Sobering night for Doncaster Rovers as Harrogate hoodoo continues + player ratings

Picture:Andrew Roe/AHPIX LTD, Football, Sky Bet League Two, Harrogate Town v Doncaster Rovers, The Exercise Stadium, Harrogate, UK, 12/09/2024, K.O 8pm

Harrogate Town's Josh March scores his sides second goal of the gamePicture:Andrew Roe/AHPIX LTD, Football, Sky Bet League Two, Harrogate Town v Doncaster Rovers, The Exercise Stadium, Harrogate, UK, 12/09/2024, K.O 8pm

Harrogate Town's Josh March scores his sides second goal of the game
Picture:Andrew Roe/AHPIX LTD, Football, Sky Bet League Two, Harrogate Town v Doncaster Rovers, The Exercise Stadium, Harrogate, UK, 12/09/2024, K.O 8pm Harrogate Town's Josh March scores his sides second goal of the game
As quaint as the North Yorkshire spa town of Harrogate is, Doncaster Rovers probably won't be in a rush to visit again any time soon.

Their 2-0 defeat to Harrogate Town stretched their winless run against the Sulphurites to five matches and jolted the feelgood factor around Grant McCann's side. This loss saw them spurn the chance to stretch their lead at the top of League Two to four points, before the weekend's round of games.

On the eve of the game McCann spoke about their last game here - a 3-1 loss - saying: "I still remember it as if it was yesterday so of course we want to go there and put a better showing on."

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Sadly his team couldn't oblige and fell to a chastening reversal at Wetherby Road, with two goals in the first half doing the damage. They started much the brighter here but struggled to fashion any genuine scoring chance of note for all the possession they had. The best they could muster was an unorthodox attempt from Luke Molyneux that home stopper James Belshaw turned behind for a corner.

Picture:Andrew Roe/AHPIX LTD, Football, Sky Bet League Two, Harrogate Town v Doncaster Rovers, The Exercise Stadium, Harrogate, UK, 12/09/2024, K.O 8pm

Doncaster Rovers' Jamie Sterry tackles Harrogate Town's Jack MuldoonPicture:Andrew Roe/AHPIX LTD, Football, Sky Bet League Two, Harrogate Town v Doncaster Rovers, The Exercise Stadium, Harrogate, UK, 12/09/2024, K.O 8pm

Doncaster Rovers' Jamie Sterry tackles Harrogate Town's Jack Muldoon
Picture:Andrew Roe/AHPIX LTD, Football, Sky Bet League Two, Harrogate Town v Doncaster Rovers, The Exercise Stadium, Harrogate, UK, 12/09/2024, K.O 8pm Doncaster Rovers' Jamie Sterry tackles Harrogate Town's Jack Muldoon

Jordan Gibson was probably the liveliest player from an attacking note but there was no end product from the winger. The longer that pattern continued the more the hosts grew in confidence before taking a surprise lead just before the half-hour mark.

Referee Thomas Kirk played advantage despite a foul on Molyneux but the hosts turned over possession and mounted a quick counter that culminated in Ellis Taylor beating Tom Anderson to a wicked centre as he headed beyond Ted Sharman-Lowe.

The visitors were indebted to their goalkeeper within a minute as he kept out Jack Muldoon's mid-range effort as the hosts looked for a quickfire second.

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Rovers rallied but just as it looked as though they'd go into the break trailing by one goal, it suddenly became a mountain to climb when Town doubled their advantage.

Jay McGrath's hopeful punt was sent straight back by Harrogate and Josh March raced onto it. Despite both McGrath and Tom Anderson breathing down his neck, March beat them to the punch and just got a touch before Sharman-Lowe could meet it, as the ball trickled over the line.

A reshuffle at half-time saw Joe Ironside introduced with Molyneux moving more central. But despite again bossing the ball there were seldom genuine scoring chances.

Harry Clifton saw a header fall straight into Belshaw's arms and Brandon Fleming also shot straight at the home stopper. McCann went more gung-ho for the second half with Molyneux, Sharp, Ironside, Kyle Hurst and Ephraim Yeboah all on the pitch for the latter stages. But they failed to make any inroads and now have nine days to stew over this defeat before their next assignment at MK Dons a week on Saturday.

Here's how we rated the Rovers players:

Ted Sharman-Lowe 5

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Didn't cover himself in glory for the second. Handling was mostly okay. Second half was hardly troubled.

Jamie Sterry 4

Another unconvincing display. Looked promising going forward but his bread and butter is to defend and stop crosses. Replaced by Emmanuel for the latter stages.

Tom Anderson 4

Beaten to the ball by Taylor for Harrogate's opener and then struggled for pace when March ran through for the second. Not a night to remember for the long-serving centre-half.

Jay McGrath 4

Progress of recent weeks well and truly stalled here. His nothing pass was the catalyst for the second Harrogate goal. Carded for a wild lunge second half.

Brandon Fleming 4

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Suffered a torrid night up against his lively opponent. Cautioned, rather harshly, in the first half but a performance that was not in keeping with his time at Rovers so far.

Ben Close 4

Actually started okay and was seeing plenty of the ball but more often than not took on the safe pass. Hooked after an hour.

Owen Bailey 5

Showed willing and put in the most number of of blocked shots of any Rovers player, which is something.

Harry Clifton 5

Ran about plenty but lack of end product or too often made the wrong decision. Went close with a header second half.

Jordan Gibson 4

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Actually started bright but blazed a few efforts wide and lacked any sort of end product. Hooked at the break.

Billy Sharp 4

Just wasn't his night. Starved of any real kind of scoring chance, backed up by the stats that show just one attempt at goal all night.

Luke Molyneux 5

First half was a real frustrating one with his marker Gibson keeping him mostly quiet. Shifted centrally after the break but failed to improve much.

Substitutes

Joe Ironside (For Gibson, 46) 5

Chucked himself about but was up against a rugged backline that held its own.

Kyle Hurst (For Close, 62) 4

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Had a bit of involvement but nothing major during his cameo.

Ephraim Yeboah (For Clifton, 77) N/A

Josh Emmanuel (For Sterry, 79) N/A

Unused substitutes: Lawlor, Olowu, Broadbent.

Referee: T Kirk.

Att: 3,123.

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