We have a good chance at Doncaster - Rotheram
Last updated 13:31, Friday, 27 June 2008
Dave Rotheram threw off the underdogs tag ahead of Workington Town’s visit to Doncaster tonight after showing his squad clips of their win over the Yorkshiremen last month.
The Town boss is looking for a repeat of that astonishing effort at the lavish Keepmoat Stadium tonight (8pm) to propel his team back in to the NL2 play-off picture.
“Everyone’s making out that we are the underdogs, but we beat them last time, and we have as good a chance as Doncaster,” he said.
“Our lads have shown their commitment by getting time off work, so they value playing in this game. We now have to take that attitude on to the field.
“We showed some video last night of how we beat them last time, by building pressure and being patient.
“There was a good attitude about us last time. We kicked well and defended really well, and we did those extra little bits from marker.”
Town picked up a handful of injuries in last week’s shock home defeat against Hunslet, with Jason Mossop (hamstring), Brett Smith (neck) and Franco Kmet (Achilles) missing out tonight, while Ryan Campbell has work commitments.
Jamie Beaumont returns to action in the back-row, and young prop Peter Dobson gets his big break, with only his second appearance of the campaign.
“There’s been a major improvement in Dobbo over the past few months, and he deserves to take his chance,” Rotheram added.
“He’s a tough kid, who has done well in the reserves, and this will be a good experience for him.”
Tonight’s match will be the Dons’ last before facing Salford in the Northern Rail Cup final at Blackpool next week.
And Rotheram, who last year steered Whitehaven to the final, does not expect Ellery Hanley’s team to hold back tonight.
He continued: “They will be keen as some of the boys who want to be in the following week will be playing for places in the cup final squad.”
The week before last year’s final, he recalled, Haven hammered Sheffield Eagles.
Town: Duffy, Dawes, McCully, Marsh, Wilson, Forber, Poisel, D Burgess, S Lunt, Young, Robinson, Beaumont, Miller. Subs: Tunstall, Benjafield, Dobson, S Burgess
