Doncaster Rovers boss lays down gauntlet to squad ahead of crunch Bolton Wanderers and Shrewsbury Town double bill

Doncaster Rovers’ relegation fate could be sealed over the Easter weekend – or it could really be ‘game on’ in the battle to stay in League One.
By Paul Goodwin
Published 12th Apr 2022, 20:16 BST
Updated 13th Apr 2022, 15:08 BST
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

That was the expression Gary McSheffrey used following his side’s vital win over Crewe Alexandra last weekend.

Game on.

But only, he said, if Rovers could beat Bolton Wanderers at the Eco-Power Stadium on Good Friday.

Mipo Odubeko and Ethan Galbraith challenge for the ball during the win against Crewe. Picture: Howard Roe/AHPIX LTDMipo Odubeko and Ethan Galbraith challenge for the ball during the win against Crewe. Picture: Howard Roe/AHPIX LTD
Mipo Odubeko and Ethan Galbraith challenge for the ball during the win against Crewe. Picture: Howard Roe/AHPIX LTD

And that is a very big if.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Because Doncaster will have to do something they have failed to do all season in League One – win back-to-back games.

They will also have to raise their game to another level from the win against a very poor Crewe team to beat a talented Bolton side that ran out 3-0 winners in the reverse fixture in November.

It’s genuinely quite remarkable to think that Rovers, whose season has been one of the worst in their history, could yet clamber to safety.

They can’t be relegated on Friday.

However, if they fail to beat Bolton they could be left right on the brink heading into Monday’s trip to in-form Shrewsbury Town, where the dreaded drop could be confirmed.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Rovers boss Gary McSheffrey said following his side's 2-0 win over Crewe: “The next win is always the hardest win and we’ve got it.

“The challenge to the players is can we keep it going? Can we go back-to-back?

“We’ve not gone back-to-back all season which obviously isn’t ideal.

“You look at the likes of Morecambe last week going back-to-back and it gets them closer, it gets them out of it for a week.

“So that’s the challenge.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We know we’ve got good opposition coming here on Friday and then we go to Shrewsbury on Monday.

“The win against Crewe has got to give the lads confidence, belief, a clean sheet, a good win. It just gives us something to hold onto.”

Friday: Rovers v Bolton, Charlton v Morecambe, Cheltenham v Gillingham, Crewe v AFC Wimbledon, Fleetwood v Oxford.

Monday: Shrewsbury v Rovers, AFC Wimbledon v Wycombe, Gillingham v Fleetwood, Morecambe v Portsmouth.

As it stands: 19 Fleetwood P41 P38, 20 Morecambe 42 38, 21 Gillingham 42 38, 22 AFC Wimbledon 42 35, 23 Rovers 42 33, 24 Crewe 42 25.

Related topics:League OneBolton WanderersMorecambeBolton