Dag & Red Tony Roberts Steve West Steve Heffer Mark Smith Dean Hooper Paul Terry Danny Hill Danny Shipp Junior McDougald Mark Stein Matt Jones Substitutes Tim Cole Steve McGavin Danny Hayzelden Mark Janney Paul Gothard

Goals Hill   Stats 12 Goal Attempts 6 6 On Target 1 6 Off Target 5 0 Hit Woodwork 0 7 Corners 5 Cards Yellow Heffer Barnes   Ryan Red None Whitman   Price

Doncaster Andy Warrington Jamie Price Tim Ryan Ricky Ravenhill Barry Miller Jamie Squires Andy Watson Paul Green Paul Barnes Robert Gill Tristram Whitman Substitutes Neil Campbell Lee Butler Jamie Paterson Ben Futcher Kevin Sandwith

The home crowd turned up in anticipation of a hard contested game after the Doncaster thuggery that has been exhibited in recent matches against the Daggers, and they weren't disappointed as the away side had two sent off, and it could have been more. Roberts was back in goal for the home team and West came back with Janney sacrificed.

Doncaster started the game very well and if they had concentrated on the football rather than the fouling, they could well have got the three points. They had an early chance as the ball was lifted wide of the goal, and soon after a run from midfield was uncontested and he drove just wide of the post. Smith also had to be alert as he cleared a cross after it had evaded Roberts. They also had a shot well over the bar s they pushed on to get the early goal. However, after the opening 20 minutes, they seemed to fade as they were unable to score. The Daggers were being given problems down the wings as they played wingbacks, but did well going forward after the initial period of away pressure.

McDougald had the first home chance as he headed across goal from a Jones cross but it dropped over the bar, and most the Daggers' joy was coming down the left as Shipp, Hill and Jones combined well on several occasions. The Daggers had another chance from a Jones cross as the keeper spilled it and Stein fired weakly towards the corner and it was cleared off the line, and Terry's follow-up was well wide. Jones had a weak shot at the keeper as the ball was a little too far in front of him and he couldn't make good contact.

With the first half football out of the way, minds turn to less savoury issues. Barnes was booked early along with Heffer as the two had a little fracas in the corner, but it was nothing more than handbags. Hooper, who been successfully winding his opposite number up, was the victim of a punch to the face, which he seemed to avoid, but the Doncaster player was lucky to stay on. However, with not long left in the first half, Jones was caught very late by Whitman's tackle, and although it wasn't as bad as it first seemed, the red was displayed and he was sent off. However, Jones was clearly not making a meal of it, as he was forced to go off early in the second half after failing to shake the knock off. After this, Barnes instigated a mass brawl but he managed to stay on the field.

The second half started with Doncaster again the better for the start of it as they held most of the ball, but after 10 minutes or so, they again lost their momentum and allowed the Daggers back into it. Stein had a great chance as he met McDougald's flick and stretched to shoot, but it was well tipped over by Warrington. Stein then headed across goal from a left wing cross but it went just wide, and Shipp tried to hook the ball back only for it to be controlled by the arm of a defender but nothing was given despite the crowd and player protests.

Danny Hill scored the only goal though. McDougald played a delightful lay back to Hill on the edge of the box who steered it inside the keeper's right hand post with his left foot. Doncaster hadn't committed a bad foul for a while though, and they soon committed another one, as Stein held it in the corner and Price went straight through him from behind, and was deservedly sent off. Stein could have also gone for retaliation but was lucky to stay on.

The rest of the game wasn't really amounting to much, althought both sides got some good balls into the box without much success. A battling win for the Daggers who survived Doncaster's foul tactics to win the game, although there was a downpoint as Junior pulled his hamstrong late on and hobbled around for the rest of the game as all subs had been used.