It was James Coppinger who would get this match underway and they instantly were zipping it around the sleek, water-soaked Keepmoat pitch. But even though they were playing some excellent stuff, with Coppinger almost sending through Crawford early on, no chances presented themselves and Blackpool could go again and go again they did.
In the tenth minute Gnanduillet initiated a goalmouth scramble with an air shot that ended up with Curtis Tilt, his shot would blocked and what would ensue would leave you wondering how Blackpool didn’t have the lead. What would follow one minute latter would leave the same bitter taste lingering. When the ball was flicked on to Delfouneso by Gnanduillet, the net looked destined to bulge, but from close range the returning winger couldn’t get enough power on the shot.
Blackpool were playing really well, but to be fair so were Rovers. A chance did come to them twenty-four minutes in and it fell to Crawford, his snapshot was very nearly deflected into the bottom corner, but fortunately it bounced just wide.
Blackpool, when they did get forward, were doing everything but score. In the thirty-sixth minute Gnanduillet was instrumental again, laying off to Bunney who scuffed the best chance of the game wide, a golden chance and one that should have been taken.
The harshness of Blackpool’s half time team talk was about to go up a notch though when out of nowhere, in first half stoppage time, Kane struck a wicked moving effort from twenty-five yards which bounce in off the bar. Out of nowhere Blackpool had been robbed and Doncaster were jubilant, a goal to cling to in a match they barely had a grip on.
Doncaster did well to quieten Blackpool in the second half and even began building something of their own. Both full backs were delivering dangerous crosses for the Seasiders but to no avail with McLaughlin and Bunney proving real assets. It was really quite quiet in front of both goals but Blackpool were always getting the better chances. In the sixty-fifth minute Gnanduillet would try his best to find the net, but he drove a powerful effort wide from the edge of the area.
Both Blackpool and Doncaster were cancelling each other out, and surely Doncaster would have been happy with their current situation. Things would get even better for Doncaster though as, a rapid counter attack would end with that man, John Marquis, sweeping into the bottom left hand corner, leaving Howard no chance and doubling the Doncaster advantage.
Blackpool were really on the ropes and seemed down and out. They were rattled even more when Kane struck the bar from a freekick late on and Howard looked beaten.
Blackpool didn’t play badly, it was just that goal on the stroke of half time that was their downfall. Blackpool’s five match winning run comes to a crashing end and it could have been so different. If only Blackpool had been at their recent clinal best in the first half they could have been two or three to the good going into the break. Blackpool better be ready for Friday’s trip to Solihull and quickly forget this disappointing trip, that breaks Doncaster’s duck against the Seasiders at the Keepmoat.
They can only come back stronger.
UTP
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