Scunthorpe United 2-2 Doncaster Rovers
Glanford Park
Coca-Cola Championship - Saturday, September 26, 2009
FULL-TIME
Scunthorpe United 2 Doncaster Rovers 2
United grab a point today, which is better than nothing. The biggest positive is the spirit that the team has shown to launch this comeback - but I think the gentleman sat next to me in the crowd just summed today's game up best. He assessed that Rovers "threw the game away, by fouling and been bad sportsman". And it's true, at 2-0, Rovers should have seen this game out. United were very fortunate that Rovers lost their discipline today.
The next game is Nottingham Forest, away, on Wednesday. United have won there a few times in recent years - in fact it's possibly United's most prosperous away ground. I'm sure the team will look forward to that encounter...
SECOND-HALF
94 Minutes: O'Connor fires the ball forward for Hayes. Hayes takes it down neatly, but his touch towards Woolford is too weak, and the Rovers defence cleans up.
93 Minutes: "Sharpy, what's the score... Sharpy, Sharpy what's the score." That's the chant coming from the crowd now.
92 Minutes: Goal for Scunthorpe - McCann sends Sullivan the wrong way and scores, again.
Scunthorpe United 2 Doncatser Rovers 2
91 Minutes: Penalty to United - From a corner Woolford plays it to Wright, who turns and crosses. It fails to beat the first man - who pushes it away with his hand.
90 Minutes: Rovers have the ball in the corner. I think they'll be content to keep it there for the six minutes of added time, if the can!
86 Minutes: Doncaster are down to nine men - This time Quinton Fortune is dismissed. It provokes a mass protest from Rovers players, but the referee sends the players away. There should be a tasty amount of added-time. Rovers had one of the best disciplinary records in this division prior to today.
85 Minutes: McCann sends a ball in for Garry Thompson. The move is perfect - the ball in and the header by Thompson, which he slams at the floor in attempt to bounce up and over the oncoming Sullivan - but somehow, the goalie manages to save it.
82 Minutes: Sub by Doncaster - Mark Wilson is replaced by James O'Connor; and Billy Sharp makes way for Paul Heffernan. Those changes are made moments after Michael O'Connor blasted a long-range effort over the crossbar.
80 Minutes: A quick free-kick by United is relayed to Josh Wright. From about thirty yards he shoots, and forces Sullivan into a splendid stop.
78 Minutes: Garry Thompson gets the ball on the right, pauses to assess his options, and then slips it into the path of Hayes. From a bad angle Hayes shoots wide, although he was beyond the last man.
77 Minutes: Sub by Doncaster - Coppinger is forced off. Webster comes on.
75 Minutes: So much is happening in so little time. Firstly Woolford crept in on the left, and from a narrow-angle was denied by Neil Sullivan. I still guess he'll be dissapointed not to have scored... From the corner that resulted the ball bounces around a little, and it's seized upon by Cliff Byrne, who high on confidence, attempts to send an overhead kick into the roof of the net. It goes over, but not far. United are flying on adrenaline at the moment. I remember a couple of years ago when United were 2-0 up and in control and the Keepmoat, but Rovers pulled the score back to 2-2. Can United return the favour?
72 Minutes: Sub by Scunthorpe - Togwell off; Thompson, a more attacking player, on.
71 Minutes: Goal for Scunthorpe - What a way to answer his critics. He didn't make the starting eleven today, but he's got his name on ceefax all the same. Cliff Byrne rises highest in a crowded penalty area to send an elegant header home after a McCann corner. A carbon copy of the one against Tranmere.
Scunthorpe United 1 Doncaster Rovers 2
70 Minutes: Doncaster are down to ten men - How quickly a game can change. John Oster is sent-off for an off the ball incident. United must take advantage now. They suddenly have a chance I feel. Twenty minutes are left on the clock.
68 Minutes: Doncaster are on the attack again. I really hope United don't capitulate. Corner for the away side...
65 Minutes: Cliff Byrne jumps bravely for a header in the box, and considering he had a player dragging him to the floor, he did well to get even a glancing touch on it. Mind you, the touch just guided it back to the Rovers defence. The referee saw nothing wrong with the move, but there's a huge cry for a penalty from the fans behind the goal.
62 Minutes: Goal for Doncaster - Billy Sharp heads home and takes off his shirt and runs into the crowd - he's booked. Sometimes players don't celebrate agianst their old clubs...
Scunthorpe United 0 Doncaster Rovers 2
60 Minutes: Michael O'Connor accelerates around Adam Lockwood, and then falls to the floor, after Lockwood had extended himself to block O'Connor. The referee books O'Connor for diving. I don't really see why - O'Connor had nothing to gain by diving, he had the ball at his feet - and it wasn't in the area, so he was never getting a penalty!
56 Minutes: Woolford dummies the ball smartly on the right-wing to unleash himself down that particular flank. He sends a cross into the box, but nobody is there - nobody had the pace to keep up with Woolford - so Sullivan plucks it from the air.
54 Minutes: Josh Wright plays a ball down the channel to Martyn Woolford. Had it been a little bit weaker, Woolford may have been able to bring it under control - in which case he'd have been in.
50 Minutes: United have had the ball in the opposition's half for the entire duration of this second-half. This looks much more encouraging. In the time I've typed this instalment they've won two corners.
47 Minutes: Woods slides in on Josh Wright on the edge of the box. He slid from behind, and won the ball - but it looked a bad challenge all the same, as Wright ended up in a heap. United have a free-kick in a very good area... Grant McCann tries to angle it at goal, but his precise effort doesn't beat the wall.
45 Minutes: Scunthorpe kick-off.
HALF-TIME
Scunthorpe United 0 Doncatser Rovers 1
Compared to how they've played in other recent games, United have been poor today. They're lucky not to be more goals behind, and although the referee has made some questionable calls, I don't think United can really moan about the really big one - the penalty.
Scunthorpe haven't been helped by more than one factor, though. The absence of Hooper from the outset was certainly not welcome, and the loss of Jonathan Forte hasn't exactly helped in the attacking department either. At the back, the loss of David Mirfin is abysmal news. Generally, United seem much more assured in defence when Mirfin is on, there is no doubt at all about that.
On a more positive note, United only find themselves one goal down. And with the likes of McCann, Hayes and Woolford on the pitch, they do have goals in them - I just can't help but feel that they need something from today's game, that this really is a good chance to bank at least another point, but preferably three.
Attendance: 7,945
FIRST-HALF
49 Minutes: Martin Woods falls over himself, and Doncaster win a free-kick. Thankfully it doesn't go in - Jones watches the ball, which was heading for Adam Lockwood, fly out of play, and a terrible miscarriage of justice is avoided.
46 Minutes: Billy Sharp wins the ball in the final third. He turns Spence, before laying it off for Martin Woods, who sees that Doncatser have a man over - and releases Coppinger, who is on his own. Coppinger ventures into the area, shoots twice, and is denied by great Joe Murphy saves each time.
45 Minutes: Five minutes of time will be added at the end of this period.
41 Minutes: Cliff Byrne does well. When John Oster is through he keeps him from reaching the ball (despite the fact that Oster is much fatser than him); so that it eventually rolls for Murphy to collect. Oster then runs forcefully into Murphy, and makes no attempt to shake his hand afterwards. Seconds later, Oster flies in on Josh Wright with a dreadful challenge which involves an elbow. He's booked.
38 Minutes: The Rovers fans cheer loudly as Michael O'Connor sends the ball wide from a free-kick. Most had expected him to cross it I think. United had bodies assembled in the box.
34 Minutes: Grant McCann's on the end of a deep cross, and does something really intellignet. Instead of trying to score from an impossible angle (like most would've!) he props it up for Josh Wright. Wright can only manage to attack the ball with his head, and therefore, he ultimately loses out to Neil Sullivan and co., who manage to get the ball behind for a corner. Yet, that was United's best attack as of yet, by a mile. It created one of those situations where any sort of contact from Wright would have equated to a goal.
33 Minutes: Sub by Scunthorpe - Martyn Woolford comes on for United. Forte's the player replaced, obviously.
30 Minutes: Right in-front of the Rovers fans, Forte goes down injured, and United have to make their second change of this match. Forte's taken from the pitch on a stretcher, and even the Doncaster fans give him a clap as he's taken from the field. That is a sight that nobody who has any affection for football wants to see.
29 Minutes: Billy Sharp takes the ball in at his feet. How many times have United fans seen him do this in the eighteen yard area, twist and pull the trigger? This time, as he brings the ball in and starts to turn, Jordan Spence gets a foot in and the ball slides away. The danger is averted.
23 Minutes: James Coppinger skips through the area, turning Murphy, Byrne and Spence. He eventually tries to turn a man too many and is held up, but the way he went round the first three was worrying to say the least. Furthermore, Murphy nearly chopped him, and the only outcome of such an event would've been a penalty.
22 Minutes: United have drawn Manchester City away in the Carling Cup. That's a great tie for Iron fans to look forward to.
19 Minutes: Sub by Scunthorpe -There's a sombre and deflated round of applause as David Mirfin is forced from the pitch with an injury, and replaced by Cliff Byrne.
16 Minutes: Sharp takes the ball from Williams far too easily, and lays it on a plate for Coppinger when he slips it across the empty box. Coppinger misses a sitter. United need to step it up.
14 Minutes - Goal for Doncaster - Martn Woods, a player who once rejected the chance to sign for United, slams it past Murphy. Murphy got a touch, but he was never going to beat that one away.
Scunthorpe United 0 Doncaster Rovers 1
13 Minutes: Spence trips Coppinger in the area, a clear penalty, and Rovers have a chance to take the lead. The only cause for appeal that United may have against that one is the fact that Coppinger had his back to goal - he wasn't really an immediate threat, but all the same, it looked a foul to me. The referee is still taking some stick for his decision though.
9 Minutes: Paul Hayes slips a nasty pass back towards Joe Murphy that lets Billy Sharp in on goal. The best way to describe It is like the one Gerrard did at Euro 2004. Muprhy came out and made a save, knocking Sharp to the floor in the process, and the referee then pulls play back for a free-kick to Rovers, for an infringement earlier in the move.
3 Minutes: McCann crosses in a free-kick. It was from deep, and evaded everyone in the box, bypassing countless amounts of heads, before dropping for David Mirfin. Mirfin was offside anyway, so the fact that he lofted the ball over the bar with his right-foot didn't really matter.
1 Minute: The game is underway. In the first move of the game, Billy Sharp chases down a long ball, but Jordan Spence gets there first, and clears it with relative ease.
PRE-MATCH
Good morning, and welcome once again to Glanford Park, at an earlier stage of the day than is usual, for text commentary of today's derby - between Scunthorpe United and Doncaster Rovers. This game flings together two team's who are currently experiencing quite polarised runs of form. United are unbeaten in four, and are through to the fourth round of the Carling Cup; Doncaster meanwhile, have just one league win to their name all season.
Just to inform you as to why this match's kick-off time was altered, it was at the request of the police, due to reasons associated with safety. That's partially because a hefty following of Rovers supporters are expected to make the journey here today, and play their part in building a partisan atmosphere inside the practically full stadium. It's not there yet, quite, but cometh 12 o'clock and this place will be buzzing like a beehive, with barely a seat spare.
Scunthorpe have been sweating on the fitness of three major players in the run-up to this match. Gary Hooper, Rob Jones and Joe Murphy have been nursing nasty, niggling injuries during the week. Both Jones and Murphy manage to make the starting line-up, where they are joined by Sam Togwell, who was left out of the eleven on Tuesday evening. Gary Hooper fails to even make the bench, as he continues his recovery. Billy Sharp starts for Doncaster Rovers, however. The former United player hasn't found the net so-far in his short spell at at the side from Yorkshire, and will be keen on amending that statistic soon - today if possible.
The draw for the fourth round of the Carling Cup takes place at 12.15 today. As soon as the outcome of is known, I'll confirm who United will play in one of my minute-by-minute postings. Will it be one of the 'big four'?
It's a warm day for late September, here in Scunthorpe. The sun is glaring down on Glanford Park, making the supporters housed in the home terracing shield their eyes - will that have an effect on the two goalkeepers performances? Most people sat in the vicinty of me have removed their jackets, as no swirling and chilling wind is present. There's an array of chants flying from the Rovers end of the ground. Their supporters take up not only the entire conventional away stand, but also a small proportion of the Grove Wharf.
Rob Jones leads his side out onto the pitch, in tandem with a rapturous applause erupting from the entire ground. The two sides shake hands, and the teams are then read out as United and Rovers take to their positions on the pitch. Jonathan Fotre receives a mild 'boo' from the Doncaster supporters; which is quite a contrast to the round of applause Billy Sharp gets from the United fans. United will attack towards the away end of the ground in the first-half.
Teams:
Scunthorpe United: Murphy, Spence, Mirfin, Jones, Williams, O'Connor, Togwell, J. Wright, McCann, Forte, Hayes. Substitutes: Slocombe, A. Wright, Byrne, Sparrow, Thompson, Woolford, Canavan.
Doncaster Rovers: Sullivan, Roberts, Sharp, Chambers, Lockwood, Wilson, Oster, Woods, Fortune, Shackell, Coppinger. Substitutes: Smith, O'Connor, Heffernan, Fairhurst, Spicer, Hird, Shiels.
SCENE-SETTER
United could make it five games undefeated when they face Doncaster Rovers in a derby clash on Saturday at Glanford Park (12.00pm kick-off).
The scene is set for a cracking game at Glanford Park between two exciting attacking sides in front of a packed stadium.
Tickets sales have been excellent ahead of the game with Rovers and, in their last home game for three weeks, Nigel Adkins' team will be looking to climb the table further against a side that has won just one game from eight so far in the league.
Scunthorpe look set to be boosted by the return to fitness of goalkeeper Joe Murphy, who had to come off during Tuesday night's Carling Cup win over Port Vale with an arm injury.
However, he has recovered from it, although he needed an X-ray on the night to make sure there was no bone break, and will train on Friday.
He looks set to return in goal, while defender Rob Jones (virus) was back in training on Thursday and looks set to return to the side in place of young Niall Canavan. He is also likely to take the captain's armband again too.
Elsewhere, winger Garry Thompson should return to the squad after recovering from a foot injury and training on Thursday.
Striker Gary Hooper (hamstring) is a doubt for the game so Jonathan Forte is likely to continue up front against his former club alongside Paul Hayes.
The only players missing out will be Ben May (ankle injury) and Kenny Milne (still on the comeback trail after having to undergo two knee operations).
Sam Togwell will be pushing for a return to the side after impressing in midfield in recent league matches. He was a substitute for the Carling Cup encounter with Port Vale.
Doncaster have been dealt a big blow ahead of the match with the news that influential midfielder Brian Stock is suffering from an ankle problem that will require surgery and rule him out for at least a month. He picked up in the injury in the recent game at West Bromwich Albion.
Set to play up front is Iron strike legend Billy Sharp, who scored 56 goals in a two year spell with the club - the latter of which saw United win the League One title and Sharp break the record for Iron goals notched in a season. He is on loan to Rovers from Sheffield United.
Rovers are also waiting on the fitness of James Coppinger and Paul Heffernan. Coppinger missed last week's 3-3 home draw with Ipswich due to an ankle injury, while Heffernan has been sidelined since the defeat at Middlesbrough at the end of last month. James Hayter (groin) is also a doubt.
The referee for the game is Keith Stroud.
