Joined: Sat Sep 23, 2017 2:48 pm
Posts: 4813
Location: In the Armchair.
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THE CAZBAR BIG GAME PREVIEW – DONCASTER ROVERS In a few weeks’ time we will have mainly forgotten about the last two games, ultimately we found a way to win, something that’s often said about teams hunting success.
It wasn’t pretty at times, and on occasions it was behind the sofa stuff, but we won, and that’s all that matters, although I have to say we could very easily have lost both games.
What those games did expose yet again was despite the numbers in the squad, we are low on quality alternatives when suspensions and injuries kick in.
So far we have got away with the necessary tweaks to the starting line up or the occasional player has stepped up to the plate to get us over the line…..it wont always be the case.
Thankfully it’s January and the Transfer Window will open for business on Tuesday and hopefully we will move swiftly and get the business done early. We may have only 3 games in the month until the window closes but I would certainly like the newbies in for the Tranmere away game on the 13th. In case you are wondering the other two games are at home versus Morecambe and Gillingham.
Anyway…..there is still business to be done on the field as we head to the Eco-Power Stadium (formerly the Keepmoat) to battle for more precious points, and it won’t be easy even though Donny are struggling, as it should be noted we have never beaten them up there in 8 attempts, but more on that later when we look at the history.
Below is the current league record of both clubs, plus their home record and our away record.
Doncaster (20th) – P 24, W 7, D 4, L 13, GF 27, GA 23, Pts 25.
Dons (7th) – P 23, W 11, D 6, L 6, GF 39, GA 28, Pts 39.
Doncaster (H) (19th) – P 12. W 5, D 2, L 5, GF 16, GA 20, Pts 17.
Dons (A) (8th) – P 11, W 4, D 3, L 4, GF 19, GA 17, Pts 15.
Carrying on with the stats, below is a bit more detail on that Donny home record in the league. The most recent game is shown first.
Doncaster 1 Bradford 3
Doncaster 0 Morecambe 5
Doncaster 3 Colchester 1
Doncaster 1 Grimsby 0
Doncaster 0 Salford 3
Doncaster 4 Sutton 1
Doncaster 2 Crawley 0
Doncaster 2 Gillingham 1
Doncaster 0 Swindon 0
Doncaster 1 Notts Co 3
Doncaster 2 Mansfield 2
Doncaster 0 Harrogate 1
The two standout results are the 5-0 home loss to Morecambe and the other the 2-2 draw with high flying Mansfield who incidentally they drew with again on Friday night. I’m going to say that there was probably a “local derby” edge to those games being only 34 miles apart, but whatever your conclusions I think we would be happy to hold Mansfield home and away.
The main danger will most likely come from Joe Ironside who you will probably recall from his playing days at Cambridge United. He signed for Donny in the summer on a 3 year deal for an undisclosed fee and so far has netted 13 goals from 28 games in all competitions and is likely to play just behind the front two.
The main provider in the Donny team is striker Luke Molyneux who is in his 2nd season with the club after moving from Hartlepool despite cleaning up the silverware at the End of Season Awards. So far Molyneux has 4 assists from 29 games.
The manager for Donny is someone we know only two well, yes folks, it’s the human boomerang Grant McCann who has an unnerving ability to return to the scene of the crime. Somehow he keeps getting sacked, and a few years later he’s back, with three spells with Posh and this is his second stint at Donny.
I’m not going to dwell on his career suffice to say he has never fallen below the 33% Win Ratio, and he currently stands at nearly 40% which is very tidy at this level. His match stats stand at P 383, W 152, D 84, L 146. What I do find strange is the stat he has drawn so few times, no idea why, I just thought I should point it out.
Now for the difficult reading……our record at the Eco-Power or if you prefer, the Keepmoat, it’s awful, and you don’t need me to remind you of those two defeats against them in the 2021/22 season that in reality cost us promotion. I’ve already mentioned we have never won there, in fact we have only beaten them 4 times in 17 attempts, so to get that monkey off our back would be enormous.
Below is the full depressing record.
2004/05 – Dons 0 Doncaster 1
2004/05 – Doncaster 3 Dons 0
2005/06 – Doncaster 1 Dons 1 (McLeod)
2005/06 – Dons 2 Doncaster 3 (Small, Wilbraham)
2012/13 – Doncaster 0 Dons 0
2012/13 – Dons 3 Doncaster 0 (McLeod, Powell, Gleason)
2014/15 – Doncaster 0 Dons 0
2014/15 – Dons 3 Doncaster 0 (Bowditch, C Baker 2)
2017/18 – Doncaster 2 Dons 1 (Aneke)
2017/18 – Dons 1 Doncaster 2 (Ugbo)
2019/20 – Doncaster 1 Dons 1 (Gilbey)
2019/20 – Dons 0 Doncaster 1
2020/21 – Doncaster 1 Dons 1 (Cargill)
2020/21 – Dons 1 Doncaster 0 (Harvie)
2021/22 – Doncaster 2 Dons 1 (Kioso)
2021/22 – Dons 0 Doncaster 1
2023/24 – Dons 2 Doncaster 1 (Harvie, O’Hora)
Total Record - P 17, W 4, D 5, L 8, GF 17, GA 19.
As the above record shows we last played them in August where a 2-1 win saw us top the table, but that hardly tells the full story, remember how I said about forgetting how we won the Colchester & Crawley Town games, well this one fits the same bill.
We took a 2-0 lead with goals from Harvie and O’Hora, and then sat back…….the Alexander way of doing things, and then they battered us and pulled one back just before the hour mark through Molyneux, but we held on despite a disallowed goal for Donny, multiple shots and corners and only 39% possession, it was a very nervy affair, and the final whistle was a bloody relief, in honesty I wouldn’t blame Donny fans for feeling hard done by as they deserved at least a point if not all of them.
The betting then, well no surprise we are favourites, and the price on us has been tumbling since the odds first came out, seems like the odds compilers are not concerned about the history.
Doncaster Rovers 13/5, Draw 13/5, MK Dons 21/20.
By the way, remember how I told you a few weeks ago we were 16/1 to win the playoffs, we are now just 5/1, and strangely AFC are favourites at 7/2. If you’re feeling brave we are still an attractive 12/1 to go up automatically.
My prediction for what its worth is going to follow what I said for the last two games, I think its going to be a closer than a lot of people think. Form and comparisons between the teams both have played suggests a comfortable win for us, but that history is a concern, and I’m wondering about how they held an unbeaten at home Mansfield last Friday.
The sensible thing to suggest is a draw, but I’m going to say a narrow win for us which would be massive as we would gain ground on those above because as fate has it the top 4 all play each other, Wrexham v Barrow, and Stockport v Mansfield, and as an added bonus in form Tranmere host Notts County.
Happy New Year.
 WD
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Read the MELTDOWN after every game, no bullshit, just giving it straight
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