Report: Doncaster 4-1 Southend

Courtesy of @drfc_official
Doncaster Rovers 4-1 Southend United
EFL SkyBet League 1
Keepmoat Stadium, Doncaster (Att: 7369)
Saturday 7 October 2017

Ben Whiteman’s ten-minute hat-trick saw Doncaster come from behind in the second half to beat Southend. 

The Sheffield United loanee slotted, thundered and caressed strikes home all within the space of 600 seconds to give Darren Ferguson’s men their first win at home since they sealed their promotion to the third tier in early April.

It was all going so well for the Shrimpers who led through Anthony Wordsworth’s first half header but they must wince at the memories of trips to South Yorkshire having suffered a 5-0 defeat at the hands of Rotherham just two months previously.

When Wordsworth struck, in the 38th minute, some could argue that he was lucky to be on the pitch having given Doncaster – and their midfielder Jordan Houghton – a kick up the backside. Despite consulting his assistant and the fourth official, the referee plumped for just a booking and not the sending off that the home fans craved.

And, if the hosts felt that was unjust, it was nothing compared to the opening goal of the game which came, predictably, courtesy of Wordsworth. After a long ball in to the box, was fisted straight in to the face of the unaware Nile Ranger, Doncaster’s Niall Mason could only hack the ball against the head of Wordsworth and in to the empty net.

For the first time in a dozen games this season, Doncaster equalised thanks to John Marquis’ persistence in first half stoppage time. He kept his cool and hammered home from close range at the second attempt from Rowe’s assist.

A finely poised game then. That was until the second half and Whiteman’s pivotal cameo. Seconds after the break veteran James Coppinger’s free kick rebounded out to Whiteman off a combination of keeper and upright and he calmly tucked home from 12 yards to flip the game on its head.

Three minutes later, Whiteman took charge of the game in emphatic fashion. Having sauntered to the edge of the Southend box, he blasted home first time a loose ball in off the under side of the bar. And, when Alfie May – the striker born and raised in Southend’s back yard – took a tumble in the box under an outstretched leg, there was to be only one taker.

Nervously, hurriedly, Whiteman stepped up. Yet the result was the same as he sent goalkeeper Mark Oxley the wrong way and secured three points - and the match ball - beyond all doubt.

Teams:
Doncaster – Lawlor, Mason, Wright, Butler, Toffolo, Houghton (Fletcher), Whiteman, Rowe, Coppinger (Blair), Marquis (Garratt), May.
Bookings – Marquis (80), Mason (85)

Southend – Oxley, Bwomono, Ferdinand, Kyprianou (White, 25), Timlin, Wright (McGlashan), Leonard, Wordsworth, McLaughlin, Cox (Robinson), Ranger.
Bookings – Wordsworth (20), White (49), Oxley (58), Bwomono (80)
Sent off - Ferdinand (90)


Man of the match – Ben Whiteman (Doncaster)

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