by Rich Colby

Rovers will be looking to continue their better home form of late as they take on Walsall at the Keepmoat Stadium this weekend.

After a poor run of home form before Christmas, Paul Dickov’s men are unbeaten in the last four games at the Keepmoat notching together two wins and two draws.  If they want to make that five though they’ll have to do it without Jamie Coppinger this weekend who misses out after the injury he picked up at Chesterfield. Rob Jones will also miss out but Abdul Razak should have international clearance through and be available for selection.

Rovers will have League One Player of the Month nominee and former Sadler Andy Butler at the heart of the defence. He has vowed to do his former side no favours this weekend. Walsall will have former Rovers players James Baxendale, James O’Connor  and James Chambers in their squad in what will seem like a reunion at DN4. But they will be missing top scorer Tom Bradshaw who has picked up a hamstring injury.

Just two points separate Rovers (12th) and Walsall (16th) so both have it all to play for.  A win for Walsall would take them above Rovers and possibly into the top half of the table for the first time this season. A win for Doncaster will push them ever closer to those play-off places providing a couple of other results go their way.

The two teams last squared off in September at the Banks’s Stadium. A rare bad performance away from home saw Paul Dickov’s men go down 3-0 to the Sadlers with goals from James Baxendale, Tom Bradshaw and Anthony Forde.  Last time the teams met at the Keepmoat Stadium in February 2013 Walsall also took the spoils winning 2-1.  Our very own Andy Butler scored after just 2 minutes for Walsall.  Bill Paynter equalized for Rovers after 16 minutes but on loan Fabian Brandy scored the winner for Walsall nine minutes from the end.

Come on you reds!

Overall record Vs Walsall:  P 57/W 21/D 9/L 27

Paul Dickov, Gavin Baldwin (CEO), David Blunt (Chairman), Dick Watson (Director) and Andrew Watson (Director) took to the top table last night to answer all questions put to them by DRFC fans.
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The next Meet The Owners event will be held on Wednesday 4th February 2015, starting at 6:30PM in the Jibba Jabba Restaurant in the East Stand.

This bi-annual event, part of the In Rovers We Trust programme of activities, has always been well attended by supporters and has often provided lively debate from the opportunity for fans to question the Rovers' Board of Directors and seek clarity from the horses mouth on a wide-range of Rovers-related issues. 

The event is all-ticket as the maximum number of attendees is limited, but some tickets still remain so grab yours soon from the ticket office if you would like to attend.

This year, as usual, the @VSCOfficial twitter account will be tweeting live updates from the meeting for the benefit of fans who cannot attend.  Follow the events or submit questions to ask on your behalf by using the hashtag #TweetTheOwners .  Fans who don't use Twitter can follow the event via the Twitter panel to the left on this site.

by Rich Colby

After an eleven day break, Rovers return to action this weekend as they travel to Derbyshire to take on Chesterfield.

Paul Dickov has been busy over the break by bringing in midfielder Abdul Razak and striker Uche Ikpeazu as well as overseeing the departure of Marc De Val Fernandez.

Victory for Rovers will put them level on points with their opponents.  Paul Dickovs men are currently on a decent patch of form, unbeaten in the last six games in the league, winning three and drawing three.  Another stat in Rovers favour is that they are unbeaten in the league away from home since mid-October.  Paul Dickov certainly appears to have found a reliable formula on the road.

Chesterfield currently sit sixth in the league on 35 points.  They are also in good form only loosing twice in the last eight league games.  Striker and top scorer with 24 goals Eoin Doyle will be the man to watch.

Last time out Rovers took the spoils at the Keepmoat Stadium back in September with a 3-2 victory.  Nathan Tyson and Kyle Bennett gave Rovers a two goal lead before Sam Clucas pulled one back just before half time.  Jamie McCombe restored Rovers two goal lead early in the second half but they had to hang on for the last half an hour as Eoin Doyle made it 3-2.

This is Rovers first visit to the Proact Stadium since its opening in 2010.  Doncaster also remain unbeaten against the Spireites in the last six games, a run stretching back to 2005.

Come on you reds!

Overall record Vs Chesterfield:  P 91/W 27/D 29/L 35

by Rich Colby

Victory in the South Yorkshire derby at the weekend has provided Rovers with a bit of a springboard to move up the table.  A win against Notts County at the Keepmoat Stadium could propel them from 13th to 6th dependant on other results.

You could throw a blanket over most of League One at the moment as just ten points separate the play-off places from the relegation places.  Harry Forrester’s late strike against Barnsley gave Rovers a deserved victory to make it two wins in the last two at the Keepmoat Stadium.

Notts County currently lie 10th in the league with the same points total as Rovers (34).  They have only won once in their last five on their travels in the league, but they did win at the Keepmoat Stadium earlier in the season in the Johnstones Paint Trophy.  A late Billy Daniels strike gave them a 2-1 victory at the weekend and he will need to be watched again if Rovers want to push towards the Play-Off places.

Paul Dickov remains without midfielder Dean Furman and defender Cedric Evina, but those two aside has a fully fit squad to choose from.  Rovers are also boosted by the signing of midfielder Abdul Razak until the end of the season subject to international clearance.  Dickov may make a couple of changes with Nathan Tyson and Harry Forrester in contention for starting places.  If Razak does make the squad it will likely be from the bench.

Last time out Notts County took the spoils as they dumped Rovers out of the Johnstones Paint Trophy just over a month ago.  Hopefully Paul Dickov’s men have learnt their lessons from that night and can record a victory this time around.

Come on you reds!

Overall record Vs Notts County:  P 53/W 23/D 8/L 22