In this column, we look at the playoff games between Crewe Alexandra and Doncaster Rovers, starting with tomorrow evening’s home leg before the teams clash in Yorkshire on Friday night. The Yorkshire side’s squad contains Alex Academy alum Billy Waters and former loanee Jamie Sterry.
NB: Monday’s home game kicks off at 5.30 pm with the away leg on Friday at 7.45 pm – both available on Sky Sports.
This Season:
This season sees the Rovers finish in 5th place having beaten Forest Green Rovers twice, Gillingham, Crawley Town twice, Sutton United, Tranmere Rovers, Grimsby Town twice, Colchester United twice, MK Dons, Tranmere Rovers, AFC Wimbledon, us, Swindon Town, Wrexham, Morecambe, Walsall, Accrington Stanley and Barrow, they have drawn with Mansfield Town twice, Swindon, Accrington, Sutton, Salford City and Gillingham while they have lost against Harrogate Town twice, Newport County twice, Notts County twice, MK Dons, Wrexham, Barrow, Stockport County twice, Salford, AFC Wimbledon, us, Morecambe and Bradford City.
They lost to Peterborough United in the FA Cup 2nd Round (beating Accrington Stanley after extra time in the previous round) and would lose against Everton in the Carabao Cup 2nd Round following a win against Hull City in the previous round.
In the EFL Trophy, they topped the group after beating Everton’s Under-21s and Burton Albion either side of a defeat at Mansfield. They would defeat Nottingham Forest’s Under-21s and Wigan Athletic in the second and third rounds respectively before losing to Bradford in the quarter-finals.
Head-to-Head (figures are before both legs):
Alex Wins: 38
Donny Wins: 44
Draws: 27
Biggest Alex Win: 8-0 at the Alexandra Stadium in December 2002, EFL Trophy
Biggest Donny Win: 6-0 at Belle Vue in April 1961
Last Meeting
Doncaster Rovers 2-0 Crewe Alexandra, 9th March 2024
Hakeeb Adelakun gave the hosts in the 16th minute before Tommy Rowe doubled the lead 13 minutes after the break.
Crewe: Booth; Cooney (Tabiner 60), Turns, Demetriou, Adebisi; Austerfield (Holicek 85), Thomas (Leigh 69); Tracey, Rowe (Baker-Richardson 60), Kirk (Williams 60); Nevitt
Booked – Rowe 37, Adebisi 43, Cooney 54, Williams 65
Donny: Lo-Tutala; Sterry (Westbrooke 33), Anderson, Wood, Maxwell (Rowe 41); Bailey, Biggins, Craig (Olowu 46); Molyneux, Ironside (Biamou 46), Adelakun (Hurst 77)
Booked – n/a
Played for Both:
The following players have been contracted to both teams:
Goalkeepers: Ademola Bankole, David Button, Ross Etheridge, Stuart Jones, Ross Turnbull
Defenders: Richard Annan, Donervon Daniels, Peter Johnson, Ryan Kirby, Stuart Mason, George Page, Jamie Sterry, Aaron Taylor-Sinclair, Barry Swallow, Harry Worley
Midfielders: Peter Clark, Peter Farrell, Dan Gardner, Madger Gomes, Conor Grant, Paul Green, Scott Robertson, Jermaine Wright
Forwards: George Alcock, Billy Boardman, Jordan Bowery, Colin Cramb, Alan Daley, Paul Edwards, Uche Ikpeazu, Alex Kiwomya, Eddie McMorran, Mike Newell, Billy Poyntz, George Ratcliffe, John Regan, Ray Sambrook, Barry Tait, Gareth Taylor, Albert Valentine, Robbie Wakenshaw, Billy Waters, Billy Whitehurst
Officials:
The EFL have announced that Sunny Singh Gill is Monday’s referee with Johnathon Bickerdike and Scott Williams assisting him, Simon Mather the fourth official and Kevin Howick the reserve assistant referee. The following Crewe game has been refereed by Singh Gill in the last 5 years:
- Bradford City 0-0 Crewe Alexandra (27th August 2022)
They have also announced that Scott Oldham is Friday’s referee with Conor Brown and Jacob Lehane assisting him, Thomas Kirk the fourth official and Grant Taylor the reserve assistant referee. The following Crewe games have been refereed by Oldham in the last 5 years:
- Crewe Alexandra 1-2 Lincoln City (5th September 2020, Carabao Cup) – Sass-Davies
- Crewe Alexandra 2-1 Plymouth Argyle (15th December 2020) – Kirk, Dale
- Crewe Alexandra 0-1 Oxford United (22nd February 2022)
- Bolton Wanderers 4-1 Crewe Alexandra (30th August 2022, EFL Trophy) – Baker-Richardson
- Sunderland 1-1 Crewe Alexandra (8th August 2023, Carabao Cup) – Offord
- Crewe Alexandra 2-2 Derby County (5th November 2023, FA Cup) – Baker-Richardson, Nevitt
- Accrington Stanley 0-1 Crewe Alexandra (9th April 2024) – Nevitt
