Doncaster made most of the heading at the start with Sean McDaid the first to have a crack with a belter of a shot that Gareth Stewart could only punch to safety.
A few minutes in and it took a brilliant tackle to stop Hayter in his tracks after a quick break up the pitch started by Browning. But apart from that one foray up in the Doncaster half, most of the play was with the home side.
Around the quarter of an hour mark and the Cherries ?conceded? a penalty. Lewis Guy fell over with Neil Young in close proximity but not making any contact from what we could see. Stewart was booked for dissent after arguing with referee Marriner. McIndoe took the spot kick, placed it low to his left and Stewart guessed right and got a hand to it with Cherries players rushing in to clear.
The save saw the Cherries come back into the match for ten minutes with Surman winning a close free kick. Stock took the set piece and almost found Hayter but the effort was well read and blocked by Rovers.
Doncaster started to exert more pressure on the visitors with 15 minutes left of the half. Stewart had to be at his best again to prevent a Heffernan header with the home side looking more in control. Then on 40 minutes, the deadlock was broken after some great individual skill again from Heffernan. He took the ball down the flank, cut in and waltzed past what seemed like a dozen blue shirts before letting rip a shot that evaded Stewart.
Before the whistle, Foley made a good break from the left and his lightening fast cross was almost met by Hayter with Stock and Surman supporting.
Half time Doncaster 1 – 0 AFCB
The second half started with the Cherries upping the tempo but spilling too many loose passes around for Doncaster to mop up. Hence the half began with Rovers still turning the screws.
Rovers though were not being allowed that close to our goal with our midfield attempting to stifle the play. But chances for AFCB were also few and very far between with Hayter firing over the bar off a Stock corner being the only one I can remember.
Stewart had a minor scare when a long-range shot caught him briefly off guard. The effort bobbled up and almost crossed the line with Stewart scrambling back to concede a corner.
Then with thirty minute left Sean O’Driscoll brought on Fletch for Stephen Cooke. Within seconds and the Cherries had conceded another very dodgy penalty.
Doncaster had won themselves a corner, the ball was crossed in and there was contact between Browning and Foster. However, it was the usual jostling that you get before set pieces and they were nowhere near the ball. But ignoring all that, the referee booked Browning (at least we thought he did) and pointed to the spot. McIndoe grabbed the ball and this time managed to beat Stewart to put Rovers 2-0 up.
More controversy followed moments later. Heffernan started a move for Doncaster that ended up coming down the right flank. McIndoe crossed in and Guy connected with the ball. The effort rebounded off Thornton and Ravenhill, standing a yard off the line seemed to punch the ball into the back of the net. Despite Stewart’s protests, the goal stood and we were 3-0 down.
But straight from kick off came a glorious move that saw Surman take on the home defence and score with a low shot. The fight back saw O’Driscoll change formation bringing on Rodrigues for Browning as we played with three strikers.
Stewart was in action again moments later coming out early, saving a Heffernan shot then diving at the feet of Guy to claim the rebound. Then Stock saw a free kick tipped over the bar from close range. Then O’Connor saw a thunderbolt strike just pushed past the post by Budtz.
But with ten minutes left the Cherries found their second goal. Foley crossed into the centre of a packed six-yard box and the keeper looked to easily claim the ball. But he fumbled and Rodrigues tapped in from a few yards out.
With the Cherries going all out to search for an equaliser Doncaster broke quickly and substitute Paul Green ran to edge of our box, and fired off a superb shot that curled past Stewart to make it 4-2.
But the game still wasn’t finished then as Purches came on for Foley. Fletch had a header saved and then yet another dubious penalty was awarded, this time against Rovers. Up stepped James Hayter to take the pen. Amid the flashing lights from the executive boxes behind the goal (portacabins) Hayter placed the spotkick wide of the posts.
Player Ratings
Player Ratings
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Plus Points
Fletch back for more and Purches coming on. Browning had a good game alongside Stock and Surman and we looked capable of finding more goals when we changed our formation
Minus Points
The defence (Stewart apart) looked as fragile as those ‘executive boxes’ down the other end of the pitch – remind me never to visit Doncaster when a hurricane is in full swing.
The referee
Last time we criticised Marriner for being too lenient. This time he came in for some severe stick for giving away bizarre penalties, not once, twice but three times.
Manager Rating
I didn’t like Foley playing on the right much. Nor us playing one up front with Cookie just behind Hayter. That particular formation does not really work for us.
Opponent Rating
Doncaster certainly put us under more pressure at the Earth Stadium than they did in October when they visited Dean Court. Rovers defence was also a lot more solid yesterday so credit to Dave Penney.
In a nutshell
Not the drubbing it looked on paper.
