Doncaster Rovers claim impressive pre-season win over Sheffield Wednesday

Luke Molyneux's second-half header gave Doncaster a deserved victory in their toughest test of pre-season to date at the Eco-Power Stadium on Tuesday evening.

Wednesday fielded a strong starting XI but Rovers keeper Ian Lawlor didn’t have a save to make as his teammates caught the eye in both boxes.

Despite the home side’s dominance it was the Owls who almost took the lead after eight minutes when a routine defensive clearance hit Owen Bailey and sent Callum Paterson through on goal.

His dipping effort had to be cleared off the line by new Doncaster signing Tom Nixon, who started in place of the injured Jamie Sterry.

From then on it was all Rovers in the first half as their aggressive pressing forced Wednesday into numerous errors.

The first allowed Jon Taylor a strike at goal from just outside the box, which flew past the post.

The lively Taylor was involved again on 17 minutes when he picked up a loose ball and found Tommy Rowe unmarked in the box.

Rowe twisted past the challenge of a defender and fired towards goal, forcing Cameron Dawson to tip the ball over.

Rowe came close again five minutes later after good link-up play between Luke Molyneux and Joe Ironside presented him with another shooting opportunity inside the box.

This time former Doncaster loanee Reece James was on hand to block his goalbound strike.

The Owls improved after the break and should have scored when some sloppy Doncaster defending allowed Will Vaulks a free hit from 20 yards in the 52nd minute.

But the Wales international sent his low strike wide.

Windass then headed straight at Richard Wood when he met Reece James' cross before seeing his goalbound volley superbly blocked by Jack Senior on 55 minutes.

The pendulum was to swing again, however, and Doncaster broke the deadlock with 71 minutes played.

Substitute Roberts, who had replaced Taylor on the hour mark, beat his man and whipped in a cross bound for the six-yard box where Luke Molyneux was waiting to connect.

His header found the bottom corner for a deserved opener.

Rovers were almost in again when Joseph Olowu met Molyneux's free-kick at the far post, but his header was too weak to beat Dawson.

Wednesday threatened to equalise in the 88th minute when substitute Rio Shipston fired just over from about 20 yards out in the game’s final meaningful piece of action.

The result capped a good day for Grant McCann, who saw another Rovers XI beat Middlesbrough Under-21s 5-1 in a friendly behind closed doors at Cantley Park earlier in the afternoon.

Kyle Hurst was at the double in that match, while Ben Close, George Miller and Adam Long were also on the scoresheet.

Doncaster continue their preparations for the new season at home to League One side Port Vale on Saturday.

They host Harrogate Town on the opening day next weekend.

Doncaster: Ian Lawlor, Jack Senior, Tom Nixon, Richard Wood, Joseph Olowu, Owen Bailey, George Broadbent, Tommy Rowe, Luke Molyneux, Jon Taylor (Tyler Roberts, 60), Joe Ironside

Subs not used: Rory Watson, Will Flint, Sam Brown, Harry Wood

Sheffield Wednesday: Cameron Dawson (Pierce Charles, 79), Jay Glover (George Byers, 64), Dom Iorfa (Sean Fusire, 70), Akin Famewo (Favour Onukwuli, 86), Reece James (Cian Flannery, 79), Will Vaulks (Rio Shipston, 74), Barry Bannan (Bailey Cadamarteri, 74), Marvin Johnson (Adam Alim-Adetoro, 70), Callum Paterson (Gui Siqueira, 79), Josh Windass (Luke Cook, 79), Lee Gregory (Michael Smith, 64)