Sports Mole previews Tuesday’s EFL Trophy clash between Doncaster Rovers and Bradford City, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Having both booked their places in the knockout stages of the EFL Trophy already, Doncaster Rovers and Bradford City will meet in a Yorkshire derby in the final game of Northern Section Group C on Tuesday.
The two teams have each won their first two group games and will battle for top spot and a more favourable round-of-32 tie.
Match preview
Doncaster Rovers return to the Eco-Power Stadium on Tuesday aiming to continue a perfect EFL Trophy record and begin rebuilding form, having hit a tough spell in their League One campaign in the last two months.
After dropping out of the EFL Trophy in the round of 32 last time around, the South Yorkshire outfit booked their place in the knockout stages with wins in each of their first two group games, firstly seeing off Everton Under-21s in early September.
A trip to Grimsby Town then followed last month, and Grant McCann‘s men sealed a top-two spot with a 3-0 victory, as Robbie Gotts netted an early brace and Cameron McJannet scored an own goal in the dying minutes.
That, alongside an FA Cup win over Crewe Alexandra at the beginning of November, have been the only wins in the last 11 outings for the Rovers, though, who have dropped to 18th spot in England’s third tier with a winless run, most recently hosting South Yorkshire rivals Barnsley and losing 2-1 on Saturday despite Luke Molyneux’s first-half leveller.
They now turn their focus back to the EFL trophy and will bid to lock up top spot in the final group game with a second win over Tuesday’s visitors this season, having picked up a 3-1 victory at the Eco-Power Stadium in early September courtesy of goals from Molyneux, Jordan Gibson and Billy Sharp after competing a league double last term.
Their visitors, meanwhile, head to Doncaster aiming to avenge that latest league loss and take top spot in group C off their fellow newly-promoted League One side.
Bradford City managed a run to the EFL Trophy semi-finals last time around, and they again guaranteed a place in the final 32 with an opening pair of group wins, firstly scraping a 2-1 home victory over Grimsby Town thanks to Andy Cook‘s 95th-minute winner in his brace.
Everton Under-21s then visited the University of Bradford Stadium last month, and Graham Alexander‘s side dished out a 5-1 beating as Stephen Humphrys netted a brace alongside goals from Calum Kavanagh, George Lapslie and Alex Pattison.
The Bantams now also head into Tuesday’s test wounded by a league loss at the weekend, having failed to move top of England’s third tier in their bid for back-to-back promotions in a 2-1 home defeat to Burton Albion, as they failed to find a leveller after Bobby Pointon halved the deficit 14 minutes from time.
Now heading towards a break next weekend before an important trip to fellow promotion-chasers Bolton Wanderers later this month, Bradford City will bid to get back to winning ways and take top spot on Tuesday.
Doncaster Rovers EFL Trophy form:
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Doncaster Rovers form (all competitions):
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Bradford City EFL Trophy form:
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Bradford City form (all competitions):
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Team News
With knockout spots already guaranteed, both sides may opt to rotate their squads heavily for Tuesday’s game after busy recent schedules, and Grant McCann has options to pick from with Doncaster Rovers enjoying a clean bill of health.
Defender Jamie Sterry, their last remaining treatment room occupant, is nearing a full return and may be given a chance on Tuesday, while Toyosi Olusanya and Joe Sbarra are also fit to feature after time on the sidelines.
Brandon Hanlan will likely lead the attack in place of veteran Billy Sharp, while Luke Molyneux, Owen Bailey, George Broadbent and Harry Clifton could all be afforded rests with Sbarra, Olusanya, Damola Ajayi, Glenn Middleton and Charlie Crew all in line to come into a refreshed starting XI.
Bradford City will also rotate for the EFL Trophy meeting, although defenders Aden Baldwin and Curtis Tilt, midfielder Antoni Sarcevic and attacker Will Swan should remain confined to the treatment room.
Andy Cook will lead the attack, having primarily started in cup games since his long injury layoff, with George Lapslie and Tyreik Wright likely joining him, affording rests for Stephen Humphrys, Bobby Pointon and Calum Kavanagh.
Elsewhere, Alex Pattison and Jenson Metcalfe should come in for Max Power and Tommy Leigh in midfield, while Neill Byrne and Brad Halliday will also hope to feature from the outset.
Doncaster Rovers possible starting lineup:
Lo-Tutala; Gotts, Nixon, McGrath, Sterry; Crew, Sbarra; Ajayi, Olusanya, Middleton; Hanlan
Bradford City possible starting lineup:
Walker; Byrne, Pennington, Kelly; Halliday, Pattison, Metcalfe, Richards; Wright, Cook, Lapslie
We say: Doncaster Rovers 1-1 Bradford City
With both sides bound to shuffle the pack amid demanding league schedules, and with their progression in the EFL Trophy already sealed, we see a low-scoring draw as the most likely outcome at the Eco-Power Stadium.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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