The Voice - Match preview Doncaster Rovers vs Bradford City Saturday 25th February 2023 @ 3:00pm

League Two Fixture #31

Saturday 25th February 2023 15:00
Doncaster Rovers (10th) vs Bradford City (8th)
Eco-Power Stadium

Most Recent Results:

1: Stockport County 0 – 0 Bradford City
2: Bradford City 1 – 1 Mansfield Town
3: Stevenage 2 – 3 Bradford City
4: Bradford City 2 – 0 Tranmere Rovers
5: Bradford City 0 – 1 Barrow

Form: LWWDD

1: Doncaster Rovers 0 – 1 Hartlepool United
2: Doncaster Rovers 2 – 0 Tranmere Rovers
3: Swindon Town 0 – 2 Doncaster Rovers
4: Doncaster Rovers 1 – 0 Barrow
5: Sutton United 2 – 0 Doncaster Rovers

Form: LWWWL

Head-to-Head Results:

Head-to-Head Form: DDLLL

19 Mar 2018: Doncaster Rovers 2 – 0 Bradford City
22 Sep 2018: Doncaster Rovers 2 – 1 Bradford City
06 Apr 2019: Bradford City 0 – 1 Doncaster Rovers
08 Sep 2020: Doncaster Rovers 0 – 0 Bradford City
30 Jul 2022: Bradford City 0 – 0 Doncaster Rovers

Head-to-Head Results (All Time):

Won: 33
Drawn: 25
Lost: 28

Biggest Margin of Victory:

04 Sep 2007: Doncaster Rovers 5 – 1 Bradford City [Johnstones Paint Trophy]
28 Aug 1937: Doncaster Rovers 4 – 0 Bradford City [Division Three (North)]

NEW FEATURE!

For Better or Worse:
First Half of the Season vs Second Half of the Season Analysis

Mansfield Town: WIN followed by DRAW – Regression
Stevenage: WIN followed by WIN – Equal
Tranmere Rovers: WIN followed by WIN – Equal
Barrow: DEFEAT followed by DEFEAT
Doncaster Rovers: DRAW followed by ???

Results so far: The second half of the season has seen an regression by 1 point



Doncaster Rovers 2022/23:
A penalty denied, a 13-game George Miller drought, and a frustrating end to a winning streak

What a month it's been for Doncaster Rovers - but not for all the right reasons!

In the span of just 2 weeks, Doncaster Rovers have played a whopping 5 games, and managed to fit in a disappointing start, a win streak, and a disappointing end to what amounts to a fairly indicative period as far as Doncaster's fortunes are going at the moment.

Danny Schofield, the man at the helm, took over the reins following the sacking of Gary McSheffrey in late October due to failing to conform to a 'particular style of player' demanded by the club's owners in the Summer. McSheffrey left the club in 12th place with an average haul of 1.5 points per game, and while Doncaster Rovers now find themselves in 10th place, they have achieved a remarkably similar points average since – with 1.48 points per game.

In other words, results, if not performances, are ever so slightly worse under the new man.

Defeat at home to Hartlepool United to start February 2023 was a bitter pill to swallow, but then came 3 solid wins without conceding, before they hit the buffers once more with a 2-0 loss at Sutton United. A string of results eerily similar to the major disappointments suffered by Saturday's opponents Bradford City lately – a home defeat against Rochdale, followed by an uptick in results, followed by a gut punch against Barrow.

The phrase 'consistently inconsistent', then applies to Doncaster Rovers as well as The Bantams, but if Doncaster have been able to offer their fans anything under Danny Schofield it is a complete absence of draws!

Since Schofield's first game in charge (ironically a 1-1 draw against Crewe Alexandra), Doncaster Rovers have avoided a stalemate in all 17 subsequent games!

What's more, Doncaster Rovers are also incredibly consistent in another aspect of their game: win or lose, there are usually only goals from 1 team. In 13 of their last 17 fixtures, either Doncaster Rovers, or their opponents, have drawn a blank. In only 4 of those 17 fixtures did both teams score. Gamblers might want to make themselves aware of that fact!

So what next for Doncaster Rovers? Who knows. Even at home, Doncaster are not consistent under Danny Schofield. 5 wins and 4 losses in all competitions at home account for Schofield's 9 home games in charge, a run that has seen everything from an impressive 2-1 win over high flying Carlisle United, through to 1-0 home defeats against Hartlepool United and, worse in the FA Cup, King's Lynn.

That wasn't the case under McSheffrey. When Gary departed the club, Doncaster had won 4, drawn 1 and lost just 2 at the Eco-Power Stadium, a much better record, if drawn from a smaller sample size. Has replacing McSheffrey made enough of a difference to ensure Doncaster Rovers are challenging for the play offs come the end of the season?

In all likelihood, no.

Doncaster Rovers have looked a midtable side all season – but a win over 8th placed Bradford City would not only see them leapfrog their West Yorkshire rivals, but also draw them far deeper into the top seven conversation... in that sense, it's all to play for.

Bradford City 2022/23:
More home misery when least expected has fans questioning side's consistency

Victory at home over Barrow didn't look too much to ask, but Bradford City have become a liability whenever they get within touching distance of the automatic promotion spots. Defeat, then, in an utterly miserable performance that saw City register 0 shots on target – at home – against a side content to let The Bantams play it around the back with no sense of danger or urgency.

Mark Hughes' response? To shuffle the pack, no doubt, and the likely reintroduction of width and wingers. Scott Banks looks a shoe-in to start at the weekend, a decision which could potentially see Dara Costelloe employed on the opposite flank, and the dropping of one of the midfield quartet that recently comprised the diamond in midfield (as well as the injured Abo Eisa).

That will be scant consolation to City fans so desperate to see their side embark on an automatic promotion crusade, but who have been let down again and again by a stuttering series of performances.

Andy Cook's three game scoring spree was ended unceremoniously, with the talented forward failing to get a sniff in front of goal, and the introduction of Banks, Costelloe, and Oliver failed to create anything of note. It was, truly, appalling.

But it was also a one-off.

A comfortable victory over Tranmere Rovers preceded this non-performance, and a thrilling 3-2 victory over Stevenage (their second 3-2 win in recent months, after a belter of a game against Salford City), preceded that. A tightening up at the back in tough away games against Stockport County and AFC Wimbledon also had City fans praying for some much-needed consistency, but it proved not to be.

With just 22 % possession, Barrow cruised to a dour, dull, and dismal 1-0 win.

Picking themselves up may prove a little difficult after being booed off at both half time and full time. Adam Clayton's manful apology to City fans at the end of the game showed that there will be an effort to make amends this weekend, but can a change in formation and an additional source of motivation really make it happen? Especially considering City seem to have a preternatural ability to replicate results from the first half of the season.

And wouldn't you just know it, the first game of the season, against Doncaster Rovers, finished 0-0.

Highlights:

Bradford City 0 – 1 Barrow

.

Sutton United 2 – 0 Doncaster Rovers



Bradford City 0 – 0 Doncaster Rovers



Outlook:

Predicting this game isn't just a case of trying to predict one erratic team's performance/result – it's a case of trying to predict a result involving two erratic teams. Looking at Doncaster Rovers' recent results, the temptation would be to rule out a draw entirely. Looking at Bradford City's recent results, a draw seems the most likely outcome, similar to the pair of 0-0's achieved after the Rochdale horror show.

Who knows, then? But one thing of note is the 0-0 draw against Doncaster Rovers from earlier in the season, plus the fact that City have replicated the first result (win, lose or draw) against an opponent with near-perfect accuracy in their second encounter.

A draw seems feasible, then, after all.

Whether the reintroduction of width makes a big difference for City will be key to the outcome here. Poor performances from several defensively-minded players in the Barrow defeat will still play on Bantams' fans minds, and no doubt the 4,000 + heading for Doncaster on Saturday will be hoping to see the forward players much more involved this time around. If that happens, perhaps we could be treated to an entertaining derby game after all.

But there are just too many if's and but's to be confident here. Both sides badly need the win – but that doesn't mean either will get it. You can expect Bradford City to see less of the ball than they have done in the past couple of home games, but few fans will assume that's altogether a bad thing. After all, what use nearly-80 % possession if you can't get near the opposition goal?

Odds:

13/8: Doncaster Rovers
9/4: Draw
13/8: Bradford City

Predicted Outcome (THE VOICE):

Doncaster Rovers 0 – 0 Bradford City (with extremely low confidence)