Doncaster Rovers 2 Stockport County 1 ( Football League 2) Tuesday 16 August 2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was fantastically disappointing- a game turned right around by a refereeing decision early on and decisively decided by another deep in added time!

County looked comfortable early on as Doncaster`s unease grew with every moment until the 20^th minute when Referee Declan Bourne with the added input of his liner adjudged that Southam- Hales had fouled Tommy Rowe sufficiently to deserve a red card. I did not see this action clearly, but have viewed several videos on facebook and twitter and to say the least it is not even clear a foul was committed, what was clear sadly was that Rowe , who I was looking forward to seeing again, milked it somewhat although in perhaps an echo of a more acceptable  past seemed to think twice about going full throttle by throwing himself down like a dead man.

Anyway here`s a clip from You Tube which you can use to judge for yourself

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6DHnnjw1Jo

 

That changed the complexion of the game with County down to 10 with 70 minutes + left to play.

Rovers enjoyed much possession thereafter but with their large /vocal following lifting the roof County stunned Gary Mc Sheffrey`s side with a well-executed strike in the first minute of the second half by substitute Ryan Rydel.

Against the odds it was 1-1 and with County defending heroically urged on constantly by the Blue Army, it was still so at 91, until Kieran Agard toe poked one goal ward…..the home specs went AS….then reached for the BP pills as the ball looked to be cleared  off the line. Enter the liner and the game was Doncaster`s. 

Cruel hardly covers it but sooner or later we are going to have to either find a strategy to counter the persistent tendency of teams playing ourselves to con referees with practised theatricals-or adopt it ourselves- I favour the former course of action as I pine still for the days of yore when fouls were no less prevalent and in many cases  much more violent, but there was a certain degree of honesty in the game  which is sadly almost completely missing from today`s national game.

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Having criticised Doncaster`s behaviour on the park, off it the Yorkshire club were hospitable hosts.

I could have done without the most bizarre pre kick off moment that still needs to be explained to me- sadly County did not kick off by shooting for goal with all the Doncaster team in a huddle on halfway!

County did go onto the attack from the off though, but the first keeper in action was Jaros for County who made a confident catch from Doncaster`s first corner.

 

 

 

 

 

That was 3 minutes in, the 4^th saw Camps clear but failing to test home keeper Jon Mitchell with a tame cross/ shot.

Cue a scare for Mitchell who was next seen clawing the ball out from a snap-shot from Hippolyte.

I was liking what I was seeing I am not sure Mr Mc Sheffrey would have been quite so sanguine as Madden pinged in a cheeky volley from distance. County`s support was convinced it was going in, but the ball flew a foot wide.

The minutes went by very happily for County who were plying their trade mostly in the oppositions half- a glorious 1…2 twixt Brown and Madden almost putting Southam- Hales in on 10 minutes.

For Doncaster everything, all match long, had playmaker Adam Clayton`s mark on it but despite this 3 or 4 minutes of Rovers possession they totally failed to penetrate the County cover.

This was interrupted on 14 minutes by Madden whose first-time pass sent Hippolyte clear. Clearly there was more for County`s support to sing about wasn`t there? Except the liner`s upraised flag told us to hold the vocals- offside apparently!

 Knoyle had a nibble next for Rovers being comprehensively blocked by Hippolyte, but this was breakaway stuff not the host dictating to unworthy visitors.

This was underlined again as County had the home back line in complete disarray – Camps was through in front of goal …….and then he wasn`t as Williams had his legs from under him. An arguable penalty but Mr Bourne incredibly waved play on- County`s consolation corner being cleared by Rovers harassed back line.

County were still on top 19 minutes in as Johnson`s neat diagonal ball sent Southam- Hales on a run down the right.  A throw followed and from it utter calamity as Southam-Hales and Rowe clashed- from videos of the action it seemed spectacularly unremarkable stuff and I strained to see how a red card could be justified for same but the officials felt differently and therein awarded the game to County`s opponents on a platter!

This was doubly sad as the minutes` applause for the young Doncaster lad who drowned recently was rather undermined by this fracas at the far end of the stadium.

Within 5 minutes DC had made a substitution bringing Rydel on for Croasdale. I had no problem with Rydel coming on but if we were to be subjected to increased pressure here on out we surely needed  Croasdale`s vital defensive work in front of what was an excellent back 3 .

No matter , that was how DC had called it and Rydel quickly won a corner which offered some encouragement to County`s highly supportive following.

The corner saw Camps` lob gobbled by Mitchell.

 Rovers meanwhile were looking to make their numerical advantage count but Johnson being intent on denying them this, did so beating Rowe before clearing up the park. I looked left to see Rowe sadly roll about on the ground having not been touched by Ryan. Loud booing from the County supporters maybe persuaded the former Hatter to not pursue the charade.

But the pressure was building from the home side and Brown did well doing just enough to see Kyle Hurst`s shot fly out accompanied on its way by Hippolyte.

It went on- Rovers going long only for Jaros to beat Miller to Clayton`s probing ball.

County were battling bravely, but the pressure from the hosts kept building and a ball in from the left saw Miller drill a neat finish beyond Jaros`s dive into the net.

Rovers had the lead and County had 5 minutes or so to hold out until they could re-group in the dressing room.

A run by Brown brought a late save from Mitchell, but it was mostly defending that occupied County`s time as the half drew to a close- Tomlin hitting a post, and Jaros saving the follow up with his legs.

Rovers got an additional 3 minutes to keep trying, but it was still 1-0 when the teams went in at the break.

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Horsfall was on for Wootton for County when the teams returned for the second half, and within a minute we saw County move the required mountain as Hippolyte claimed possession serenely before slipping the ball through to Rydel via the deftest of touches by Camps , and the happiest of pandemoniums broke out behind the Rovers goal as Ryan slid the sweetest of strikes home!

That was excellent- it was 1-1 and with a lot of hard work and a bit of luck….perhaps……

But Mr Bourne was still struggling to give the blues a thing and a cheap free kick put County back on the defensive- they defended well with Madden doing his bit running the ball clear. The pressure was still on though as again a Rovers free kick came in low and hard- again County repelled this threat but at the expense of a corner , and Hurst fancied this more than a bit spoiling his moment however as his shot was closer to the corner flag than the target.

What`s this though ….Tomlin rattles the bar with a tasty one from way out with the hour mark approaching with it still 1-1.

The County raids were getting fewer as the game progressed but there was no cigar for the men in red and white with the numerical advantage, indeed Hippolyte thought he had gained us a corner on 58 minutes, the ball looking to have gone  out off Anderson, but the officials gave a goal -kick.

On it went, County defending bravely and with determination but probably too deep - Jaros making a good save to deny Hurst.

I was getting irritated by the falling down and rolling about stuff from Rovers now as they brought Molyneux on for Maxwell on the hour.

Corners and free kicks continued to proliferate for the Yorkshire side, but no goal- Hurst`s shot on 66 minutes climbing way over the bar.

Then we had a reprise of Williams v Camps of the first half as the former brought the latter down in the box but the Referee was away with the fairies apparently – saw the action did nothing, allowed Rovers to clear their lines.

It went on with Doncaster back attacking and Jaros in action holding onto a shot by Rowe at the second go.

With 20 minutes left, County were still doing the biz…defending stoutly but deep and they were not able to hold onto the ball for long and thus restrict the home side`s options as the corners pinged over.

The 72^nd minute saw a Hurst header kept out by Jaros`s diving save.

Unfortunately, the men in red/white were diving too …in the County box mainly, on the end of Clayton`s good work, but that much sought-after penalty eluded the Yorkshiremen.

With 15 minutes left DC rang the personnel changes with Newby and Crankshaw replacing Madden and Hippolyte both of whom had worked their socks up down and up again!

But the pressure continued from Rovers, however Miller looked more intent on securing that aforementioned penalty than applying a finish to Hurst`s cross- he was denied!

Then `jubilation`at the away end as County get 2 free kicks- the fresh legs of Newby and Crankshaw putting our hosts at sixes and sevens.

Crankshaw was tearing into the home back line with a will but sadly not so much as a scintilla of good fortune, as I dared to scribble “ it`s anyone`s game!!”

The Blue Army so wanted it to be County`s and Newby and Sarcevic gave them hope until a hoofed clearance by someone in red/white and a bit of falling down won our opponents the relief of a free kick with 6 minutes of normal time left.

Whipped in fast and low the kick was cleared by the heroic blue back line( all 10 of `em) putting Donny on the back foot and County had the ball in the home net on 86 minutes only for the ref to penalise County for …err….you tell me please.

Here`s Simon George`s pic of that moment- 

 

 

 

 

 

“Would you have given it?” I hear you ask….of course I would have!

Back came Rovers bringing another save from Jaros on 87 minutes.

A siege of the County goal followed with Mc Sheffrey`s side keeping the ball and passing it about but without any end product.

They had a steady flow of corners though which might have fuelled their ambition productively if County in response hadn`t been so darned obstinate in the defence of their territory.

It was smack on 90 minutes now and I nearly choked with shock as the Referee actually spotted a dive and awarded County a free kick. I was not alone in my amazement but we were quickly disavowed of any desire to lavish Mr Bourne with praise as before the kick was taken he booked County keeper- it was the after shave Vitezslav that and force of refereeing habit!

Five minutes added time signalled a continuation of the seemingly fruitless attempts by Doncaster to nick a winner.

But as another Clayton pass headed deep into the blue last third Agard got a shot in sending the home specs slightly AS thinking it was in…..but it wasn`t it was cleared off the line at the last gasp….or so we thought -enter far side liner and the game was Doncaster`s and a goal awarded.

The next 4 or 5 minutes were a bit of a blur… that was so……so  undeserved.

There was time for Jaros to make another late save before the ref eventually blew for time.

The County team had battled bravely in difficult conditions, supported brilliantly by the Blue Army who were magnificent throughout!

 

 

Lessons to be learned from this for sure, but I have already probably said enough earlier in this piece.

I have little doubt that County will come back from this given that fantastic support how could they not!

 

Doncaster Rovers line up:-

Mitchell, Knoyle, Maxwell ( Molyneux 60), Anderson, Williams, Clayton, Miller, Rowe, Biggins ( Agard 76), Hurst ( Andrews 93), Tomlin.

Subs not used: Jones, Long, Faulkner, Kuleya.

 

Stockport County line up:-

Jaros, Brown, Lewis, R Johnson, Southam- Hales, Hippolyte ( Crankshaw 75), Croasdale ( Rydel 26), Camps, Sarcevic, Wootton ( Horsfall 45), Madden ( Newby 75).

Subs not used : Hinchliffe, Evans, Quigley.

 

Attendance 6309 ( 1115)

 

hedgegrower

 

And finally another Additional Gallery from old hedgie`s phone....