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RANGERS FACE DONCASTER
Friday 22nd August 2008
by Ron Norris & Simon Skinner

After the fearful shellacking Rangers took at Bramall Lane last Saturday they will be grateful to get back to home comforts as one of the promoted sides visit Loftus Road. Doncaster Rovers are in town to complete our Yorkshire trilogy of games to open the league campaign.
 


Queens Park Rangers versus Doncaster Rovers
The Championship
 Saturday 23rd August 2008
Kick Off 15:00
 
 
TEAM NEWS

Changes are surely afoot after the disjointed and seriously wanting display against Sheffield United. Camp has to be a strong favourite to replace new boo boy Cerny, the crowd were all over him at the weekend, and indeed the weekend before that. Mahon seems likely to return at the heart of the midfield and should find himself alongside skipper Martin Rowlands who is finally free of suspension. Agyemang has recovered from the knock that kept him out against The Blades and Ephraim is now playing again after a touch of shin splints, both should be in contention. With all of the attacking midfield talent we have at our disposal there surely has to be a strong chance of a change in formation with just one striker and players joining from midfield at every opportunity. 

Sean O’Driscoll will be hoping to field the same side that earned a creditable draw with Cardiff last weekend to maintain their unbeaten start to the season. Brian Stock was pulled out of Wales duty in the week to make sure he was fit for this. Darren Byfield may make the bench but is unlikely to start, as may Jason Price. Gordon Greer and Sean McDaid are both definitely out but former Sparta Rotterdam defender Jos van Nieuwstadt is fit after missing the Cardiff game with a knock.

RON & SIMON'S
SELECT XI		            
Blackstock
Cook Ledesma
Parejo Mahon Rowlands
  Delaney   Gorkss   Hall   Connolly  
        Camp        
A QUICK GUIDE TO OUR OPPONENTS
 
DONCASTER IN BRIEF: Donny climbed out of League One via the play offs last season having done for Leeds United in the final and earning Yorkshire bragging rights. They pummelled Southend in the semi and their good form carried into this season as they fought a rearguard action to turn Derby County over at What’s Left of Their Pride Park on the opening day. They are a side that will get the ball down and try and pass their way through teams and if they can keep things as tight at the back as they have in the opening couple then they could bloody a fair few noses this time out.
 

LAST FIVE GAMES
Date Versus Venue F A
16/08/08 Cardiff Home 1 1
12/08/08 Notts County Away 0 1
09/08/08 Derby Away 1 0
01/08/08 Bolton Home 0 5
29/07/08 Port Vale Away 2 0
 
WHO'S THE BOSS?: Sean O’Driscoll made over five hundred appearances for AFC Bournemouth in an eleven year spell before eventually becoming manager in 2000. In his six years in charge at Dean Court he managed to gain promotion from League Two via the play offs in 2003 despite some serious financial shackles. It was time for a change in 2006 and he moved north to replace Dave Penney at Doncaster. The slick passing style he developed at Bournemouth remains and so far he has a play off promotion and the Sherpa Vans Trophy to show for his efforts.
 

TOP SCORERS
Name League Cups Total
Lewis Guy 2 0 2
- - - -
- - - -
- - - -
- - - -
 
ROVERS LEGEND: Harry Gregg made his name at Doncaster Rovers, wracking up almost a hundred appearances. They had picked him up from Colleraine and he already had twenty five Northern Ireland caps to his name when he was snapped up by Manchester United in 1957. A year later he survived the Munich Disaster and is indeed credited with having saved some of his team mates from the wreckage.
 
RANGERS VERSUS .....
 

LAST TIME OUT: Doncaster Rovers 1-0 Queens Park Rangers, Saturday 5th January 1985
 
HEAD TO HEAD
Overall
Played QPR Rovers Draws
9 3 5 1
At Home
Played QPR Rovers Draws
4 2 2 0
 

OTHER MEETINGS: The two sides have met a grand total of eight times in the league and Donny are ahead by four wins to three. The teams last met in anger was in the FA Cup in January 1985 in Doncaster and Rangers were turned over 1-0 that day. The last game at Loftus Road was a league encounter in September 1966 when Rangers pumped Donny 6-0 thanks to goals from Rodney Marsh, Mike Keen (2), Keith Sanderson and Roger Morgan (2).
 

LEAGUE STANDINGS
Pos Team Pld GD Pts
8th Doncaster 2 1 4
15th QPR 2 -2 3
 

CLASH OF THE DAY: Martin Rowlands v. Ritchie Wellens. Rowlands seems a racing certainty to stroll back into the side and rightly so, the skipper and last seasons Player of the Year is the heartbeat of the side and he has been missed. Wellens is a spiky character but he can most certainly play, he is similar in character and style to Rowlands so this could be a really entertaining battle.
 
GENERAL INFORMATION

THE REFEREE

It seems strangely appropriate that Mike Thorpe is in charge of the game that will nigh on mark the anniversary of Ray Jones’ death as it was he that took charge of the Southampton game that saw such an outpouring of emotion at Loftus Road. That day he refereed the game sensibly knowing that emotions would be running high. So far this season he has done three games and shown just two yellow cards. His last R’s game was the 3-1 home win against Scunthorpe last season and his last Rovers game was their 1-1 at Leyton Orient, also last season.
THE REF RECORD
Season Games Yellows Reds
2008-09 3 2 0
2007-08 37 106 8
2006-07 37 109 6
2005-06 41 111 5
2004-05 29 54 3
 

 
   

OPPONENTS ONLINE
Official Website DoncasterRoversfc.co.uk
Fans Website YAURS
Fans Website RTID
Message Board Donny Rovers Forum

MATCH DAY ODDS
Bookie QPR Draw Rovers
8/11 9/4 16/5
10/11 9/4 10/3
4/5 5/2 7/2
   
 
RON AND SIMON'S PREDICT-OFF
SIMON: Rangers have to bounce back from the shambles at Sheffield United. They weren’t at the races from the off and were out of the game before they had even had a meaningful touch of the ball, they also started slowly against Barnsley on the opening day so it is a must that we fly out of the traps. We have the players to cut Doncaster apart but do we have the defensive nous to keep things tight in defence. I think we may just see Rangers turn in a performance of note. 3-1 to Rangers.

RON: It's important for everyone that we put in a good performance on Saturday, another defensive showing like last week and the knives will be well and truly out for all concerned. It's time for Iain Dowie to show some of that famous "bouncebackability". With Rowly due to return to the side we could be in for a different type of line up and hopefully his, and Mahon's returns will be enough to get some confidence flowing. 2-0 to Rangers.

Current score: Ron 2 Simon 4