Tims 92

Doncaster Rovers

The Keepmoat Stadium

Ground No. 144

Visited - Sunday 16th December 2007
Result - Doncaster Rovers 1-2 Yeovil Town
Competition - Coca-Cola League 1
Attendance - 5967

Having been to Swansea’s Liberty Stadium 24 hours previously, it was another new ground in store with Doncaster’s game against Yeovil having been moved to the Sunday, allowing me to get another one done towards the 92. Like with Swansea, I wasn’t overly enthusiastic to visit, with the bowl design looking fairly unadventurous, but having enjoyed the visit to Belle Vue, I was hoping that the atmosphere and buzz of the crowd had carried over to the new ground.

The journey northwards went well, arriving into Doncaster at about 1:30pm, having changed trains just the once in Birmingham. From the station, I made the walk down to the ground through town, finding it fairly easily, stuck out on an industrial estate, not too far from Belle Vue. Once there, the first thing you come across is the athletics ground that has been built adjacent to the stadium, which features a small stand where fans can view reserve games from, with Doncaster’s second string having taken up residence there. On to the main ground though, and from the outside, whilst not the worst in the world, it’s not exactly the most exciting either. One unusual feature is that the roof extends out slightly from the exterior wall, bending round in an arc on each side giving an impression that stands curve outwards, when in fact they are straight, except on the corners. Having taken a few pics and bought a ticket, with time getting on, I decided to go in, choosing to sit behind the goal with the home fans in the South Stand.

On the inside, all four stands are the same height (20 rows high), and are connected to each other with the corners filled in. Both the East and West Stands have executive boxes to the rear, running the length of the pitch on the East side, whilst limited to the centre of the stand in the West Stand. Also in the West Stand is a TV gantry right on the halfway line. The other point of note in the ground, and unusual for most new bowl grounds, is that there are four corner floodlight pylons as opposed individual lights along the length of the roofs. Leaning in at a slight angle, they help add an extra feature to the ground that sets it apart a little.

On to the game, and with both sides sitting just outside of the play-offs on 28 points, then it should have been a close one, but neither side started particularly well and the first half was a dull, scrappy affair providing little entertainment. It was Yeovil who took the lead, just before half-time when Darren Way ran with the ball and smashed home from just inside the area, with it taking a deflection on the way in.

In the second half, Yeovil dominated and made it 2-0 with twelve minutes left when much-travelled striker Marcus Stewart headed home a cross from a free-kick on the left, which finished the game off. Doncaster did get a consolation in injury time, but despite a late, desperate flurry, they weren’t able to get a second and Yeovil left for the long journey home with a deserved three points.

Throughout the game, a section of the home fans did try to get an atmosphere going, but the poor football on display and disappointing crowd of just under 6000 didn’t exactly help.

After leaving, I made my way back to the station and got home in plenty of time, glad to have made the trip. Overall, the ground, whilst not the most original, does have something about it. I’m not overly sure what, but there was something that made it neither dull nor boring, which is a common complaint of most modern grounds, so that made it a fairly good place to visit. Also it’s worth making the trip if just for the Lincolnshire Sausage hot-dogs available from a van on the way to the ground for £2! (The van is on ‘Middle Bank’ as you walk towards the ground from the athletics stadium for anyone interested (they’re worth it!))