Pre-match: Coventry City’s recent revival was set to be tested to the full on Saturday afternoon with a visit to face League One’s joint-leaders Doncaster Rovers at the Keepmoat Stadium.
Rovers were relegated from the Championship alongside the Sky Blues last season and manager Dean Saunders faced a big rebuilding job over the summer after the departure of a number of players on short-term and loan deals. To date, however, the Welshman has succeeded in putting a competitive side onto the pitch.
Mark Robins took his side to South Yorkshire in high spirits following progress in the cups and the thumping of Walsall last weekend but was forced into one change with captain Carl Baker suspended.
Pre-match talk suggested an advanced role for Cyrus Christie on the right of midfield with Jordan Clarke taking over the right-back slot but Robins opted instead to recall Adam Barton.
First-half: Franck Moussa, a former Doncaster loanee, marked his return to the Keepmoat with an early goal for the Sky Blues as the visitors came out of the traps fast. That strike allowed City to utilise the pace of Moussa, McSheffrey and McGoldrick on the break and it was the division’s form striker McGoldrick who made it 2-0 just before the half-hour mark.
Second-half: Clarke entered the fray for Moussa just after the break before that man McGoldrick struck again on 58 minutes to move another step closer to his own personal goals target. Chris Brown’s goal gave the home side hope but Barton sealed a stunning victory with just minutes remaining.
Match Reaction: “We didn’t defend well at all and that’s really been our strength this season,” said Rovers boss Dean Saunders afterwards.
“It looks like a heavy defeat but I pushed players forward and that left us a bit vulnerable and they took advantage by scoring the third and fourth, but really it was the first two goals that did the damage.
“We were joint-top and we’ve got a slap in the face. Now we’ve got to bounce back.”
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