Report: Iron U18s 1-2 Doncaster Rovers U18s

The Iron Under-18 side’s Cameron Wilson scored a stunning free-kick but their Doncaster Rovers counterparts hit back to strike twice and seal a 2-1 Youth Alliance League win.

“It was a game of two halves really,” explained academy manager Tony Daws.

“We were really pleased in the first-half, where our performance was excellent. We took the lead and got pegged back, and then in the second-half we didn’t do as well as we did in the first period.”

It was a first-half that took a little while to get going, but the first opportunity came on 12 minutes when Raynner Silva played a free-kick down the right, with Wilson then playing a one-two with Levi Gallimore before getting to the byline. The the ball eventually reached Jessop, but a Rovers player got a foot to his effort and it was cleared.

Straight after, with the Iron working the ball into the box from the left, it eventually dropped to Wilson on the right, who fired wide of the near post from around 15 yards.

In the 18th minute, the Iron broke through Finley Shrimpton and Levi Gallimore, with the ball eventually reaching Jessop on the left side of the area, but his shot from around 12 yards at an angle hit the side netting.

On 26 minutes, the away side had their first shot of the afternoon, as a forward received the ball on the right and then cut inside before firing wide and over.

Straight after, Jessop dribbled the ball and tried to force an opening just inside the box, under pressure from two defenders, but the home goalkeeper gathered.

Then, in the 28th minute, Shrimpton tested the away shotstopper with a fierce low shot from the edge of the area, which came following Wilson’s run down the right flank and cutback.

Immediately after, Doncaster’s goalkeeper had to keep the ball out of the net with his feet as Jessop used strength to win the ball on the left side of the area and worked an opening, shooting low and towards the shotstopper’s bottom right corner.

The Iron took the lead as a free-kick from 25 yards was laid off by Silva and Joey Dawson to Wilson, whose powerful drive flew into the net.

“It was a well-taken goal and something we’ve worked on, so it was pleasing to see it come off,” added Daws.

The away team were level within two minutes though as a forward was played through down the right side of the area and smashed a low, powerful effort beyond the dive of Collins at his left-hand post.

The next chance came on 38 minutes as skipper Harry Baker made a surging run from right-back. He got to the edge of the area and fired a fierce drive goalwards which the goalkeeper parried out. Shrimpton battled for the rebound and fell under a challenge but nothing was given.

Next to test the Rovers shotstopper was Dawson five minutes before the half-time break, from almost the byline, whose low drive from the right angle was kicked out for a corner by the goalkeeper.

The 42nd minute saw a great challenge from Baker to prevent a shot on goal as Rovers worked the ball from right to left of the area.

Wilson and Silva linked up for a right-wing free-kick on 43 minutes but the former's cross evaded and went out for a goal-kick.

The away team threatened towards the end of the half, but a right-wing cross was headed over the bar and well off the target.

The second-half started with the away team attacking down the left, but a cross from there was sent over the crossbar.

Shortly after, Oliver Lobley’s cross forced a corner, which Silva took from the left. It reached Jessop, who shot and the ball was cleared, although there were shouts for handball in the penalty area.

There were then two stoppages in play, the second very lengthy and resulting in a player being stretchered off, as two Rovers Under-18s required treatment on the pitch.

The 63rd minute saw Doncaster go ahead, as they broke down the right side of the 18-yard box and the referee blew for a penalty as a player went down. Tom Collins got down to his left side and almost saves it, but the pace of the ball took it over the line.

The away team soon attacked down the right and their player cut inside before firing a powerful effort which was blocked away and cleared. They then curled a free-kick over the crossbar.

Soon after, Wilson and Levi Gallimore linked up down the right, with the former’s teasing low cross into the box from the right wing cleared away.

Rovers sent another free-kick wide, while they also rattled the crossbar as a right-wing cross fell into the path of a frontman on the edge of the box. United then almost forced a mistake from the Rovers defence but the goalkeeper managed to clear under pressure.

On 79 minutes, Levi Gallimore received a throw and got the ball down before quickly unleashing a powerful effort that hit the side netting.

Following another break in play due to injury, United probed and looked for a leveller as the game entered 14 minutes of stoppage time.

That period saw the visitors attack down the right and a dangerous low ball was sent across the six-yard box, but nobody was there to meet it and the Iron cleared.

Then, after Collins’ ball forward was only part cleared, Shrimpton shot powerfully but it was blocked away and the player on the receiving end was then down for treatment.

As the rain lashed down, United searched for a leveller, with Baker’s cross blocked out for a corner. Wilson played back to Baker but his cross evaded Charlie Barks at the back post.

Soon after, there was a great block from substitute Oliver Kemp as Rovers broke and threatened to add a third. Their player cut inside before the Iron No 12’s intervention.

The visitors then attacked down the left and a cross was sent in but it was headed off target.

The last throw of the dice came in the 104th minute as United won a free-kick right of centre and 25 yards away. Wilson took but nobody could latch onto it and Doncaster cleared. Shortly after, the full-time whistle was blown.

IRON: Collins, Baker (c), Lobley, D Gallimore (Kemp, 90), Barks, Shrimpton, Wilson, Dawson, L Gallimore, Jessop, Silva.

IRON SUBS NOT USED: Wilkinson, Chadli.