A very hot and sunny Keepmoat Stadium greeted Rovers as they faced Scottish Premier League runners-up Motherwell in a pre-season friendly.
Saturday, July 13, 2013 at the Keepmoat Stadium, Doncaster
Pre-Season Friendly
Doncaster Rovers 0 Motherwell 0
Referee – Mr James Adcock
Attendance – 1,983
A very hot and sunny Keepmoat Stadium greeted Rovers as they faced Scottish Premier League runners-up Motherwell in a pre-season friendly.
James Coppinger returned to the squad fit and well after illness making his first appearance this season. Marc de Val Fernandez also played his first game on the Keepmoat pitch, whilst on the bench was a last minute addition from Scunthorpe United Mark Duffy.
Despite the hot weather the game took a while to warm up. With the game mostly played in midfield, the first real action in the goalmouth came when Motherwell won a corner but the Rovers defence cleared in short order.
In the 20th minute a clash of heads between Jon Sutton and Jean Yves M’Voto resulted in Sutton being replaced and M’Voto going off for treatment later returning with a bandaged head.
The visiting keeper had hardly been troubled in the first half and he wasn’t troubled by Paynter’s shot from 25yards in the 30th minute, which went well wide.
Another corner to the visitors in the 37th minute came to nothing. Then, in the 43rd minute a jarring block tackle between Fernandez and a Motherwell player left Fernandez on the floor grimacing in pain holding his right knee.
Fernandez was carried off the field and replaced by Keegan just before the referee brought the first half to a close with the scores locked at 0-0.
Half Time – Doncaster Rovers 0 Motherwell 0
Just one change for each team for the second half and both sides came out no doubt imbued with some straight talking from the managers.
Rovers were first on the attack; David Syers met a right footed cross from the Rovers left by David Cotterill however he put his shot wide at the far post.
Four minutes in to the half and Vigurs, fully forty yards out, spotted Kello off his line and hit a terrific shot over the keeper only to see the bar to come to the rescue of the Rovers goalkeeper.
Two minutes later and another terrific cross from Cotterill to the far post saw Francis-Angol beat Billy Paynter to the ball and head out for a corner.
Cotterill had a low effort from 25yards of his own saved by Hollis, before McHugh, for Motherwell collected the ball ahead of the Rovers defence only to see his goal bound effort tipped over the bar by Kello.
On the hour mark a low Dean Furman cross from the Rovers left found Paynter at the far post however the ball fell just behind him. Paynter did manage to connect with the ball however he saw his effort go wide.
Rovers were enjoying the majority of the play after various changes. A good cross from the right, in the 68th minute, by Liam Wakefield almost created an opening but for the ‘Well defence.
Goalkeeper Hollis was tested as the clock ran down. In the 88th minute an Evan Finnegan cross was met by David Syers but his header back to the middle was put out for a corner.
Although the game ended goalless it was a good work out for the Rovers players ahead of the trip to Portugal.
Teams – ROVERS – Marion Kello; Paul Quinn, Jean Yves M’Voto, Rob Jones Tommy Spurr; James Coppinger, Marc De Val Fernandez, Dean Furman, David Cotterill; Kyle Bennett, Billy Paynter
Subs used - Paul Keegan for Fernandez 44 mins; David Syers for Bennett 46 mins; James Husband for Cotterill 61 mins; Chris Brown for Paynter 61 mins; James Harper for Furman 61 mins; Mark Duffy for Coppinger 61 mins; Liam Wakefield for Quinn 61 mins; Luke McCullough for Jones 78 mins; Evan Finnegan for M’Voto 78 mins;
Subs not used – Harry Middleton, Jon Maxted gk
Motherwell – Gunnar Nielsen; Trialist, Simon Ramsden, Shaun Hutchinson, Steven Hammell; Paul Lawson, Keith Lasley ©, Iain Vigurs, Zaine Francis-Angol; Bob McHugh, John Sutton
Subs used - Craig Moore for Sutton 22 mins; Lee Hollis for Nielsen 46 mins; Fraser Kerr for Hammell 62 mins; Adam Cummins for Ramsden 62 mins; Stuart Carswell for Vigurs; Lee Erwin for McHugh 62 mins; Euan Murray for Lasley 78 mins;
Subs not used – Ross Stewart
Ticket for Doncaster Rovers home games up to and including the game against Millwall on 29th December 2013 are now on general sale.
Tickets can be purchased on a match-by-match basis with prices starting from just £21 for adults and from just £18 for families (1 x Conc & 1 x Child) in the DCLT Family Area. Click HERE for the full pricing structure.
Multi-game ticket packages are also available whereby supporters can commit to either 5 or 10 games of their choice whilst enjoying a discount on the price of the tickets.
Prices for 5 game multi-game package start from just £95, whilst the 10 game package starts from just £180. Click HERE for the full pricing structure.
For more information or to purchase tickets please contact the Ticket Office on: 01302 762576 or click HERE