Doncaster 1 Leicester 0: Touch of fortune at last as Rovers capitalise on Schmeichel clanger

Delighted Doncaster chief Paul Dickov hailed the spirit in the camp after downing high-flying Leicester.
Leicester City's Kasper SchmeichelLeicester City's Kasper Schmeichel
Leicester City's Kasper Schmeichel

His opposite number, Foxes chief Nigel Pearson, was keen to play down Kasper Schmeichel’s horrendous blunder that led to their 1-0 defeat.

The Danish goalkeeper inexplicably fumbled a corner kick into his own net when under no pressure and the home side hung on to clinch their first victory in five home games.

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“We came up against a top team and competed very well with and without the ball,” said Dickov.

“It takes a lot of courage to have a go against teams like that but we’ve done it and been rewarded.

“We had a couple of regulars missing through injury and illness but I always like to talk about the squad and players that have come in and done their jobs well.

“There’s a real togetherness throughout the club and the attitude of players not occupying first-team spots has been first-class.

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“I didn’t actually see the goal when the ball went in but I think we were due one after not getting our just desserts with some of our recent performances.

“People talk about passing the ball well and other things but you have to do the nitty-gritty as well and that’s what we’ve done today.”

Dickov added that he was trying to extend the loan of Manchester United striker Federico Macheda to the end of the year.

Schmeichel’s match-deciding error came in the 17th minute when he went up unchallenged for Mark Duffy’s corner but dropped the ball into his own net.

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Jamie Vardy hit the post just before the interval but City never landed a shot in the second half and Doncaster could have won by a wider margin had Chris Brown not fired a good chance over near the end.

Pearson said: “In a nutshell, the game’s been settled by one incident really, but we’ve not created enough chances in open play to get back in it in the end.

“Kasper’s been exceptionally good since he came to the club and been responsible for winning matches and picking up lots of points with his performances.

“The goal knocked us out of our stride just as we were settling into the game after weathering Doncaster’s early pressure.

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“They won the match fair and square and I’m not going to show any sour grapes. Some of Doncaster’s games of late they’ve been unfortunate not to win so I suppose they are due one.”

Doncaster Rovers: Turnbull, Quinn, Jones, Khumalo, Wabara, Furman, Keegan, Duffy, Robinson, Macheda (Coppinger 75), Brown. Unused substitutes: Paynter, Cotterill, McCullough, Maxted, Wellens, Bennett.

Leicester City: Schmeichel, De Laet (Wasilewski 67), Morgan, Moore, Konchesky, Knockaert, King, Drinkwater, Dyer (Schlupp 71), Nugent, Vardy. Unused substitutes: Hammond, James, Hopper, Miquel, Logan.

Referee: M Heywood (Cheshire).

Man of the match: Rob Jones.

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