Darren Moore laughs off repeat scenario with limited preparations as Doncaster Rovers visit Blackburn Rovers in FA Cup

Rovers head to Ewood Park for the second time this season as they face Tony Mowbray’s side in the third round of the FA Cup this afternoon.

The tie will be Rovers’ first match since December 22 following an outbreak of Covid-19 among the squad. The players began returning to training on Tuesday, with some only reporting back on Friday due to quarantining procedures.

It means Moore’s side will likely head into the clash with the Championship outfit undercooked, just as they were when the two met in the Carabao Cup in August in what was the opening match of the season.

Rovers had only been in pre-season training for less than four weeks, after the five month break enforced by the coronavirus pandemic.

Though Moore again knows his side have not enjoyed the best preparation for the meeting with Blackburn, he is nevertheless looking forward to the cup tie.

“It is incredible,” he told the Free Press with a smile

“It’s the second time we’re going to meet in the cup. When we met them at the start of the season we had limited time preparing for the game and it’s the same this time around.

“I suppose both teams will have had a good look at each other.

“They’re a great team managed by a great man and I speak about him as a man before a manager.

“He’s really astute with the game of football and his team play a brand of football that is pleasing on the eye and effective on the pitch.

“We know we’ve got a real tough game to look forward to but at the same time it is one we’re really looking forward to.

“We pitted our wits against them earlier in the season and it was a really good game. I was proud of the players on the day and we know it’s going to be another tough one.

“We’ll prepare in the best way that we can and we’ll go across to Ewood Park to contest the game.”

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