Doncaster Rovers (H) League One, 12 Sept 3pm

[Welsh_Saddler]

So I went away, just for a few days, and we departed the JPT trophy and lost our first League game of the season!! :evil:

Time to recover our early form against a Doncaster Rovers side who are without a Manager after the sacking of Paul Dickov. In temporary charge of the first team is Rob Jones, and as we've found out in the past, a team without a manager can often play with more freedom of expression and turn in a better performance. In their present position Doncaster certainly need improvement, lying 17th in the table and having only scored 3 goals in their 6 League One games. Dickov made several signings in his mission to get back into the Championship - Oscar Gobern (loan from QPR), Cameron Stewart (loan from Ipswich Town), Aaron Taylor-Sinclair (Wigan Athletic) and Dany N'Guessan (Larissa and Port Vale). One familiar face, of course, will be Andy Butler (No. 6), who will hopefully be given the run-around by a Tom Bradshaw who hasn't scored for what seems ages.....

Doncaster Rovers' current form:

19 Aug Southend United (H) League One, Drew 0-0
22 Aug Port Vale (A) League One, Lost 3-0
25 Aug Ipswich Town (H) League Cup 2nd round, Lost 1-4 (after extra time)
29 Aug Fleetwood (H) League One, Won 2-0
1 Sep Burton Albion (H) F. L. Trophy, Drew 0-0 (Doncaster Rovers won 5-3 on penalties)
5 Sep Gillingham (A) League One, Lost 1-0

Dean Smith should have a full squad available with the return of our two international call-up players, so the defence will pretty much pick itself (hopefully). What will he do about the forward player formation though? There must be a temptation to start Lalkovic alongside Bradshaw, with Sawyers playing a forward feeder role, but then one thing we can be certain of is that there are no certainties........Predictions are always tricky against a side in transition, but after our most recent two defeats you'd think there should be enough motivation to go for it - I'll plump for my standard 2-1 result and a welcome 3 points that may just put us back at our rightful position at the top !! :D

[scott_powell]

2-0 win

Mantom and Sawyers!

[Ancient Moaner]

3-0 defeat, gorra be :wink: ......mind you, I dreamt last night that we beat Bury away 9-0 in horrific wet conditions, Bury only playing with 9 men having had two sent off!! :mrgreen:
Seriously hard to call in view of our home jinx, but expect us to win 3-0 (IF he plays Milan instead of using some unknown yoof squad member, cus he scored a goal in an under 17 practice match!)
Sadly can't be there again. Give 'em some encouragement for me, it would be great for us to still be in the top two again. :) :)
UTS

[Big Dave wfc]

Etheridge

Demitriou
Oconnor
Downing
Henry

Chambers

Mantom
Sawyers
Morris

Lalkovic
Bradshaw

That would be my starting line up in a 4-1-3-2 formation.

Come on you reds 2-1 to us, butler sent off for having his cock out

[Micky Saddler]

Time to get right back on the horse and capitalise against a low on confidence team.

I think with our pace we could exploit a rather slow midfield.

2-0 Walsall

UTS

[kshammer]

2-1. Bradshaw and Lalko.

Lots of closing down on Butler and Jones hopefully... make em rush possession.

[leics_saddler]

Can't see last season happening again.
Can see managerless jinx happening though.
0-1 again!

[chunkster]

we will want to put the last 2 games to bed and put in a magnificent performance. against a team that haven't been playing well even with a manager. and with their defender in charge i can see us getting another 4-0 result :D

[BathSaddler]

A narrow 2-1 for the Saddlers, with Lalkovic and Sawyers for us, in front of 4,537 [423 Donny].

[otiswfc]

2-0 routine win coventry style
Andy Butler sent off for kicking Sawyers up in the air.
4460, 390 from Doncaster.

[NEWPORT SADDLERS DAD]

I hope Andy Butler gets the welcome he deserves.

[otiswfc]

I hope Andy Butler gets the welcome he deserves.

Will Grigg / Fabian Brandy type welcome you mean? I hope he gets no welcome no booing but no cheering him all game then watching him score off a header in the last minute.
Same goes for O Donnell when he comes back a little round of applause and that's it.

[Mrdollabill]

Going for 1-0 saddlers

Osbourne with the goal

Att- 6289 (because the booking history scandal)

[ObiWan7]

Having to follow this one from my office at work i'm afraid. After sitting through the last home game and watching us run around like headless chickens , i'm hoping my abscence will be a boost for the side and expect a win.

Going for a an average looking crowd of just under 5k

More imortantly a much improved performance and a 3-1 win.

Rovers taking an early lead with a Butler header in front of the home end followed by a dignified lack of celebration. Sawyers with an equalizer jsut before half time.

Early second half goal from a defender and TB to wrap it up with about 10 to play.

Here's hoping

Obi

[Welsh_Saddler]

Starting XI against Doncaster Rovers:

Etheridge

Demetriou
O'Connor
Downing
Chambers
Taylor

Mantom
Lalkovic
Henry
Sawyers

Bradshaw

Substitutes: Baxendale, MacGillivray, Forde, Preston, Flanagan, Morris, Cook.

(Edit - after 20 seconds, the first foul of the game BY Tom Bradshaw ON Andy Butler :? )

[Ancient Moaner]

Starting XI against Doncaster Rovers:

Etheridge

Demetriou
O'Connor
Downing
Chambers
Taylor

Mantom
Lalkovic
Henry
Sawyers

Bradshaw

Substitutes: Baxendale, MacGillivray, Forde, Preston, Flanagan, Morris, Cook.

Good choice! Attack minded approach, lets hope for more of the early season success. :wink:

[Welsh_Saddler]

Elsewhere, an early goal in Lancashire... Fleetwood 1 Bradford City 0

Reuben Reid scores for Plymouth Argyle

Oldham Athletic 0 Peterborough United 1 (Sacking a manager sometimes helps!!)

Gillingham 1 Blackpool 0

Chesterfield down to 10 men after only 15 minutes at home to Colchester United

Bradford City have equalised at Fleetwood to make it 1-1

Bolton Wanderers 1 Dingles 0 :lol:

[Welsh_Saddler]

Goals all over the place:

Barnsley 0 Swindon Town 1 (edit - 2 minutes later and it's 1-1)

Crewe Alex 0 Millwall 1

10-man Chesterfield 1 Colchester United 0

[Ancient Moaner]

On our own turf, we don't seem to be getting all our own way by any means, tit for tat, thought this lot would be easy pickings?

[Welsh_Saddler]

On our own turf, we don't seem to be getting all our own way by any means, tit for tat, thought this lot would be easy pickings?

They have no manager, so possibly the players are putting on the style to impress the caretaker? They've also got the positive factor of a certain Andy Butler......

[Super Gabor]

Fairly even so far 25 mins in. Donny have had a couple of good chances. Cameron Stewart looks a threat. We look better with our internationals back and with Milan.

[Welsh_Saddler]

Sam Mantom booked :(

Burton Albion 1 Rochdale 0 This pushes us down to 4th in the table (temporarily I'm sure!!)

[leics_saddler]

We either have an unhelpful referee or we're giving away some cheap fouls.
They're shading possession and we haven't had a shot on target.
Sounds like a sluggish start to me.

(best I can do from text commentary and statistics)

[Darth Vader]

On our own turf, we don't seem to be getting all our own way by any means, tit for tat, thought this lot would be easy pickings?

No such thing as easy pickings in League One, no real gulf in class across the board.

Blackpool are probably the only club at the moment that look really cack

[Ancient Moaner]

Not inspired by the stats so far, we haven't had a shot on target so far! what's going on, they seem to be running us ragged!
Cracks starting to appear in our fabulous start to the season, lets hope the second half is more exciting. :?

[Welsh_Saddler]

Port Vale 1 Wigan Athletic 0

Chesterfield 1 Colchester United 1 now

Crewe Alex 1 Millwall 1

Oldham Athletic 0 Peterborough (no manager) 2 now

[Super Gabor]

Donny free kick on edge of box. Top corner saved by etheridge

[Super Gabor]

Officials are giving us nothing

[Welsh_Saddler]

Andy Taylor joins Sam Mantom in the referee's book.....

Barnsley 2 Swindon Town 1 now

[leics_saddler]

So they've taken it upon themselves to have a 'ruthless streak'.
A week too late I'm afraid.