Rovers kicked-off their 2020-21 competitive campaign in the midst of their pre-season preparations by overcoming a resilient Doncaster Rovers side, in the Carabao Cup First Round.
Rovers’ first competitive line-up of the season did not feature new-signing Thomas Kaminski, given that the goalkeeper was in the midst of his two-week quarantine, due to the continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the latest addition not being able to feature at Ewood Park for the first time, Tony Mowbray selected a fairly strong line-up for Rovers’ first competitive outing of 2020-21. Andy Fisher started between the sticks, whilst a back four of Joe Rankin-Costello, skipper Darragh Lenihan, Scott Wharton and Amari’i Bell, all lined-up ahead of the goalie. The midfield trio consisted of Lewis Holtby, Bradley Johnson and Lewis Travis, whilst the attack saw Harry Chapman and Ben Brereton partner last season’s top scorer, Adam Armstrong. The Rovers bench consisted of Jordan Eastham, Ryan Nyambe, Derrick Williams, Corry Evans, Elliott Bennett, Joe Rothwell and Tyrhys Dolan; the latter of which had impressed during the first two pre-season games.
Just prior to the kick-off at Ewood Park, both sets of players took ‘the knee’ to support the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement.
It only took 120 seconds for the first chance of the game to materialise as Jason Lokilo saw his effort well denied by Andy Fisher, who was eased into action in his first Rovers game since November 2017’s Checkatrade Trophy defeat to Rochdale, on penalties.
On the 7th minute, Adam Armstrong was offered his first opportunity of the season to re-open his competitive account. The ‘Angel of the North’ tried his luck from a free-kick, situated around 25-yards away from goal, but his effort lacked the required conviction, as it crashed into the Doncaster wall, before being cleared.
Rovers again came close to taking the lead on the 11th minute, when Lewis Holtby’s free-kick was parried into Armstrong’s path by Stoke City loanee Josef Bursik, who was between the Doncaster posts. Sadly, for Rovers, Armstrong couldn’t direct his half-volley towards goal, as it flew over the crossbar.
Two minutes later, Harry Chapman showed his quality as he tried to open the scoring from range. Luckily for Doncaster, Bursik had it covered and managed to hold onto the winger’s effort.
Another Armstrong free-kick, this time on the 20th minute mark, failed to hit the target, as his low effort zipped narrowly wide of the upright and went behind for a Doncaster goal-kick.
Three minutes later, the ball found its way to the feet of Ben Brereton. The forward, who notched two goals in Rovers’ last outing at Blackpool, managed to create himself some space before attempting to strike at goal. Unluckily for the forward, he couldn’t get his angles right as his attempt took flight and curled over the crossbar.
As Rovers continued their assault on the Doncaster defence, the 25th minute saw Armstrong again fall short of breaking the deadlock after some good interplay with Chapman. The former played a one-two with the latter, before baring down on goal and trying to chip Bursik. Like his previous attempts, however, Armstrong could not get the ball down underneath the crossbar, as it landed behind for another Doncaster goal-kick.
The half-an-hour mark saw the deadlock broken in spectacular fashion by Rovers’ new number #10, in Lewis Holtby. The German spotted the ball on the spot, before finding the top-right hand corner of the goal to put Rovers, 1-0 up, from around 25-yards out.
Ten minutes later, Holtby nearly bagged a brace after he was slid through by Armstrong. After the forward managed to craft an opening, he found Holtby, free in the area, with a cutback, but sadly Holtby failed to double his tally as his scuffed effort flew wide of the mark.
It was a case of ‘when it rains, it pours’ for Holtby by the 42nd minute as a strong challenge saw him forced off the field, with Joe Rothwell coming on to replace him. The injury which forced the change came as a bitter blow to a player who only recently recovered from a torn lateral collateral knee ligament over the summer.
Doncaster tried to level the scoring heading into the break as Lokilo tried to convert Brad Halliday’s cross, but saw his effort fail to find the target.
On the cusp of added time, Joe Wright saw his name taken by Anthony Backhouse, the match official, as the defender was booked for bringing down Armstrong, inside the Rovers half.
Although two minutes of added time were called for, they produced no noteworthy action, as the half-time whistle was soon blown to end the first period of action.
The home dressing room would have undoubtedly been full of tension, not only due to the close nature of the scoreline, but also with worry over Holtby. Tony Mowbray would have been keen to not let the German’s condition distract his players, as he would have been reminding them of their duties, prior to the second-half. The gaffer would have been quick to note that whilst the game was still in the midst of their pre-season preparations, that his side should not take their foot off the gas, and become complacent, despite Doncaster’s lack of prolificacy at Rovers’ goal.
In the opposing dressing room, former Rovers coach Darren Moore would have been disappointed that his side had been undone by a set-piece, after managing to keep Rovers at bay during the open-play attempts they had had. Moore would have been keen to offer his side encouragement, given that there was only one goal between the sides, and he would have been reminding his players that ‘cupsets’ are possible, even without their fans present.
After the second period kicked-off, it was Doncaster who started the livelier of the two sides as on the 46th minute, they saw two consecutive attempts blocked by retreating Rovers players. The first effort by Cameron John was blocked by Joe Rankin-Costello, before the second attempt by Taylor Richards was deflected behind for a corner by Joe Rothwell, as Rovers managed to deal with the incoming set-piece.
Four minutes later, Lokilo tried his luck after cutting in from the left, but Fisher was equal to the attempt.
The 51st minute saw Halliday attempt to replicate Lokilo’s effort, but the former’s attempt veered wide of the mark, rather than trouble Fisher.
The 54th minute saw Doncaster offered a lifeline back into the game as Darragh Lenihan was deemed to have fouled Fejiri Okenabirhie in the box, as Mr. Backhouse awarded the visitors a penalty and Lenihan a booking for his troubles. This gave Doncaster the chance that gaffer Darren Moore would have been hoping for, and he wasn’t disappointed as Okenabirhie did what was required from him, as he managed to send Fisher the wrong way and convert the penalty in order to level the proceedings at 1-1.
From the kick-off, the 56th minute saw Donny captain Tom Anderson booked for a strong challenge on Lewis Travis.
The 61st minute saw Rovers’ first chance of the second-half materialise as Armstrong’s strike at goal was blocked behind for a corner, before Scott Wharton’s header from the resulting set-piece fell wide of the target.
Three minutes later, Rovers’ afternoon went from bad to worse as Doncaster managed to take the lead for the first time in the game. Madger Gomes managed to pick the ball up on the edge of the area and strike an effort that managed to squirm beyond Fisher and into the net to make it 2-1 to the visitors.
Tony Mowbray and Rovers reacted immediately as Tyrhys Dolan was introduced for his senior debut, as he replaced Harry Chapman, just prior to the kick-off.
Dolan’s first contribution was forcing Brad Halliday into receiving a 70th minute yellow card, after the full-back clattered into the lively winger.
The 73rd minute brought parity back to Ewood Park as Joe Rankin-Costello managed to notch his first senior goal. Ben Brereton did well to get a low teasing cross into the penalty area which fell to Armstrong. The forward’s initial effort was blocked into the path of Rankin-Costello who couldn’t miss to bring the scoring back level at 2-2.
Doncaster soon made their first change of the afternoon as Ed Williams replaced Jon Taylor in Doncaster’s midfield.
The 74th minute saw Joe Rothwell try his luck from distance, but he couldn’t keep his effort down.
Donny’s second change of the game occurred shortly after Rothwell’s blazed effort as Lirak Hasani came on to replace Taylor Richards.
On the 77th minute, Dolan showed his ability by picking out Brereton with a cross, but the forward’s subsequent effort was well held by the Donny ‘keeper Bursik.
The 81st minute saw Mr. Backhouse level the penalty calls up as Rovers were awarded a spot-kick of their own after Bell was brought down in the area. The penalty responsibility fell on the shoulders of Armstrong, who managed to emphatically open his competitive account for the season, in order to put Rovers back ahead at 3-2.
From the restart, Rovers ahead found themselves through on goal in the 83rd minute as Armstrong tried to tee up Brereton for the fourth goal, yet Brereton failed to hit the open target, which was left unattended after Bursik found himself in no-man’s land.
As the full-time whistle edged nearer, Rovers tried to go for a fourth goal through Dolan on the 89th minute, but his effort was well-held by the Donny ‘keeper Bursik.
With Rovers seemingly home and dry, in terms of booking their name into the second round, Mr. Backhouse added on an extra four minutes onto the end of the game, which gave Doncaster hope of potentially salvaging the tie.
After the four minutes were played, without any threat to either goal, referee Anthony Backhouse brought the first game at Ewood Park for 2020-21, to an end, as Rovers emerged as winners in order to get their name into the hat for the second round.
Although this match occurred right in the middle of Rovers’ pre-season – with friendly games against Leicester City and Everton to follow in the lead-up to the season starting – Rovers contested this game, in their new home kit, with the passion, grit and determination that Tony Mowbray would have wanted. Although the game could have been a potential banana skin, given the opposition and the importance of the competition, the Rovers players showed that they were fully focussed on the task at hand. Additionally, the players showcased what they had worked on throughout the early weeks of pre-season, given the new 4-3-3 formation that Mowbray has been trying to instil into the team. Furthermore, many of the players who were not involved in the first-team picture last season, such as Scott Wharton, Harry Chapman and Tyrhys Dolan – to name just three – showed that they were capable of making the step up into the first-team on a more permanent basis.
It remains to be seen when the second-round draw will happen, but Rovers and their fans can sleep easy knowing that their team will be there!
In terms of upcoming fixtures, Rovers now face back-to-back friendlies where they will face Carlo Ancelotti’s Everton at Ewood Park on Tuesday 1st September, with kick-off scheduled for 6pm, before they travel down to the Midlands to face Brendan Rodger’s Leicester City at the King Power Stadium, at 1pm, in a battle of the former Premier League Champions. After those two fixtures, unless more friendlies are surprisingly sprung on us, Rovers’ season will start on the south coast, away at recently-relegated Bournemouth, with kick-off at the Vitality Stadium scheduled for 3pm on Saturday 12th September.
