Doncaster Rovers v Charlton Athletic: Doncaster now ready to handle survival pressure

Bowing to media pressure and describing a game as “massive” is not a common route taken by football managers.
Billy Sharp celebrates his goalBilly Sharp celebrates his goal
Billy Sharp celebrates his goal

“Eleven versus 11” and “it’s only the biggest game because it’s our next” are the answers of choice among managers wary or raising the pressure levels.

Paul Dickov, however, takes a different approach. The Doncaster Rovers chief openly states that tonight’s Championship encounter with fellow strugglers Charlton Athletic is a “massive game”.

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He makes the assertion from a position of confidence that he has a squad mature enough to shoulder the added burden he is placing on them.

A month ago, he might not have been so loose-tongued and ignorant of the manager’s media guidelines, with an inexperienced Rovers side unable to complete 90 minutes without conceding three goals.

But with the Richie Wellens’s contract situation now tied up, a host of experienced campaigners returning from injury and a very prosperous transfer window almost complete, Dickov feels assured in his belief that Doncaster are looking up.

The past two results only serve to strengthen his resolve, with in-form Wigan swept aside and the momentum continued with a battling point at Blackpool at the weekend.

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“It’s a massive game against Charlton, I’m not going to shy away from that,” said Dickov, who snapped up Billy Sharp and defenders Gabriel Tamas and Abdoulaye Meite last week.

“I could come out and say it’s just another game but it’s not, it’s a game we have to win.

“When you look at the experience we’ve got in that dressing room now compared to a few weeks ago, when our back four had just 30 games between them, then it heartens you to look at it now when there’s over 100 international caps between them.

“We’ve got experienced pros now who can shoulder the responsibility.

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“It makes us look a lot stronger than we did three or four weeks ago. The lads who came in gave it everything they’ve got, but just having that know-how about the division, that bit of physicality that the back four have got now, makes a massive difference for us.”

Although his belief never wavered during a nine-match winless run that saw them plunge into the relegation zone and suffer an FA Cup shock at home to Stevenage, the past two results have restored Dickov’s faith that Rovers can start moving back towards the safety they looked capable of achieving before November.

“Psychologically for us, it was important to get out of the bottom three and also to leave the clubs behind us with something to chase,” said Dickov of the draw at Blackpool.

“We feel we’re just on the cusp of going on a run. We’ve shown that with two different displays the last two games.”

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Doncaster’s history with Charlton is a chequered one this season. In August, they scored three goals in the first half and were on their way to a big win when the game was abandoned due to heavy rain.

When the match was replayed the roles were reversed and Rovers lost 2-0.

Dickov recalls that late November performance as one of his side’s worst but looks upon the abandonment of the earlier game as bearing no relevance to tonight’s fixture.

“You cannot go into the game thinking you owe them one because that takes the focus off,” he said.

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“In the Wigan game, we played some fantastic football, contrast that with Saturday we showed a lot of battling qualities. We need to bring the two together tonight.”

Dickov hopes to extend the loan deal for Aston Villa defender Enda Stevens before the end of the week. Harry Forrester and Chris Brown are rated as 50-50 for tonight’s game.

Last time: Doncaster 0 Charlton 1; September 16, 2008; Championship.

Referee: P Tierney (Lancashire).

Last six games: Doncaster DLLLWD; Charlton DDDLWW.