Town earn a point away at the Keepmoat Stadium.
Town: Joel Coleman, Ryan Haynes, Mat Sadler, Shaun Whalley, Greg Docherty, James Bolton, Lenell John-Lewis (Lee Angol, 76), Alex Gilliead, Luke Waterfall, Josh Laurent, Anthony Grant.
Subs: Steve Arnold, Omar Beckles, Lee Angol, Fejri Okenabirhie, Doug Loft, Aaron Amadi-Holloway, Ryan Barnett.
Rovers: Marko Marosi, Niall Mason, Danny Andrew, Joe Wright (Tom Anderson, 85), Andy Butler, Mallik Wilks, Ben Whiteman, John Marquis, Tommy Rowe (Matty Blair, 71), Herbie Kane, James Coppinger (Paul Taylor, 64)
Subs: Ian Lawlor, Tom Anderson, Mitchell Lund, Matty Blair, Alfie Beestin, Paul Taylor, Alfie May.
Referee: Darren Drysdale
Assistants: Lisa Rashid and Alex Pashley.
Fourth Official: Billy Smallwood.
Attendance: 6943 (331)
The game ended 0-0 at the full whistle, after neither team could find the back of the net.
Town put in a solid performance against the Home side. Both teams came close to taking the lead numerous times but missed the target by tiny margins.
Team News: John Askey starts with the same 11 that drew 0-0 with Blackpool on the weekend. Anthony Grant features in the midfield after a man of the match performance in the previous fixture
First Half:
The first 10 minutes of the half turned out to be an open affair. Both teams were looking to attack the opposition at any given chance. It was the home side that were getting the rub of the green early on, with most of the chances falling Doncaster’s way.
In the 18th minute Town should have been awarded a penalty. Shaun Whalley dribbled dangerously in the Donny box and was brought down by one of the Doncaster defenders, who appeared to get no touch on the ball.
Joel Coleman was called into action shortly after the penalty incident. Donny number 10, Tommy Rowe, struck a lovely half volley towards the corner of the goal, but Coleman dived well to get two strong hands to the ball and parried away any danger.
Town came inches away from taking the lead in the 32nd minute, through Lenell John-Lewis. Whalley once again dribbled into the opposition box and let off a shot. The effort was deflected and ran just past John-Lewis, but the striker was unable to get a toe on the ball.
Mallik Wilks was given a yellow card as the half was coming to a close. The Donny number 7 lost the ball to James Bolton and dragged down the Town right back, as he looked to advance up the pitch.
Luke Warterfall was also booked a minute later. The defender was deemed to have cut across Wilks, as the winger looked to run along the wing.
Waterfall came close to giving Town the lead right on the cusp of half time. The defender latched onto Whalley’s corner and directed a header towards goal, but the ball was headed off the line well by Doncaster’s defence.
The two sides went into the break level on the score sheet. Both teams had their chances but couldn’t calve out a deadlock-breaking goal.
Second Half:
Doncaster came out for the second half determined to take the game to Town. Donny came out having some success on the wings, but Askey’s central defenders were doing a good job in clearing any aerial threat.
Good work from Whalley and John-Lewis nearly gave Town the lead 10 minutes into the second period. Good evasive dribbling from Whalley opened up a space for Town’s number 14 to have a shot at goal. Lenell caught the ball on the half volley and called Marko Marosi into action, but the Donny keeper tipped the ball wide of the post.
It was Doncaster who had the next golden chance to put their team in the lead. Niall Mason flashed a hard and low cross along Town’s box but no Donny player could get a contact with the ball, to the relief of Coleman.
Town were beginning to have a number of chances in the final third. Greg Docherty managed to dribble his way into the box and challenge Marosi in the 79th minute, but the keeper did well to parry the ball away. The subsequent corner found its way to Lee Angol, but the striker flashed the ball just wide of the post.
In the 81st minute Doncaster received their second yellow card of the game. Ben Whiteman brought down Gilliead, as the winger was breaking on the counter attack.
It was nearly late heartbreak for Askey’s men. Doncaster were once again inches from taking the lead. A in swinging cross narrowly missed the head of John Marquis and the ball narrowly zipped past the woodwork.
The game ended level at the final whistle, with both side sharing the points at the Keepmoat Stadium.