty area from the left Khumalo and Pedersen collapsed in a heap in the middle.

Penalty said the referee. O’Grady stepped up to take the kick and hit a low ball to Turnbull’s right. Guessing right the keeper dived to push the ball away and his defenders cleared.

Cheers of relief came from the Rovers fans in the Stand behind that Turnbull’s goal.

Minutes later and Perkins, for the home side, hit a fierce drive from 25 yards but put it straight at Turnbull, who easily pouched it.

In the 26th minute, a free kick on the Rovers right was headed wide of the far post by Khumalo.

Past the half hour and McCourt had a go from 25yards to the left of goal but put well wide of the far post.

At the other end the Rovers won a corner but nothing came from it.

O’Grady, for Barnsley, had a shot blocked and Duffy suffered the same fate at the other end.

In the 39th minute Duffy had a shot from the right of the area but was just wide of the near post.

Then a low cross from Wiseman on the Barnsley right went across the face of Rovers goal without anybody getting a touch.

As the break came up McCourt went on a mazy run through the Rovers defence but fired straight at Turnbull from the edge of the area.

Rovers had done well having had a fair percentage of the play.

Half Time – Barnsley 0 Doncaster Rovers 0

At half time John Ryan went to take a seat with the Rovers fans, who welcomed him with the biggest cheer of the game so far.

Rovers came storming out after the break and kept Barnsley penned in their own area for fully five minutes but couldn’t make much impression on the Barnsley defence.

Duffy had a shot deflected for a corner but Barnsley hit back and, following a free kick, McCourt had a shot at goal but Turnbull dived to his right and pushed the ball away.

A good move by Rovers led to Wellens firing wide from 25 yards.

Just before the hour Kennedy crossed to the middle but Pedersen couldn’t quite get to it.

At the Barnsley end Robinson tried from 35 yards but put it over the bar.

Past the hour and the home team pressed hard and pushed the Rovers back on defence but they were kept at bay.

A good run on the Barnsley right by Perkins in the 73rd minute brought a corner for the home team but M’Voto headed wide from 15yards.

Then O’Grady from 25 yards had his shot saved by Turnbull.

There were odd moments of relief for the Rovers defence but the home team came back repeatedly but couldn’t get a clear sight of goal.

As the ninety minutes came up some good play out of defence gave Wellens the chance to try and curl a shot into the top corner of the Barnsley net but he put it wide.

O’Grady then headed well wide and Cywka followed suit to bring the match to a close.

A point apiece probably suited nobody but it extended Barnsley’s unbeaten run to four games with a third successive draw and it halted the Rovers run of three successive defeats.

Full Time – Barnsley 0 Doncaster Rovers 0

Teams – Barnsley – Jack Butland, Scott Wiseman, Jean-Yves M’Voto, Martin Cranie ©, Tom Kennedy; Jim O’Brien, David Fox, David Perkins, Paddy McCourt; Marcus Pedersen, Chris O’Grady

Subs used – Stephen Dawson for Fox 66mins; Jason Scotland for Pedersen 76 mins; Tomasz Cywka for O’Brien 87 mins;

Subs not used – Bobby Hassell, Lewin Nyatanga, Chris Dagnall, Kelvin Etuhu

Cautions – Cranie 53 mins;

Rovers – Ross Turnbull; Paul Quinn, Bongani Khumalo, Luke McCullough, Reece Wabara; Mark Duffy, Richie Wellens ©, Paul Keegan, Dean Furman; Theo Robinson, Chris Brown

Subs used – David Cotterill for Robinson 63 mins; James Coppinger for Duffy 80 mins;

Subs not used – Billy Paynter, Liam Wakefield, Marc de Val, Alex Peterson, Jon Maxted gk

Cautions – Furman 69 mins; Wellens 86 mins.