Doncaster 2 Shrewsbury 0 - Report and pictures

Dieng; Halliday, Anderson, Wright, James; Sheaf, Whiteman ©; Taylor (Bingham, 90+4), , Coppinger (Gomes, 81), Sadlier; Ennis (Watters, 87).

Subs: Lawlor (gk), Amos, Blaney, Greaves.

Shrewsbury Town (3-4-3):

O’Leary; Williams, Ebanks-Landell, Pierre; Love (Cummings, 73), Norburn ©, Goss (Whalley, 45), Golbourne (Edwards, 60); Laurent, Udoh, Giles.

Subs: Murphy (gk), Beckles, Walker, Edwards, Lang.

Referee: Ben Toner

Attendance: 7,054 (265 Shrewsbury fans)

Shrewsbury Town missed an opportunity to close the gap on their rivals as they were deservedly beaten 2-0 in a low-key display at Doncaster, writes Lewis Cox at the Keepmoat Stadium.

An Ethan Ebanks-Landell error gifted former Town loanee Niall Ennis the opening goal inside five minutes as Sam Ricketts’ men made a horror start to their game in hand on most of League One.

The visitors were sloppy and off-colour from back to front on an evening to forget. Tom Anderson added Doncaster’s second deep into the second half as Shrewsbury’s uncharacteristically poor defence continued to gift chances.

Salop failed to build on the goodwill earned from their impressive FA Cup display at Bristol City with this drab showing.

Ricketts was happy to give his outfield 10 the opportunity to impress again after they shone in the FA Cup last time out.

The only change to Town’s line-up was in goal, where Robins loanee Max O’Leary returned to replace Joe Murphy after not having permission to face his parent club.

Murphy could count himself as unfortunate for losing his place in goal after one particularly stunning save in the Cup.

That switch aside Ricketts kept faith if the same 18 involved in going close to upsetting Championship City and booking a possible fourth round date with world and European champions Liverpool.

But thoughts of the Premier League leaders were parked for an important night at the Keepmoat where both clubs were contesting a game in hand on their rivals.

Both Shrewsbury and Doncaster, 14th and 15th respectively ahead of kick-off, knew the evening posed a good opportunity to climb a handful of positions in what is an extremely tight division.

Ricketts’ side knew that a win in blustery South Yorkshire would leave them just a point off the play-off positions.

The rescheduled fixture was the only game in the division after the original November clash fell to the international break.

Darren Moore’s Rovers have had similar inconsistency issues as their visitors.

Doncaster started the campaign well but dropped out of the top half after failing to put a run of wins together. Rovers have, however, chalked up impressive wins against Peterborough and Oxford since Christmas.

Ricketts’ visitors knocked it around nicely in the first couple of minutes but were undone by an uncharacteristically terrible piece of defending just four minutes in.

James Coppinger sent Kieran Sadlier racing down the left and the dangerman sent in a routine cross that O’Leary was ready to claim at his near post but Ebanks-Landell wayward header floated up and dropped on a plate for Ennis to head in from barely four yards out/

Ebanks-Landell errors have been few and far between but the early mistake left Town with a lot of work to do.

They were inches away from an instant leveller as fellow defender Aaron Pierre rose to head a Ryan Giles corner inches wide.

The contest broke into scrappy watch with neither side settling. Town did take the upper hand at the midpoint of the half, with Giles and Scott Golbourne causing problems down the left, feeding off Daniel Udoh’s hold-up play.

A Giles cross was flapped awfully by keeper Seny Dieng on to his own defender and somehow cleared off the line before Josh Laurent could tap home.

Shrewsbury were not looking themselves at the back. Doncaster picked up later in the first half and balls in from the flanks continued to concern Town as Ro-Shaun Williams headed inches wide of his own goal with O’Leary committed.

Town cut frustrated figures as passes flew off target at the end of an uninspiring first half.

Ricketts rolled the dice and replaced Sean Goss with Shaun Whalley at the break in search of more penetrative running.

But Shrews were fortunate Rovers weren’t further ahead just after the break. Ennis profited on another Williams and Ebanks-Landell mix-up before forcing O’Leary into a smart one-on-one save.

Defender Joe Wright stabbed over from close range after the visitors failed to clear the corner.

Three members of Shrewsbury’s midfield stood statuesque as Rovers ambled through leaving Sadlier to shoot wide before Ricketts acted, making his second change before the hour with Dave Edwards on for Golbourne.

Town’s only real foray forward in 20 minutes of the second half saw Udoh’s touch get away from him.

Pierre kept Shrewsbury in it midway through the second period with a superb block from evergreen attacker Coppinger.

Ricketts sent on striker Jason Cummings with 18 minutes remaining to salvage a point from a frustrating evening.

But the hosts were still causing Town problems and Shrewsbury’s woes were compounded as Anderson headed into the corner from a corner 15 minutes from time.

Town were now four matches without a clean sheet and some way from the solid platform they had built this season.

Teams

Doncaster Rovers (4-2-3-1):

Dieng; Halliday, Anderson, Wright, James; Sheaf, Whiteman ©; Taylor (Bingham, 90+4), , Coppinger (Gomes, 81), Sadlier; Ennis (Watters, 87).

Subs: Lawlor (gk), Amos, Blaney, Greaves.

Shrewsbury Town (3-4-3):

O’Leary; Williams, Ebanks-Landell, Pierre; Love (Cummings, 73), Norburn ©, Goss (Whalley, 45), Golbourne (Edwards, 60); Laurent, Udoh, Giles.

Subs: Murphy (gk), Beckles, Walker, Edwards, Lang.

Referee: Ben Toner

Attendance: 7,054 (265 Shrewsbury fans)