Preview: Doncaster Rovers vs. Fleetwood Town - prediction, team news, lineups

Out-of-form Doncaster Rovers instrumentality to League Two enactment connected New Year's Day, keen to get the amended of Fleetwood Town successful the gameweek 24 clash astatine the Eco-Power Stadium.

Rovers, 2nd successful the standings heading into Wednesday, could beryllium displaced from the apical 7 spots altogether if they lose, but they anticipation to debar that result against an hostile that finished 2024 powerfully — claiming 4 points from six to adjacent retired the twelvemonth nether caller brag Pete Wild.

Match preview

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Despite winning 1 League Two fixture successful six, Doncaster Rovers person someway kept their spot successful the automatic promotion places successful the 4th tier.

However, different winless lucifer to commencement 2025 could person antagonistic consequences for the third-placed Rovers, who are level connected points with Notts County successful 2nd (37), and Port Vale and Grimsby Town successful 4th and 5th respectively, with Crewe Alexandra and Salford City 1 constituent adrift.

Even the trio of AFC Wimbledon, Chesterfield and Bradford City successful eighth, ninth and 10th respectively person 34 points heading into the caller year, highlighting the tightness of the array from 2nd to 10th.

Thus, the concern places unit connected Grant McCann's men to unafraid maximum points for the archetypal clip since December 21, arsenic they are keen to clasp connected to their automatic promotion spot.

Avoiding decision means the South Yorkshire nine volition stay successful the coveted apical 7 spots, adjacent if McCann's troops could make flimsy separation by claiming each 3 points, which they purpose to do, to assertion consecutive victories successful beforehand of their supporters.

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Standing successful their mode are Fleetwood, who were beneficiaries of ending 2024 with back-to-back location fixtures against Chesterfield and Harrogate Town.

Accruing 4 points from those matches took past year's relegated League One broadside to 27 points from 21 games, leaving them 9 points wide of the dreaded portion with a importantly superior extremity difference.

However, the Cod Army are 9 points adrift of a coveted top-seven place, leaving the Fishermen neither present nor determination successful the part unless they drawstring affirmative results together.

If the opening 2 fixtures nether Wild are an indicator of anything, the Lancashire outfit are seemingly trending upwards heading into 2025, though they indispensable amusement ample expertise connected their travels to amended connected a winless four-match tally connected the roadworthy (three losses) to assertion maximum points distant from location for the archetypal clip since the commencement of October, erstwhile they bushed Walsall 6-2.

Fleetwood person managed 2 goals since that triumph 3 months agone and person conceded 8 successful that period, highlighting their issues successful some boxes connected the road.

Doncaster Rovers League Two form:

Doncaster Rovers signifier (all competitions):

Fleetwood Town League Two form:

Team News

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While Rovers suffered nary evident wounded problems successful the 1-1 gully astatine Colchester United, Jordan Gibson's dismissal forces McCann into a mandatory alteration connected the near flank; Owen Bailey is disposable contempt picking up his 5th yellowish paper this term, having already crossed the 19-game cut-off constituent for suspensions.

Without four-goal antheral Gibson, the hosts anticipation Luke Molyneux (seven goals) and Billy Sharp volition adhd to their goalscoring tallies successful midweek.

Danny Mayor avoids a suspension for Fleetwood, with the league past its 19th round; however, Zech Medley (Achilles) misses retired for the distant broadside owed to injury.

Ronan Coughlan and Ryan Graydon person 8 extremity contributions apiece, and the forwards should commencement up beforehand for the visitors from Lancashire successful gameweek 24.

Doncaster Rovers imaginable starting lineup:
Sharman-Lowe; Sterry, Olowu, McGrath, Maxwell; Bailey, Broadbent; Molyneux, Clifton, Hurst; Sharp

We say: Doncaster Rovers 1-1 Fleetwood Town

Doncaster person won conscionable 1 of their erstwhile 7 matches connected location soil, portion Fleetwood person failed to triumph connected the roadworthy since October 1.

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