Doncaster Away FA Cup 3rd round Won 2- 3 with Murmuration
Picture curtsey of Keith
Was it really 50 years ago that Hughie Fisher scored the most important goal of the 75-76 F.A. Cup campaign, a late equaliser at The Dell to force a 3rd round replay against Aston Villa? It certainly was, and Saints marked the occasion with a Cup Final replica shirt in this year’s 3rd round tie at Doncaster – you too can get one for just £120! On the remarkably unfrozen pitch there was a debut in goal for Daniel Peretz behind a back four as Jelert and Welington returned. Donny are 23rd in League 1 and were not expected to provide much of an obstacle, and certainly not after Saints took an early lead: Bragg went forward purposefully and fed Matsuki whose shot was saved – Bragg continued his run to put away the loose ball. It was 2-0 after 24 minutes when Archer‘s shot took an obliging deflection that sent the ball over Lo-Tutala before dipping below the crossbar. Just before the break, Fellows got to the by-line and dinked over a cross that was met by unmarked Matsuki with a header that he could guide past the keeper. At the start of the second half, most away fans’ attention was drawn more towards a spectacular murmuration of starlings gathering in the winter evening’s sunshine over the South Stand and didn’t see much of Doncaster’s opener, a close range header by centre back Pearson from a corner. Peretz had shown himself willing to come for crosses in the first half, not always wisely, and may have been told to stay more at home, as we are used to. We’re also used to goalkeeping failures, and Peretz will need to explain how Gibson‘s shot did little more than trickle past him to make it 2-3 with over 30 minutes to play. Some Saints fans responded not by getting behind the team but suggesting that the board should effectively sack themselves. The board weren’t playing, and nor were some of our regulars, a situation changed by bringing on Wood (and moving to the usual defence), Scienza and Jander, plus Stewart who, for all his known fragility, provides a welcome physical presence up front. Stewart might have embarrassed Lo-Tutala with an opportunist goal but it was our goalkeeper who made the final significant contribution with an outstanding double save, the second from our old friend Billy Sharp.
Three LSSC Man of the Match candidates to choose from:
4. Flynn Downes, who had to work harder than expected to re-establish some sort of control after those Rovers goals.
34. Welington, the least scary of our defenders in the second half.
48. Cameron Bragg, with a goal and a half-assist in the same movement. His substitution may be down to a concussion assessment.
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