Doncaster Rovers '˜may have to adapt game due to worsening Keepmoat pitch'

Last weekend’s clash against Charlton Athletic saw the pitch cut up significantly.

And with use of the playing surface set to increase with the Dons kicking off their season this weekend, the situation is unlikely to improve in the near future.

With Rovers typically set up to play passing, possession football, Ferguson says he may have to adapt his approach to ensure his side do not come unstuck on home soil.

“When you’re playing at home and you want to play a certain way, play out from the back, it can be frustrating,” Ferguson told the Free Press.

“We found that on Saturday but it’s something we just have to deal with.

“Perhaps it’s something we have to look at, myself, my staff and my players.

“Perhaps we have to tweak one or two things because it looks quite lively and bobbly.”

Rovers will share the pitch with the Dons and the Belles until the end of the season, when the surface is traditionally re-seeded.

Ferguson plans to investigate the cause of the problems with the pitch, which Rovers have encountered at the end of most winters since moving to the Keepmoat in 2007.

And he says it may involve considerable work in the summer.

He said: “Around about this time of the season, normally in another three or four weeks because a lot of rugby games come on it, it normally does turn.

“But it’s turned particularly early this season.

“There’s nothing we can do about it. We have to deal with this situation. It’s far better than a lot of pitches.

“It’s not going to get any better now. There’s possibly going to be two or three games a week on it.

“But it is what it is and we have to deal with it.

“The players said that after the Bristol game but it’s not a criticism of anyone. It’s the way the pitch goes.

“It’s an 11 year old pitch so it’s probably something we’ll look at in the summer.”