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