LIVE updates as Doncaster Rovers begin pre-season campaign at Armthorpe Welfare
and live on Freeview channel 276
Sixty-three days after their relegation to League Two was confirmed, Rovers play their first match of what they hope will be a far more successful 2022/23 season.
A mixture of first-team players and the club’s second-year youth scholars will get a run-out today, in part due to several senior players still missing.
The club’s three new arrivals could be handed the chance to impress, as well as a number of trialists.
Scroll down for live updates.
Armthorpe Welfare v Doncaster Rovers LIVE
Key Events
- Rovers expected to field a mixture of first-team players and second-year scholars
- Trialists could be involved this afternoon
- Captain Tom Anderson will miss out after suffering injury setback
GOAL - George Miller
The trialist takes a corner from the right-hand side and George Miller heads his first Doncaster goal from close range.
Phew...
Rovers team for second half
Five changes from the first half. Rio Griffiths is still on in the second half.
George Miller is on for his debut.
While fitness is the first priority Rovers will be disappointed not to have scored in the opening 45 minutes.
Still, they have dominated this one so far, as you would expect. But to their credit Armthorpe are making things competitive.
Cieran Dunne has looked good in spells at left-back. The other trialist has been in the centre of midfield and shown his eye for a pass once or twice.
Expect plenty of changes for the second half.
Another chance
Rio Griffiths dances through a few challenges in the box but the ball is poked away before he can get his shot off. Armthorpe then break and almost send a man through one-on-one but for a great sliding interception from Bobby Faulkner.
HT close.
Best chance yet
Ollie Younger steals the ball back high up the pitch and finds the run of Jon Taylor, who fires straight at the keeper’s legs.
Taylor gets a second chance on the rebound but can’t get hold of it properly and fires over the bar, to the delight of the home fans.
Armthorpe force a corner
They’ve spent the majority of this half in their own half but have broken forward on occassion. The delivery is met by a home player but he nods the ball over the bar. Decent chance wasted - and he knows it.
More chances for Doncaster
It’s only a matter of time efore we see the opening goal. Rovers come close again, this time through Tommy Rowe from inside the area, but the keeper makes a decent save.
The Doncaster skipper was just stretching as he connected with the ball. Half a yard closer and he’d have got the power required to score.
Nice work from Dunne
He’s improved after that poor first touch and has looked good in possession, getting up and down the wing regularly. He takes on a defender and plays a ball across the six-yard box, but the keeper gets there before one of his teammates can.
Rovers on top. Stoppage disrupted their momentum somewhat but order has since been restored.