Doncaster Rovers turn up the pace to prove big point at Portsmouth

Doncaster's Mallik Wilks: Chimed against Pompey.

AN injection of pace helped Doncaster Rovers take a point from Fratton Park and keep them in touch with the top six.

Rovers led 1-0 at half-time courtesy of Malik Wilks’s 30th-minute goal, but Omar Bogle’s second goal in as many matches since joining on loan from Premier League Cardiff earned the hosts a point.

Grant McCann made four changes from the side that beat Oldham Athletic in the FA Cup, including the additions of Tyler Smith, Matty Blair and Mallik Wilks.

“We were positive, we were positive with our changes,” said McCann. “We wanted to try to get a bit of pace and legs into the team for the reason for the changes we made last week.

“It worked to a certain degree. We probably didn’t have the control we’ve had in other games with James Coppinger or Kieran Sadlier, a clever player like that.

“The plan was to try to get people in behind their back four and it was perfect when Mallik got the goal. It’s about breaking quickly on transition and getting in behind them. It was a great finish from Mallik.”

Rovers took the lead when early Pompey substitute Christian Burgess was caught under a long punt downfield and Wilks raced clear to slot under the hesitant Craig MacGillivray.

The home side equalised early in the second half following a fumble by Marosi. Substitute James Vaughan collected the loose ball and rounded the stricken goalkeeper before squaring for Bogle to net.

Portsmouth: MacGillivray, Thompson, Whatmough (Burgess 29), Clarke, Brown, Naylor, Donohue (Vaughan 46), Lowe, Close, Curtis, Bogle (Evans 76). Unused substitutes: Hawkins, May, Bass, Isgrove.

Doncaster Rovers: Marosi, Lewis, Downing, Anderson, Andrew, Blair (Rowe 83), Whiteman (Crawford 61), Kane, Smith (May 61), Marquis, Wilks. Unused substitutes: Butler, Sadlier, Coppinger, Jones.

Referee: A Young (Cambridgeshire).