Recap the action as Doncaster Rovers beat Tranmere Rovers under the lights
and live on Freeview channel 276
Hosts Tranmere have not called a pitch inspection despite the Wirral also suffering its fair share of poor weather today, with more rain forecast throughout the match.
On the pitch, Grant McCann's Doncaster will be looking to make it two wins from two and continue their upward trajectory after a slow start.
But it won't be easy.
Struggling Tranmere have claimed all of their points at home this season.
Tranmere Rovers v Doncaster Rovers
Key Events
- Doncaster make one change to last weekend’s starting XI with Harrison Biggins replacing the injured Tommy Rowe
- Joseph Olowu injured in the warm-up for Doncaster. George Broadbent replaces him with Sam Straughan-Brown now on the bench
- Doncaster boss Grant McCann sent to the stands
Let off!
Louis Jones slips as he receives a passback and recovers just in time to clear with a Tranmere player closing him down fast. Rain hasn’t stopped.
Excellent defending from Owen Bailey
He slids to cut out Connor Jennings’ ball towards Harvey Saunders, preventing an almost certain goal.
Chance!
Ben Close fires over from close range after Joe Ironside picked him out in the box with a low cross.
Late change for Doncaster
Joseph Olowu has dropped out of the team during the warm-up and has been replaced by George Broadbent in the starting XI. Broadbent is at LWB, with Tom Nixon now on the left side of defence.
Sam Straughan-Brown now on the bench for Doncaster.
Here come the teams
Doncaster are wearing their home colours. Hopefully they can replicate some of that home form here tonight!
Fair play
Must be well over 200 fans in the away end making some good noise. They deserve to see their team take something from tonight’s game for making that treacherous journey.
‘We’ve got McCann’ bellowing out, the rain (which hasn’t stopped for a few hours) hasn’t dampened their spirits.
Doncaster Rovers line-up
As expected, Harrison Biggins comes in for Tommy Rowe. Jack Degruchy is back fit and comes onto the bench.
Rovers: Louis Jones, Tom Anderson, Joseph Olowu, Owen Bailey, Tom Nixon, Luke Molyneux, Harrison Biggins, Ben Close, Zain Westbrooke, Mo Faal, Joe Ironside
Subs: Ian Lawlor, George Broadbent, Deji Sotona, Jack Degruchy, Tavonga Kuleya, Jack Goodman, Will Flint
Doncaster Rovers team news
Doncaster will be forced into at least one change to the side that beat Sutton last weekend following an injury to Tommy Rowe.
Grant McCann could have as many as 16 first-team players unavailable this evening. Yes, sixteen.
Would imagine Harrison Biggins or George Broadbent might come in for Rowe, so Rovers could line up in their usual 3-5-2 as follows:
Louis Jones, Tom Anderson, Joseph Olowu, Owen Bailey, Tom Nixon, Luke Molyneux, Harrison Biggins, Ben Close, Zain Westbrooke, Mo Faal, Joe Ironside
Doncaster beat the weather
Well done to anyone who managed to get across from South Yorkshire. Now there’s just the small matter of three points to play for.
Doncaster know their away form must improve, starting tonight. They have just two wins on the road this term, with the other six trips ending in defeat.
Typically, Tranmere do their best work on their own patch and their interim boss Nigel Adkins will no doubt want to avoid slipping against Grant McCann, whom he signed at Scunthorpe back in 2006. Interestingly, Adkins’ Scunthorpe captain was Cliff Byrne, now Doncaster’s assistant manager.
The pair played in the same side as Joe Murphy, who will start in goal for Tranmere tonight at the age of 42.