Walsall Football Club

Managerless Rovers visit the Banks's this afternoon...

OVERVIEW:
Third-placed Walsall are hoping for a return to winning ways after back-to-back defeats against Morecambe (JPT) and Bury – our first reverse of the league season. Opponents, Doncaster, have made an indifferent start and are currently in 17th position, with six points from as many matches. Rovers, who have failed to score in four of their six league games, parted company with manager, Paul Dickov, on Tuesday. The Saddlers have won the last three meetings between the sides.

LAST FIVE LEAGUE MATCHES: (Most recent match first)
Walsall: LWWWW
Doncaster: LWLDD

LAST TIME OUT:
Saturday, 5th September – Walsall 0-1 Bury
Craig Jones’s solitary sixth-minute strike consigned the Saddlers to a first league loss of the season. Defeat saw Walsall slip off top spot and into third place.
Team: MacGillivray, O’Connor, Downing, Taylor, Henry, Chambers (Lalkovic 76’), Mantom, Flanagan (Morris 62’), Sawyers, Bradshaw, Forde (Cook 62’). Subs not used: Baxendale, Preston, Kinsella, Jezeph.

Saturday, 5th September – Gillingham 1-0 Doncaster
Jake Hessenthaler scored the only goal as Gillingham moved to the top of League One with a narrow win over Doncaster – in what proved to be Paul Dickov’s final game in charge.
Team: Stuckmann, Lund, Butler, MacKenzie, Taylor-Sinclair, Coppinger, Gobern, Chaplow, Evina (Stewart 70’), Main (N’Guessan 70’), Williams. Subs not used: Keegan, Marosi, McKay, Middleton, Whitehouse.

HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORD:
Walsall wins: 28
Doncaster wins: 21
Draws: 9

LAST MEETING:
Saturday, 7th February 2015 – Doncaster 0-2 Walsall
A goal in each half from Jordan Cook and Manchester City loanee, Jordy Hiwula, earned Walsall a comfortable 2-0 win at the Keepmoat.

DONCASTER CARETAKER MANAGER:
Rob Jones – The 35-year-old defender has been placed in temporary charge following the dismissal of manager, Paul Dickov, on Tuesday. An imposing 6’7” centre-back, Jones joined Doncaster from Sheffield Wednesday in July 2012 and helped Rovers win the League One title in his debut season. He has also played for Grimsby, Hibernian and Scunthorpe among others.

DONCASTER STAR MAN:
James Coppinger – A vastly-experienced midfielder who has made over 450 appearances in 11 years with Doncaster, scoring 47 goals. The 34-year-old helped Rovers win promotion from League One in 2008 and 2013. Coppinger, who played for Newcastle, Hartlepool and Exeter at the start of his career, also won the Football League Trophy with Donny in 2007.

VIEW FROM THE DONCASTER CAMP:
Rob Jones (on taking temporary charge) – “It’s disappointing to see Paul Dickov leave but football goes on, I have the utmost respect for him. I will do the job to the best of my ability and that’s all I can do. The supporters are as passionate as I am. We’re one big family and want to move forward together as soon as possible."

TEAM NEWS:
Walsall: No injury concerns. Neil Etheridge and Jason Demetriou have returned from international duty.
Doncaster: Luke McCullough, Nathan Tyson, Harry Forrester and Rob Jones (caretaker manager) are injured.

REFEREE:
Kevin Wright (from Merseyside)

STAT OF THE DAY:
Walsall completed the double over Doncaster last season - winning 3-0 at home and 2-0 away. The only other team we beat twice (in the league) were Fleetwood - 1-0 both home and away.

THIS AFTERNOON’S LEAGUE ONE FIXTURES: (3.00pm unless stated)
Barnsley vs. Swindon
Burton vs. Rochdale
Chesterfield vs. Colchester
Crewe vs. Millwall
Fleetwood vs. Bradford
Gillingham vs. Blackpool
Oldham vs. Peterborough
Port Vale vs. Wigan
Scunthorpe vs. Coventry
Sheff Utd vs. Bury
Southend vs. Shrewsbury