Doncaster take on top team Swansea as they look to close in on the automatic promotion places.
Vital Quotes:
‘Swansea City are eight points clear at the moment, so I think that this is a bigger game than we had last week against Leeds. For a lot of people, it won’t be, but for us in terms of where we want to be; this is the big game for us.
I think that Swansea will give us major problems with the way that they play. They are like us – they pass and move, they rotate people and they will make us think.
That will help the players get their heads back down from the clouds and make them think that out of all of the games that we have played over the past four-six weeks; this is the biggest one.’
Doncaster manager Sean O’Driscoll
Doncaster Rovers Team News:
Gordon Greer will not feature for up to 12 weeks as the defender will be recovering from a hip operation.
Brian Stock is a doubt after picking up a virus earlier in the week. There in uncertainty whether Jason Price will feature after picking up a knock against Leeds last weekend.
On the plus side, striker Paul Heffernan is back after a long term injury to his ankle
Player to watch: Richie Wellens
Richie Wellens
The former Oldham man helped Rovers towards all 3 points earlier on in the season when the Rovers visited the Liberty Stadium.
Rovers fans will be praying for a similar performance from Richie and hopefully another wonder strike!
The midfielder has also been key in Doncaster’s rise up the table putting in memorable performances against tough opposition. After a stunning performance against Leeds last weekend Richie Wellens will be keen to build on this and help Rovers to 3 points.
Swansea City Team News:
Midfielder Darren Pratley is a big doubt for tonights game after suffering a torn hamstring in training.
Jason Scotland, who scored in the previous encounter, is looking to regain his place in the starting line up but may be forced to start on the bench by loan striker Fabian Brandy.
Player to watch: Ferrie Bodde
Ferrie Bodde
The dutch midfielder is considered to be very similar to Doncasters’s Richie Wellens.
Swansea signed Bodde for Dutch side ADO Den Haag where he had spent 15 years progressing through the clubs youth academy.
Bodde has made a total of 20 appearances this season for Swansea. 19 of which were in League One with the remainder being in The FA Cup.
So far this season Bodde has been shown 4 yellow cards and 2 red cards. One of his dismissals was against Doncaster Rovers after Bodde appeared to have head butted midfielder Brian Stock.
Match Facts & Stats
The two sides have met a total of 54 times since 1935. Doncaster edge the reuslts with a total of 21 wins to Swansea’s 20. 13 games ended in a draw.
Match Prediction:
Vital Doncaster – Doncaster Rovers 1 – 1 Swansea City
Next Fixtures:
Doncaster Rovers
Hartlepool (Tuesday, 29 January 2008 – Home)
Millwall (Saturday, 02 February 2008 – Away)
Swansea City
Nottingham Forest (Tuesday, 29 January 2008 – Away)
Oldham (Saturday, 02 February 2008 – Home)
