Doncaster Rovers Preview

By Mark Heys
January 5 2007

Bolton Wanderers begin their participation in this seasons FA Cup competition by becoming the first Premiership team to visit Doncaster Rovers recently opened Keepmoat Stadium.

Rovers left their former Belle Vue home last month after an eighty four year stint and Wanderers follow only Huddersfield Town in visiting the new development which holds 15,000 spectators.

The League One side are currently going well under the stewardship of former Bournemouth chief Sean O'Driscoll and have lost just one game in the last eight matches.

In the previous round they overcame the threat of Mansfield Town via a replay with strikers Mark McCammon and Paul Heffernan scoring the all important goals either side of half time.

This is the first ever cup meeting between the two sides and it will be the first overall meeting since a goal from Wanderers old boy Neil Redfearn gave Donny the points in an old third division game in May 1987.

Bolton are forced to make at least one change to the side which lost heavily to Liverpool at Anfield on New Years Day with Spaniard Ivan Campo ruled out through suspension.

Idan Tal or Andranik Teimourian could come into contention to replace the former Real Madrid man following their cameo appearances in the Premiership earlier on in the week.

Wanderers manager Sam Allardyce may once again give Ricardo Gardner a chance to get another full game under his belt and goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen could be rested with either Ali Al-Habsi or Ian Walker coming in.

Doncaster will be hoping their Irish striker Paul Heffernan can continue his hot streak in front of goal. The 25-year old has hit six goals in the last seven games and is one for the Bolton team to watch.

Ex-Manchester United trainee Mark Wilson, the much travelled Bruce Dyer and Kevin Horlock, once of Manchester City are other familiar names to Bolton supporters

FA CUP RECORD

No previous cup meetings

FA CUP FORM GUIDE:

Played: 0

Won: 0

Drawn: 0

Lost: 0

CONNECTIONS

Ian Bailey, Andy Campbell, Tony Cunningham, Mike Jeffrey, Dennis Peacock, Neil Redfearn, John Sheridan

IT HAPPENED WHEN BOLTON PLAYED ROVERS

Former England international defender Stan Anderson managed both Rovers and Bolton after retiring from playing. His spell with Doncaster was considerably more successful than his time with the Wanderers.

Neil Redfearn's goal against Bolton in May 1987 effectively condemned them to Fourth Division football. The tigerish midfielder had left Wanderers after failing to nail down a first team spot and was constantly a thorn in their side when coming up against them. Ironically he is still playing in non-league for Bradford Park Avenue.