What the papers say: Doncaster

[Far Canal]

sportinglife.com

Reading 0 Doncaster 0

http://www.sportinglife.com/football/li ... 51638.html

Doncaster goalkeeper Neil Sullivan produced an excellent display to shut out Reading and ensure their long wait for a home Coca-Cola Championship win continues.

The Royals have not won at the Madejski Stadium since beating Wolves back in January but dominated proceedings throughout to leave manager Brendan Rodgers a frustrated figure.

Sullivan made a string of saves to deny Rodgers a first home win as Reading boss and ensure that Sean O'Driscoll's side escaped with a point.

Rodgers handed debuts to Shaun Cummings, Brian Howard and Darren O'Dea while Billy Sharp was left on the bench for the visitors following his loan switch from Sheffield United.

Gylfi Sigurdsson had the first sight of goal with a long-range drive which sailed wide before his corner was headed by captain Alex Pearce straight at Sullivan in the Doncaster goal.

Sigurdsson - who celebrated his 20th birthday this week - was the standout player in the opening half hour and he nearly had the home side ahead midway through the half.

Jimmy Kebe's cross from the right was flicked on to Sigurdsson by Doncaster defender Adam Lockwood.

Sigurdsson rattled in a low shot which was well saved by Sullivan before the midfielder fired the rebound wide under pressure.

Howard went even closer minutes later when he almost scored a sensational debut goal.

The midfielder chanced his arm from 30 yards when he spotted Sullivan marginally off his line and lofted a lob over the back-pedalling goalkeeper only to see the ball thump the top of the crossbar.

Reading goalkeeper Adam Federici then made a sharp save to stop Cummings from scoring in the wrong net as the half drew to a close.

Former Celtic skipper O'Dea was denied a debut goal after the break when Sullivan did well to palm his header away to safety before substitute Grzegorz Rasiak came close.

Howard slid a pass down the side of the Rovers defence and the Poland international fired in a low shot to the near post which Sullivan did superbly to keep out.

Doncaster captain Brian Stock then had a rare effort at the other end but pulled his effort wide before Sullivan ended the game in familiar style.

First he showed great reflexes to tip over a Pearce header and then got his fingertips to another header from substitute Kalifa Cisse to keep a clean sheet and earn his side a point.

Teams:

Reading

Federici, Cummings, Pearce, O'Dea, Bertrand,Gunnarsson (Cisse 69), Karacan (Rasiak 59), Howard,Sigurdsson (Matejovsky 58), Kebe, Hunt.

Subs Not Used: Hamer, Mills, Tabb, Church.

Doncaster

Sullivan, Chambers, Shackell, Lockwood, Roberts,Spicer (Hird 64), Stock, Oster, Martin Woods,Coppinger (Sharp 76), Hayter (Guy 76).

Subs Not Used: Smith, Mark Wilson, Shiels, Fortune.

Booked: Martin Woods, Stock.

Att: 15,697

Ref: Phil Gibbs (West Midlands)

STAT ATTACK

Reading.........Doncaster
5....Shots On Target....5
3....Shots Off Target....4
17...Fouls (Conceded)...12
12........Corners..........4
0......Yellow Cards........2
0........Red Cards.........0

[namroyal]

Sounds like we were unlucky not to score. I'm glad that Sullivan was so busy, and he's a quality keeper. Hopefully we'll get some of these shots past some the lesser keepers in this division. A promising report... let's keep backing the boys and hope the results come.

[westendgirl]

Is it just me or do they list 6 saves from Sullivan. So how come there were only 5 shots on target? Does hitting the crossbar as on target as they makes 7?

[winchester_royal]

Reading.........Doncaster
5....Shots On Target....5
3....Shots Off Target....4

not... good... enough...

how..... would.... you..... know

[winchester_royal]

It is a very simple statistic, we are the home team - do you not expect us to have more shots on goal than the opponent, the away team? And a very weak away team at that.
I take it you are happpy with a draw and not ever looking like we would score?

But we did look likely today you tit.

Once again my original question stands.

[prostak]

Wasn't at the game today, so I won't comment on the specifics of it, but 5 shots on target is more than enough if one or two go in. Sadly for us exiles, Ideal, stats cannot replace seeing the game.

[W&E Royal]

What game were they watching?? One save from Rasiak. End of.

[Maguire]

What game were they watching?? One save from Rasiak. End of.

Nah, he tipped away a header in the second half too.

[W&E Royal]

What game were they watching?? One save from Rasiak. End of.

Nah, he tipped away a header in the second half too.

Was that the looping header from Cisse?

[andrew1957]

Doncaster had a brilliant run at the end of last season and rose from bottom to about 14th. They are not a bad side so it was never going to be an easy game. The fact we largely dominated it is relatively good news.

[Maguire]

What game were they watching?? One save from Rasiak. End of.

Nah, he tipped away a header in the second half too.

Was that the looping header from Cisse?

No, the other one where he launched himself to his left to claw away a downward header by someone or other.

Cisse's probably counted as a shot on goal though.

[Sarah Star]

READING 0, DONCASTER 0

Bren guns set to fire

By Graeme Hamlett, 12/09/2009

THE immediate aftermath of a football match is a time of contrasting emotions for every manager. And, for Brendan Rodgers, it was no different after Reading's stalemate with Doncaster.

Yes, he was disappointed not to give the Royals' fans their first home win since January 27.


Yes, 39-year-old veteran Neil Sullivan had been brilliant in the Doncaster goal, rolling back the years to deny victory with a string of crucial stops.


Yes, the Reading players did feel annoyed that three points had not come their way.


But there were other emotions radiating from the 36-year-old manager that were far more revealing.


There was a sense of understated optimism, excitement even, behind his words. Clarity about the way forward. That things are starting to click.


Never mind that it was a draw on this occasion and there are still only six points on the board after six games of the league season.


The optimism is there because Rodgers believes he is close to fitting his new pieces into his Reading jigsaw, close to finding his way to the completed picture.


Why so? There was the evidence shown by his three debutants - Brian Howard, on loan from Sheffield United, Darren O'Dea, loaned by Celtic, and Shaun Cummings, signed from Rodgers' former club Chelsea.


There was the hunger and goal threat that striker Grzegorz Rasiak brought to the game. The desire to keep pressing for a win. Yes, when Jimmy Kebe took the ball away from Howard as he was about to let fly from 25 yards, it spoke volumes that, for the players too, time is needed to forge understanding. Passes went astray. The players were not always on the same wavelength.


But the positive thing for Rodgers is that his pieces are not solid. They are not unyielding. They are not yet set in stone.


In his pursuit of the final composite, Rodgers can still create. And when he gets it right, his youngsters will start to fulfil their promise. And he can see it coming.


He said: "As a group, the spirit is there and growing all the time,


"They are disappointed they didn't win this game, but it's a good point and I have no doubts this is a group of players that will only get better over the next 40 games.


"I thought all the new players showed us what they will bring to the side - athleticism, creativity, adaptability.


"It bodes well for the future. Things we do in training are starting to emerge in patterns of our play. The jigsaw is coming together and we can see the fuller picture: this young side will go places."


They are not ready at the moment, as yesterday's match proved. A more experienced side would have finished off Doncaster.


And it was the oldest player on the pitch who made sure that Reading didn't, Sullivan performing brilliantly between the posts to earn Doncaster their point.


The keeper produced two brilliant stops in as many minutes to deny second-half substitute Rasiak instant impact and hero status at the Madejski Stadium.


Sullivan first plunged to his left to keep out the Pole's header, then flung out a strong hand to deny the striker's rasping drive its top-corner destination.


It meant Doncaster boss Sean O'Driscoll could pass on his post-game thoughts in a positive mood.


He said: "Neil will get the headlines for those saves, and they were fantastic, but I expect him to make saves like that. His concentration and command of the box is what makes such a good keeper."


And the Donny manager was delighted with the result because he feared their hard work would be undone by a mistake. He said: "We always seem to get done by a corner or free-kick and I was worried it may happen again when Reading pressurised us.


"It was hard fought but we held out against a counter-attacking side who stifled our own passing game, so we have to be pleased with the point."


So both managers left content. But it was Rodgers and Reading who gained most from this encounter. The jigsaw is coming together.

http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/sport/f ... TER-0.html

[Hogmeister Royal]

Certainly didn't expect that sort of report in the press - kind of encouraging in fact, even if it does seem to be an extremely RTG view.

[VOR]

It is a very simple statistic, we are the home team - do you not expect us to have more shots on goal than the opponent, the away team? And a very weak away team at that.
I take it you are happpy with a draw and not ever looking like we would score?[/quote][/quote]

I'm not exactly how sure how these stats are compiled but you have only to read some of the more anal ramblings of Snowflake or whatever his name is to realise that stats do not always tell the whole story. We made several good chances, they didn't. A very close off-target header that the goalie is relieved to see inch past the post is not the same as a lame, wayward shot.

We do need to make more chances but this was a bit more like it. Let's face it, with all the changes, it will be a while before it really comes together.

[The Cap]

Nice to see some positive posts on here,in contrast to the ones that are already spouting doom and gloom.

........'So both managers left content. But it was Rodgers and Reading who gained most from this encounter. The jigsaw is coming together'.

[Ryn]

I'm more concerned with not being able to make anything at all from the 12 corners that we won.

[clauski]

Doncaster had a brilliant run at the end of last season and rose from bottom to about 14th. They are not a bad side so it was never going to be an easy game. The fact we largely dominated it is relatively good news.

Sounds feasible on paper but based on what you saw of Doncaster yesterday would you say they looked a good team? I wouldn't.

[Vision]

I'm more concerned with not being able to make anything at all from the 12 corners that we won.

Yes, that is worrying, and we had Pearce taking corners, while all our other players are about 4 feet tall.
Differing from league to league about 30-35% (or higher) of goals should come resulting from set pieces.

ALOL.

[Ryn]

Taking corners can be practiced on the training field; at least one of those 12 should have resulted in a goal.

[Vision]

Taking corners can be practiced on the training field; at least one of those 12 should have resulted in a goal.

Given that half of those corners were taken by Howard who has just joined and a fair chunk of his teammates were away on International duty then to expect these routines to reap instant dividends is a bit much really. Even then there were 2 clear cut chances created from them , one which Pearce should have done better with and another (O'Dea) which forced a very good save from Sullivan.