County are flying right now, and welcome Doncaster Rovers to Edgeley Park this weekend looking to record a sixth straight league win on a day that could see County move into the automatic promotion places.
A fifth in three games for Tanto Olaofe and an Antoni Sarcevic strike saw County ease to a routine 2-0 victory over Forest Green Rovers on Tuesday night; a fifth straight win in League Two that lifts us up to fourth. County haven’t won six on the bounce in the EFL since the back end of the 2007/08 season, en-route to promotion from League Two via the play-offs under Jim Gannon.
Only goals scored currently keeps County out of the automatic promotion places with Crewe currently sat in third, and three points on Saturday could even see Dave Challinor’s side finish the day top of the pile should other results go our way. The top three are all in action away from home this weekend; leaders Notts County travel to Barrow, second place Wimbledon go to Mansfield, whilst Crewe are at Salford City.
For Doncaster Rovers, they’re finding form of their own recently after a difficult start to the new campaign. Saturday’s 2-0 victory over high-flying Crawley Town was a third win in four league games for Grant McCann’s side, seeing them rise up to 20th in the table – four points above the relegation zone, and eight points off a play-off spot.
Things you need to know:
- Tickets for Saturday’s game are still available to buy online and from the ticket office, with the Vitality Railway End open to County fans for this game. Click here to order yours today!
- We encourage supporters to find sustainable ways of travelling to the game where possible. There is now bike storage available in the car park behind the Vitality Railway End, allowing supporters cycling to the game to store their bikes during the game.
- Coming to the game on Saturday? Click here to view our Fan Information pack, containing all you need to know ahead of your visit to Edgeley Park.
- Don’t forget to turn up early to Edgeley Park to visit the County Courtyard, which will be opening its doors from 5.30pm! For more information on all the food and drink on offer this week, click here.
- Tuesday’s game will be available for overseas supporters to stream over on Stockport County Live, featuring live commentary with Jon Keighren and Sam Byrne. Audio commentary is also available for supporters located in the UK. Click here to buy a pass today!
Our Opponents:
After relegation from League One in 2022, Doncaster will have been hoping for better last season in what was their first League Two campaign since 2017.
Despite a bright start under former County loanee Gary McSheffrey, their form faded badly in September and October; a run of just seven points picked up from eight games seeing the 40-year-old sacked 14 games into the campaign, with Rovers in 12th place. Former Huddersfield Town boss Danny Schofield, another former County loan player, was chosen as his replacement, tasked with bringing his home-town club closer to the promotion places.
Things were looking promising in February; three straight wins against Tranmere, Swindon and Barrow lifting them to within two points of the play-off places.
That was as good as it got for Rovers though, who went on to win just two of their final 16 games as they slid down the League Two table. They eventually finished the campaign in 18th place, a massive 20 points off a play-off spot, with Schofield dismissed shortly after. The 43-year-old departed having won just ten of his 33 games in charge, losing 19 of them, leaving the side in need of a fresh start and a major overhaul over the summer.
Fan favourite Grant McCann has since returned to the club as manager for a second spell, having led the club to the League One Play-Off places in 2019 before leaving to take over at Hull City. McCann guided the Tigers to the League One title during his time there before a second spell in charge at Peterborough United last season, and his return to the Keepmoat was seen as a real coup for the Yorkshire side.
Investment into the side was promised over the close season with 13 new additions brought in. The big change has been up front, with former Cambridge United striker Joe Ironside forming an effective partnership with West Brom loanee Modou Faal. The pair have seven goals between them already this season, and were both on target in that win against Crawley Town on Tuesday night.
Despite being tipped by many to be dark horses for promotion this season, Doncaster instead found themselves rooted to the bottom of the table in the opening few weeks of the campaign after picking up just two points from their opening seven games.
There was a sense, however, that the performances were better than the results they had to show for it over that period, particularly in battling defeats away at Wrexham and MK Dons.
They gave Premier League side Everton a real run for their money in the Carabao Cup too, taking the lead in the first half through Ironside before two late goals saw Sean Dyche’s side turn the tie around. It was a performance that suggested the side were on the right track, and a few weeks later that elusive first win was finally secured thanks to a 96th minute winner at Forest Green Rovers.
Another win soon followed – this one even more impressive after taking down high-flying Gillingham, and despite defeat at Barrow last weekend McCann’s side bounced back impressively in midweek against Crawley. It’s a run that has changed the mood around the Keepmoat Stadium, as Rovers start to look up the league table, rather than glance nervously over their shoulders.
Match Stats:
- This will be the 84th competitive meeting between the two sides since we first met in 1901. Doncaster have a narrow historical advantage, winning 35 previous encounters to County’s 33.
- County have won only one of our last nine league meetings with Doncaster, with that solitary win coming in February 1990 thanks to goals from Keith Edwards, Brett Angell and Kevin Francis.
- At least one of Tanto Olaofe or Louie Barry has scored in each of County’s last ten outings in all competitions. The pair now have 15 goals between them already this season.
- The last time County won six EFL games in a row came in February and March 2008, when Accrington, Hereford, Bradford, Rochdale, Lincoln and Macclesfield were all beaten by Jim Gannon’s side.
