State of the pitch

[Thorney]

It is in an absolute mess.

And coming up.

Dons tomorrow
Rovers tuesday
Dons next sunday.

By next sunday night i will be suprised if it has a blade of grass left.

And then after that we play on it on the tuesday and saturday.

[1-0 to the Doncaster]

get rid of the rugby - surely they can play somewhere else

[Thorney]

6 matches in 14 days in the weather we are having currently is gonna cut it up.
Get ready for some injuries

[knockers]

get rid of the rugby - surely they can play somewhere else

Why should they play somewhere else?

They’ve got as much right to play on the pitch as the Rovers do.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

The state of the pitch isn't going to change much. We might be forgiven for thinking we could use it to our advantage. Full marks to Cardiff who's players adapted and still played good joined up skilful football on it.  We didn't until we were 3-0 down.

[donnievic]

Moaning about the pitch,Cardiff didn’t seem have a problem with it even if it doesn’t look that good of a state

[Move DRFC]

get rid of the rugby - surely they can play somewhere else

Why should they play somewhere else?

They’ve got as much right to play on the pitch as the Rovers do.

What is their average attendance?

[Padge_DRFC]

It's becoming one of the worst pitches in the league.

It's clearly down to overuse. Rotherham pitch was nowhere near as bad

[DonnyBazR0ver]

There's other pitches across the country that are just as bad. I think alot of the damage was done when the covers were used alot on the run up to the Southampton Cup game.

[Chris Black come back]

Since our season started, the Dons have played at the Eco-Power a total of five times. That’s less than once a month. It’s rained for two months solidly and there has been no sun since late August. Grass isn’t likely to prosper in those conditions.

[Filo]

Since our season started, the Dons have played at the Eco-Power a total of five times. That’s less than once a month. It’s rained for two months solidly and there has been no sun since late August. Grass isn’t likely to prosper in those conditions.

Don’t we have heat lamps to encourage growth

[GazLaz]

Since our season started, the Dons have played at the Eco-Power a total of five times. That’s less than once a month. It’s rained for two months solidly and there has been no sun since late August. Grass isn’t likely to prosper in those conditions.

Don’t we have heat lamps to encourage growth

Dead grass can’t grow. The Saints game in the frost killed it. There’s no growing back from that.

[Donnywolf]

get rid of the rugby - surely they can play somewhere else

Why should they play somewhere else?

They’ve got as much right to play on the pitch as the Rovers do.

Yes Club Doncaster reasons.
 

[roversdude]

It's becoming one of the worst pitches in the league.

It's clearly down to overuse. Rotherham pitch was nowhere near as bad

It’s not been played on since the Huddersfield game has it

[sf9944]

No it hasn’t been played on since Huddersfield.

The pitch has stood up pretty well in previous seasons. I don’t think over-use is the primary reason. The covering of the pitch after the new year to try and get games on seems to have done for it. As I recall the pitch was covered for days on end and this didn’t even prevent one game being called off. I

I wonder if the ground crew are moving against pitch coverage- it seems to be counter-productive. As with many aspects of modern life we should probably just let nature take its course!

[roversdude]

Plus we have had an insane amount of rain and very little sunshine

[Barmby Rover]

It is not in a good shape, but isn't that what home advantage is about? Both teams have to play on it, and at least our team should be better used to playing on it. After all, there is nothing we can do about it unless we get dry warm weather and we can grow some new seed.

[DearneValleyRover]

If you want a bad pitch look at Port Vale’s, Mansfield’s isn’t much better either. The weather has been atrocious  and it has nothing to do with the Rugby but more with how the pitch was laid. It’s a real shame we couldn’t dig up the Belle Vue pitch

[Ldr]

Last time we won this division there was barely any grass post winter

[Barmby Rover]

If you want a bad pitch look at Port Vale’s, Mansfield’s isn’t much better either. The weather has been atrocious  and it has nothing to do with the Rugby but more with how the pitch was laid. It’s a real shame we couldn’t dig up the Belle Vue pitch

Not just the pitch but the 15 feet of sinter that was underneath the grass, that's what made it so good, and why it is so expensive to do nowadays.

[DearneValleyRover]

If you want a bad pitch look at Port Vale’s, Mansfield’s isn’t much better either. The weather has been atrocious  and it has nothing to do with the Rugby but more with how the pitch was laid. It’s a real shame we couldn’t dig up the Belle Vue pitch

Not just the pitch but the 15 feet of sinter that was underneath the grass, that's what made it so good, and why it is so expensive to do nowadays.

That’s what I meant, just couldn’t remember what I’d was called, cheers

[Move DRFC]

Can the Dons not play on the other pitch at the stadium? It was such a great idea to have a mini stadium next to the main one but we never use it. Why? I don't live in the UK but last time I was there I'm pretty sure the grass on that pitch was overgrown. It's a 500 capacity isn't it so couldn't that host Belles, Dons and reserve games?

[sf9944]

The Dons had nearly 1900 people at their game yesterday which incidentally they won 78-8. Nineteen hundred people wouldn't fit the athletics stadium which is wholly unsuitable anyway.

Crowds at the Dons have been slowly growing for a few seasons now.  The club has ambitions to get to Super League and probably the best squad it has had in its history.

[DearneValleyRover]

Can the Dons not play on the other pitch at the stadium? It was such a great idea to have a mini stadium next to the main one but we never use it. Why? I don't live in the UK but last time I was there I'm pretty sure the grass on that pitch was overgrown. It's a 500 capacity isn't it so couldn't that host Belles, Dons and reserve games?

It doesn’t have its own changing rooms so it can’t be used for league or cup games

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Can the Dons not play on the other pitch at the stadium? It was such a great idea to have a mini stadium next to the main one but we never use it. Why? I don't live in the UK but last time I was there I'm pretty sure the grass on that pitch was overgrown. It's a 500 capacity isn't it so couldn't that host Belles, Dons and reserve games?

The Rugby has as much right to play in the main stadium with all the facilities including hospitality which all brings in vital income.

Maybe it won't be too long before the Super League Rugby team complain about the football team making a mess of their pitch???

[Move DRFC]

Fair points all round.

[Janso]

An old groundsman posted on here saying the rugby actually did less damage than the football did, I seem to recall.

[In the box]

An old groundsman posted on here saying the rugby actually did less damage than the football did, I seem to recall.

Do we use lamps to help generate  growth. It’s not a good excuse to blame the surface if we loose as it’s the same for both teams but I would be very concerned if it leading to injuries or pulled muscles to the players ..

[BVB]

Can the Dons not play on the other pitch at the stadium? It was such a great idea to have a mini stadium next to the main one but we never use it. Why? I don't live in the UK but last time I was there I'm pretty sure the grass on that pitch was overgrown. It's a 500 capacity isn't it so couldn't that host Belles, Dons and reserve games?

Think you’ll find it’s the Athletics’ Club ground and not Club Doncaster’s to use.

[Bentley Bullet]

Can the Dons not play on the other pitch at the stadium? It was such a great idea to have a mini stadium next to the main one but we never use it. Why? I don't live in the UK but last time I was there I'm pretty sure the grass on that pitch was overgrown. It's a 500 capacity isn't it so couldn't that host Belles, Dons and reserve games?

It doesn’t have its own changing rooms so it can’t be used for league or cup games

Also, it's not enclosed, so it'd be difficult to charge an entrance fee.