A fiery Yorkshire derby in store at the Keepmoat
Rotherham travel the short distance to Doncaster in what should be a cracking Yorkshire derby in the early kick-off. Can Donny maintain their unbeaten start of will the Millers secure the bragging rights? Have a read of our preview here:
So much Moore
Darren Moore arrived at Doncaster with a pretty good, albeit short, managerial record under his belt. The former defender had almost masterminded the greatest of great escapes for the Baggies and had them sitting in fourth place in the Championship table when the club took the decision to sack him.
Doncaster were quick to pounce following Grant McCann’s ascent to Hull and he has started pretty well considering the changes he has had to cope with. The loss of Mallik Wilkes following the end of his loan and the departures of both Danny Andrew and John Marquis left big holes to fill at the Keepmoat but they have coped remarkably well thus far.
Two draws and two wins in the opening four games against some tough opponents is not to be sniffed at and Doncaster’s determination is a credit to their manager.
Late goals in each of the last three games have won Donny five extra points which could be vital at the end of the season. They also have the experienced James Coppinger pulling the strings in midfield with the 38-year-old already amongst the goals thanks to his strike in the 3-2 win against Fleetwood.
Millers in transition
Rotherham have a manager who is well-liked and an owner who is both dedicated and prudent. This has seen the club have one of its most successful and stable periods of a fraught history.
The team is in a period of transition having seen a number of players depart over the summer including key men like Sam Vaulks, Joe Newell, Semi Ajayi, Ryan Williams and Marek Rodak.
The recruitment has been solid as Paul Warne looks to replace and rebuild his side for a promotion push this season. Freddie Ladapo has arrived for £500k from Plymouth while Daniel Iversen is a bright prospect in net having joined on loan from Leicester.
Rotherham have won both their away fixtures so far this season while only tasting defeat once. They play a 4-3-3 formation with Freddie Ladapo and Kyle Vassell feeding off the target man Michael Smith and have added pace with Michael Olosunde and Chiedozie Ogbene.
Whether they have enough to challenge at the top remains to be seen but this Millers side is likely to be tough to beat and, like their manager, full of determination.
Doncaster v Rotherham betting tip
With Doncaster’s penchant for conceding the first goal after half-time and Rotherham letting in late strikes in the last two games, backing the 2nd half to be the highest scoring at odds of 11/10 seems a fair shout here.
