Sports Mole previews Saturday’s League One clash between Stevenage and Doncaster Rovers, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Separated by eight points but fighting at opposite ends of the League One table, Stevenage and Doncaster Rovers will square off at the Lamex Stadium on Saturday.
The hosts sit sixth in the midst of a three-match winless run, while their visitors have dropped to 19th spot following a major dip in form.
Match preview
Stevenage head into the weekend aiming to get back to winning ways in League One with a chance to climb back into the top two.
On the back of a 14th-placed finish last time around, they enjoyed an eye-catching start to their second full season under the management of Alex Revell, quickly putting themselves in the automatic promotion spots by earning 25 points from their first 10 outings, losing just one of those.
That start culminated in three straight wins over Exeter City, Leyton Orient and Stevenage, but they now find themselves in the midst of a dip in form in England’s third tier, having failed to add a ninth notch to their wins column in the last three league attempts.
Following a defeat and a draw against fellow promotion-chasers Lincoln City and Bradford City, the Boro most recently visited Reading before the November break and came away empty-handed as Charlie Savage netted the only goal of the game inside five minutes.
Now sitting sixth, but still only trailing first and second spots by two points with three games in hand on both and at least one in hand on every other side in the top half, Stevenage will bid to get back on track with a victory on Saturday.
Their visitors head south in search of a much-needed return to winning ways of their own in the midst of a drop down the League One table.
Returning to England’s third tier as League One champions this season, Doncaster Rovers enjoyed a fine start, putting themselves at the right end of the division by earning 16 points from their first seven attempts.
The South Yorkshire side have since hit a major rut, though, adding just two more points to that tally in nine further attempts since their last victory in early September, conceding 18 goals along the way and only scoring six.
Grant McCann‘s men have fallen to 2-1 losses in each of their last two League One matches, firstly falling short at home to Barnsley, before beating Bradford City in the EFL Trophy and visiting Lincoln City last weekend, eventually leaving empty-handed despite drawing level through Brandon Hanlan in the 70th minute as a Robbie Gotts own goal put the hosts back ahead.
Having now dropped down to 19th spot in League One with one of the division’s worst records in recent months, Doncaster Rovers find themselves just two points above the relegation zone after 16 games and will be desperate to rebuild a lead and move back towards the top half with an away win.
Stevenage League One form:
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Stevenage form (all competitions):
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Doncaster Rovers League One form:
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Doncaster Rovers form (all competitions):
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Team News
Stevenage will remain without midfielder Louis Thompson and attackers Jake Young and Tyreece Simpson on Saturday due to lengthy injury issues.
Jamie Reid will hope to come back in and lead the line from the outset, having netted five league goals so far this season, albeit with the most recent of those coming in mid-August, with Gassan Ahadme getting the nod last time out.
Chem Campbell, Dan Kemp and Jordan Roberts should continue in support of the preferred lone striker, while Carl Piergianni and Charlie Goode are mainstays at the heart of an established back four.
Doncaster Rovers should head into the weekend with a relatively clean bill of health, other than injured attacker Toyosi Olusanya.
Brandon Hanlan will compete to displace veteran Billy Sharp and lead the attack, having come off the bench to score in their trip to Lincoln last weekend.
Glenn Middleton will battle for a spot on the wing and hope to displace either Jordan Gibson or Luke Molyneux, while Owen Bailey, Harry Clifton and George Broadbent should all keep midfield spots despite competition from Robbie Gotts and Ben Close.
Stevenage possible starting lineup:
Marschall; James-Wildin, Goode, Piergianni, Freestone; White, Houghton; Roberts, Kemp, Campbell; Ahadme
Doncaster Rovers possible starting lineup:
Lo-Tutala; Sterry, O’Riordan, Pearson, Maxwell; Broadbent, Clifton; Molyneux, Bailey, Gibson; Hanlan
We say: Stevenage 2-1 Doncaster Rovers
Stevenage have struggled to replicate their early-season form in recent weeks, but they remain strong on home turf and should get back to winning ways against a Doncaster Rovers side lacking confidence and dropping down the division.
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