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Doncaster Rovers v Chester City,Saturday 16th December 2000

Nationwide Conference League

DONCASTER ROVERS 1 V 0 CHESTER CITY att:2,553

MacIntyre(2)

Hopeless City go down 1-0 to an early Doncaster goal in a game they never even created a proper chance in.

Last week the blues put on one of the best performances from a City side in years,this week it was totally the opposite as they put on an embarrasing show as they crashed away to a Doncaster Rovers side that was much improved from the side thumped 3-0 at the Deva earlier this year.

Doncaster started the match much more lively than City and went one ahead after only 90 seconds.Kevin McIntyre thundered a shot towards the City goal from just outside the area which took a deflection off a City defender and wrong footed Wayne Brown in goal before hitting the back of the net to the delight of the Belle Vue faithful.The blues then woke up as they went in search of an equaliser,Steve Whitehall hit a free-kick which was pushed over the bar superbly by Donny keeper Barry Richardson.Andy Porter also had a long range effort brilliantly saved by the in-form Richardson.The blues should have been level just after though,Neil Fisher hit a superb in-swinging corner which found the head of Carl Ruffer who was 6 yards out with a free header but he glanced the ball well wide of the mark.

In the second half Scott Ruscoe came on to replace Chris Blackburn who was having a dissapointing game but it was Doncaster who always looked the more likely to score.In fact it should have been two on 52 minutes when Mike Turner set up the impressive Tristan Whitham who hit his shot off the right hand post when surely it would have been easier to score.City through players forward in the last ten minutes in the hope of salvaging a draw.Mark Beesley had a shot saved at the foot of the post and Steve Whitehall scuffed a shot wide but Doncaster finished on top and should have won by a more comfortable margin when Whitman crashed a 84th minute volley off the City crossbar but the game finished 1-0 to the home side.

There is alot more expectation on the blues now following the heroic performances of recent weeks in the cups but this performance was a long,long way from matching any of the performances.Why oh why can`t the same players that have played in these various cup games put in the same kind of performances in the league as they can in the cup?.Perhaps they can`t get up for the league games quite the same,but whatever something needs to be done fast as the blues are languishing further and further towards mid-table obscurity.

Doncaster:Richardson,Marples,Hawkins,Kelly,Miller,Ryan,Caudwell,Atkins,Turner,Whitman,McIntyre Subs:Morris,Paterson,Watson,Campbell,Walling

Chester:Brown,Fisher,Doughty,Gaunt,Lancaster,P.Beesley,Ruffer,Porter,M.Beesley,Whitehall,Blackburn Subs:Ruscoe,Kerr,Moss,Woods,Wright

Man Of The Match:Martyn Lancaster-Was the best of a bad bunch today and always looked in control at the back.