Doncaster Rovers 3 Notts County 1: Ferguson's men step closer to instant promotion

Sheffield United and Doncaster Rovers, respective leaders of Leagues One and Two for much of 2017, are locked in a two-way White Rose race that seems certain to be decided way before the end of the season.

The Blades, by virtue of the curtain coming down on the third tier’s campaign a week before the rest of the Football League, are strongly fancied to be the first thanks to holding a nine-point cushion on third-placed Bolton Wanderers.

Doncaster, however, may yet pip United to the post after last night ending Notts County’s four-game unbeaten record at the Keepmoat Stadium.

It means Darren Ferguson’s men need 14 more points from their final nine games to guarantee an instant return to League One.

Goals from James Coppinger, Mathieu Baudry and Andy Williams just a few hours after the Cheltenham Festival had got under way means only a collapse akin to that by Devon Loch in the country’s other great jumps race, the Grand National, can deny Rovers promotion.

Such an outcome would represent a great start to Yorkshire’s bid to match – or, if Huddersfield Town or Bradford can clinch automatic, even beat – the county’s previous best post-war return of four promoted clubs.

Those notable campaigns came in 1983-84 and 2012-13, Doncaster being one of those quartet of White Rose clubs celebrating promotion at the end of the former season after clinching their place in the old Third Division with two games to spare.

Ferguson’s men look like booking their place in the third tier even earlier this time around after getting one over a club who before last night had not conceded in four previous visits to the Keepmoat.

Three of those trips up the A1 resulted in victories for the Magpies and Kevin Nolan’s side harboured hopes of adding to that tally after going ahead on 20 minutes.

It was a scruffy affair, the home defence failing miserably to deal with a corner from the left flank and Richard Duffy reacted quickest to scramble the ball in from close range.

The opener was largely in keeping with a first half that saw Rovers struggle to find their usual rhythm until just before the break. A drilled right-wing cross by Matty Blair reached Coppinger following John Marquis’s dummy and Coppinger made no mistake from six yards out.

The Doncaster stalwart almost had a second goal moments later, his volley looking to be heading for Adam Collin’s net only for Alfie May to inadvertently get in the way.

Being behind at the interval would have been harsh on County, even if Craig Alcock had been unfortunate to see his own goalbound shot blocked on the line just after the half-hour mark.

But, the head of steam that the hosts had built up during the closing stages of the first half was maintained after the restart with Baudry taking just 100 seconds to put his side ahead.

The Rovers defender rose above his marker to meet Coppinger’s cross and plant a header beyond Collin.

There were two big let-offs for Doncaster just after the hour. First, the unmarked Duffy somehow headed wide when picked out by Michael O’Connor’s wonderfully flighted free-kick.

Then, after Haydn Hollis headed in a corner, referee Nigel Miller initially pointed to the centre spot to indicate ‘goal’ only to change his mind after spotting his linesman flagging for a foul. It was a contentious decision, and one that left Magpies manager Nolan incandescent.

His protests, however, counted for nothing as Rovers clinched the win five minutes into stoppage- time after Collin had joined his team-mates in trying to attack a corner during a concerted County onslaught.

Rovers cleared the ball, meaning the Magpies goalkeeper was caught horribly out of position, and McSheffrey showed great presence to find Williams.

Forty yards from a now unguarded net, the substitute looked up and rolled the ball in to seal a 22nd win of the season. Like Sheffield United at Swindon Town, Rovers’ two-goal triumph nudged the club closer to their promotion target.

The onus will switch to Bradford, Sheffield Wednesday, Leeds United and Huddersfield to do their bit and really get the party started within the Broad Acres.

Doncaster Rovers: Lawlor; Blair (Lund 72), Baudry, Butler, Alcock; Grant, Mason, Coppinger (McSheffrey 71), Rowe; May (Williams 88), Marquis. Unused substitutes: Marosi, Middleton, Evina, Longbottom.

Notts County: Collin; Tootle, Duffy, Hollis, Bola; Grant, Yeates (Hewitt 55), O’Connor, Milsom (Forte 79); Smith (Ameobi 60), Campbell. Unused substitutes: Loach, Campbell, Clackstone, Dickinson.

Referee: N Miller (County Durham),