PREVIEW | Doncaster Rovers vs Wrexham

Two in-form sides clash at the Eco-Power Stadium.

1 April 2024

With 4 consecutive wins under their belts, Doncaster Rovers are in their best form of the season. 2nd in the 6-game form table going into the Easter Monday programme (they're top of the 5-game table), they face a Wrexham side which followed up a confident win at Grimsby by beating league leaders Mansfield impressively on Friday. Something's got to give!

THE WREXHAM ANGLE

Saturday's win over Mansfield was a massive result, not least because yesterday's results fell so well for us. Paiul Mullin's goals capped a fine performance which knocked Mansfield off the top of the table. With George Evans and Ryan Barnett returning to the pitch after injuries. it was a great day all round for Phil Parkinson, who will hope Jacob Mendy is also available for the trip to Donscaster.

That two-match stutter against Harrogate and Tranmere is the only blemish in a strong run of form since mid-February, coinciding with the installation of Max Cleworth, Eoghan O'Connell and Will Boyle as our back three. That trio have started 9 games as a combination and conceded just 4 goals, keeping 4 clean sheets. However, we haven't shut the opposition out in an away match since the FA Cup win at Shrewsbury, and you have to go back 10 games to find our last league away clean sheet, at Swindon on Boxing Day.

LAST MEETING

THE OPPOSING VIEW

Doncaster Rovers are finishing the season in fine style, and will rue the injury crisisi which made life so difficult for manager Grant McCann in the middle of the season. As the injuries have eased, Rovers have flouished: having lost just 1 game since February, they are currently on a run of 4 consecutive wins.

McCann told the Yorkshire Post that he's not surprised to see his squad perform so well now their injuries woes have lessened: "I've said this all season - we have got a really good group of boys here. Unfortunately, times in the season, we've missed 14 to 15 of them in spells. It's certainly hindered us and hindered the consistency of the results.

I think what we've seen over the last 10 games particularly, maybe from January onwards, is a team that is top four or five in the division and from February onwards, top of the division.

-Grant McCann

"I think that's down to the consistency of team selection, players being fit, players pushing the players in the team, players chomping at the bit to be involved. Decisions I've got to make every week of who I even put on the bench, not about who I put in the team. It's certainly made us a stronger unit.

"The winner in me was frustrated in the early part of the season but pleased in the second half of the season, in terms of where we are with the group and strength in depth.

"You try not to worry about them when they happen, you try focus on the boys that are fit but it's certainly helped us over the last few months."

Last Friday they enjoyed a superb win away to another in-form side, Crawley Town. Rovers were 1-0 up in the 66th minute when Tom Anderson was dismissed for a professional foul, but went on to clinch victory when substitute Max Biamou struck in the 8th minute of added time. Rovers captain Richard Wood told the Rovers club website that he relished their back to the wall effort:

“I really enjoyed it. That’s what I pride myself of - throwing my body in front of everything. I think we’ve been really solid in the last few weeks defensively and it’s been a pleasure to play alongside everyone.

“Everyone has been so switched on and confidence and results help with that. We just need to stay switched on and see what happens. We’ve just got to keep playing. We’ve got something to carry on a keep momentum going and keep the unbeaten run going.

“It was an impressive away performance. Momentum is definitely with us. It could have been more. We had some good chances that we didn’t take. We got there at the end which was a relief for everyone. We’re in a good place.”

The future looks bright for Rovers as McCann plans for next season. Skipper Wood, Zain Westbrook, James Maxwell and Ben Close have all signed new contracts in the last couple of weeks, while Tottenham academy midfielder Matthew Craig has signalled that he's hoping his loan spell at Doncaster can be made permanent.

Close, who is ruled out for the season, told Rovers' website: “I’m really pleased to get this sorted. I really feel that the club is going in the right direction and I’m looking forward to being a part of it over the next two years.

“The way the second half of the season has panned out and if we can keep a lot of the group of players we’ve got now together, I think we’ll have a really good chance of achieving success next year and in the years to come as well.”

HEAD TO HEAD

We've never played at the Eco-Power Stadium before, but signed off at Rovers' old ground in decent fashion. We were unbeaten in our last 3 games at Belle Vue, and registered our best win there since 1933 in the process. That win came in August 1994 as we clashed in a League Cup tie. We trailed 1-0 at half time, but Gary Bennett snatched an equaliser in the first minute of the second half, and goals from Karl Connolly and Steve Watkin gave us the lead. Rovers pulled a goal back 5 minutes from the end, but Watkin struck again in the last minute to restore our 2-goal lead. Rovers gave the second leg a good go, but were unable to pull off an unlikely comeback. Watkin continued his fine vein of form against them with an early goal, although the visitors at least managed to equalise and earn a draw.

We'd been at Belle Vue 2 seasons earlier as we approached what would turn out to be a successful promotion run-in. Rovers gave us a rough ride, though, and it looked like we'd fall to a 1-0 defeat until the 89th minute when Mike Lake pinched a point.

Our final game at Belle Vue was a goalless draw in November 2004.

The best result we've enyed at Doncaster, which I mentioned earlier, was an emphatic comeback led by our greatest goalscorer. We fell behind after 3 minutes, but Tommy Bamford then intervened in the grand manner, scoring 4 goals to clinch a 4-1 win.

Bamford is comfortably our top scorer in this fixture, having scored 10 goals past Rovers. The next best total is 3, achiieved by George Burditt, Connolly, Micky Metcalf and Watkin.

POTENTIAL MILESTONES

Eoghan O'Connell's 300th career appearance.

Jacob Mendy's 200th career match.

Elliot Lee's 100th Wrexham appearance.

Ollie Palmer's 100th league match for Wrexham.

Match Reports

REPORT | Doncaster Rovers 1-0 Wrexham AFC

Red Dragons handed narrow defeat in Yorkshire

2 April 2024

Wrexham AFC failed to capitalise on yesterday's results, as they fell to a disappointing 1-0 defeat against Doncaster Rovers at the Eco-Power Stadium.

Neither side managed to create many chances of note in a closely contested first-half, but Owen Bailey managed to break the deadlock in the 44th minute with a timely header.

Paul Mullin thought he had netted his 100th goal for the Club after 77 minutes to salvage a point, but it was ruled out for offside.

The visitors battled away in the final minutes as Sam Dalby came on, but they failed to find an equaliser and a stubborn Rovers defence, ultimately falling short.

Phil Parkinson named an unchanged line-up from the win against Mansfield Town on Friday, with Wrexham looking to capitalise on results elsewhere to strengthen their position in the top three.

Mullin got the game underway, but it was the hosts who got off to a quicker start in Yorkshire, looking to utilise the wide areas and put Wrexham under pressure where possible.

Hakeeb Adelakun registered the first real chance of the match as Rovers broke at speed, before the forward picked the ball up and fired from outside the box, but his effort in the fifth minute was wide of goal.

While the Red Dragons had to provide a resolute defence, there were also reminders of their attacking threat on display as Mullin and Ollie Palmer looked to impose themselves on a physical backline.

Palmer’s closest effort came in the 17th minute, as the 32-year-old glanced a header towards the back-post, but it drifted just wide of the post and Mullin, who was also waiting to direct the ball home.

The match started to spark into life with ten minutes remaining, as Elliot Lee fired an effort over from the edge of the box as Parkinson’s side looked to break the deadlock at the Eco-Power Stadium.

Will Boyle also tried his luck as he was on the end of a free-kick after 39 minutes, but the defender couldn’t deliver with considerable pressure placed on him from the opposition.

From this point, Grant McCann’s side then started to capitalise on their counter-attacking threats with minutes remaining until the interval.

Their biggest chance came in the 40th minute, as a fantastic ball from Luke Molyneux found Maxime Biamou, but the Frenchman’s first-time effort drifted wide – a big let off for Wrexham.

Just as Andy Cannon had a penalty shout turned down, Doncaster eventually went up the other end and broke the deadlock.

Celebrations ensued in Yorkshire, as Owen Bailey headed home in the 44th minute, leaving Wrexham with a one-goal deficit to overcome in the second half.

Parkinson made one change at the break, as Luke Bolton was replaced by Ryan Barnett in a like-for-like swap. The change seemed to work initially, as Barnett enjoyed some good success down the right flank.

Wrexham’s first big chance of the second half happened to be one of their biggest, but Will Boyle couldn’t head home at the far-post with his effort ending up wide of Doncaster’s goal in the 51st minute.

Barnett was the next to go close just minutes after, firing an effort just wide of goal on his right-foot as the wing-back continues to look for his first goal in a Wrexham shirt.

A double change was then made, as Steven Fletcher and George Evans replaced Palmer and Boyle, with the Red Dragons still struggling to sustain any real dominance.

The hosts almost doubled their lead with two opportunities in the space of as many minutes, as Richard Wood saw a shot well caught by Arthur Okonkwo, while Adelakun scuppered his chance wide.

Mullin thought he had scored an equaliser and in turn his 100th goal in a Wrexham shirt as he tapped in at the far-post after 77 minutes.

It wasn’t to be though, as replays showed that the Doncaster defence stepped up in the nick of time, as the flag went up and the goal was disallowed for offside.

Wrexham battled away until the very end, with substitute Steven Fletcher having a late header in stoppage time saved by Thimothee Lo-Tutala, as Doncaster claimed their fifth league victory in a row.

Wrexham AFC: Okonkwo (GK), Cleworth (Tozer 90+3’), O'Connell (Dalby 83’), Boyle (Evans 61’), Bolton (Barnett 46’), O'Connor, Cannon, Lee, McClean, Mullin (C), Palmer (Fletcher 61’).

Subs not used: Howard, McFadzean.

Doncaster Rovers: To-Tutula, Sterry, Maxwell, Olowu, Wood (C) (McGrath 90+5’), Molyneux, Biggins (Rowe 78’), Bailey, Biamou (Ironside 69’), Craig (Westbroole 86’), Adelakun.

Subs not used: Jones, Broadbent, Hurst.

Match Attendance: 10,537 (2,240 Away).

Match Reports

Ticket News

TICKET NEWS | Doncaster Rovers (A) on sale from Thursday March 7

Tickets for trip to Eco-Power Stadium on sale from Thursday

5 March 2024

Tickets for our Sky Bet League Two fixture against Doncaster Rovers will go on sale to Season Ticket holders and Club members from Thursday March 7.

As in line with our previous away fixtures, Season Ticket holders will have the opportunity to purchase tickets from 10am, followed by Club members at 2pm.

The fixture takes place at 19:45 on Tuesday April 2 and we have been allocated 2,934 tickets in the North Stand.

There will be no online queuing system in place for supporters purchasing tickets, so all you will need to do is log on to the e-ticketing website at the appropriate time.

How To Purchase Tickets

Tickets can be bought via our eTicketing website, at the below prices, with both Season Ticket Holders and Members being limited to one ticket per account, and a maximum of 6 tickets in one transaction (applicable for both online and in-person purchases).

For instructions on how to ensure you have activated your eTicketing account and have the correct privileges attached, please see this guide.

While we appreciate our fans wish to support the team, we urge supporters without a ticket to not attend the game.

Anyone who attempts to buy tickets in the home end will be ejected, and no refund will be given.

The Club wishes to remind supporters that queuing for tickets at the Club Shop does not guarantee you a ticket for the fixture, and we strongly advise you to purchase online to avoid disappointment.

Any tickets, should they remain, will be released for general sale on Friday March 8 at 10am.

Ticket Collections and Delivery

Doncaster Rovers have very kindly offered a collection facility for our supporters from the Eco-Power Stadium; however, this should only be used as a last resort.

To avoid lengthy queues on the day of the game and ensure that you can make it into the stadium for kick-off, we strongly advise fans to collect from the STōK Cae Ras in advance.

Tickets can be collected from the STōK Cae Ras, where you will have to provide proof of purchase through your booking reference. We cannot accept postcodes or any other information for collections.

Should anyone wish to collect on behalf of another supporter, as outlined above a booking reference will be required.

Tickets cannot be collected from 90 minutes before kick-off on a home matchday.

All uncollected tickets will be taken to the Eco-Power Stadium but reprints must be requested via the Ticket Office by 5pm on Monday April 1.

There are no provisions for reprints on the day – so supporters need to take care of their ticket once received.

Supporters will have the option of collecting tickets from the STōK Cae Ras or through tracked and signed delivery.

For future away fixtures there will be the option of collecting your match ticket from the STōK Cae Ras or through tracked delivery.

Should you select the tracked postal delivery it will cost you an additional £8 for the service – regardless of the number of tickets which you purchase as a network for the fixture.

Ticket Pricing

Adults - £20

Senior (over-65) - £16

14-24 years - £16

13 & Under* - £5

Personal Assistant - Free when purchasing a ticket for a disabled supporter.

*Must be accompanied by an adult.

All accessible tickets are priced age appropriate with one carer ticket provided free of charge.

Accessible Tickets

Accessible tickets can now be purchased online for this game, speeding up the ticketing process for supporters.

There are five accessible parking spaces available at the Eco-Power Stadium and supporters can purchase them up until 10 days prior to the fixture by calling 01302 762576.

All users who are eligible have already had their ticketing accounts updated with the required information and required number of companions.

As such, users will simply need to login to their accounts and it will automatically pick-up whether they are an ambulant disabled customer, or wheelchair user and allow them access to select the area which meets their requirements.

Users will only be able to select the number of companion tickets required in accordance with their eligibility criteria (i.e. a user eligible for one companion ticket will only be able to select one companion ticket).

Companion tickets will be auto-allocated to their own "companion" account which has already been created for each eligible user, will not affect the “one ticket per member” policy, and must be purchased with an accessible ticket (companion tickets cannot be purchased on their own).

Supporters requiring additional support with accessible tickets should contact Wrexham AFC Disability Liaison Officer Kerry Evans, on kerry.evans@wrexhamafc.co.uk.

Away Travel

Official supporter travel will also be available for this game, via our eTicketing website. Coaches will depart from Mold Road at 3:45pm and be priced at £24 for Adults, and £22 for Under 16’s.

Away travel will go on sale at 10am, in-line with the ticket policy and will be sold online only.

Please note, the buses will depart at 3:45pm, and there will be no provisions for those who arrive late. Supporters must make note of their designated coach on the ticket and only board the coach they’ve been allocated to.

All under-14s must be accompanied on official supporter travel, and alcohol is strictly prohibited by law.