Dream looks over as Rovers are sunk by Mariner's Pilgrims

DONCASTER Rovers' and top scorer Billy Sharp's season is effectively over.

To earn a play-off spot, they will have to claw back a six-point deficit over the last five games without a player who has netted 16 times this season.

Sharp, on a season-long loan from Sheffield United, hobbled off in the closing minutes of the victory at Barnsley the previous week with what was initially believed to be a 'dead leg'.

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He missed Saturday's demoralising defeat against the Pilgrims and has no chance of making it for today's trip to seventh-placed Blackpool.

"Not a jot," was manager Sean O'Driscoll's surprising response as to how Sharp's absence had affected Saturday's outcome before explaining the 24-year-old's injury.

"He has a tear of his thigh so he's going to struggle. It's a nasty one, a deep one. We thought it was a dead leg but it's more than that, it's not settled down. You have to be careful with it because it could end up more serious than it actually is."

Regarding whether Sharp's season is over, he added: "It depends on how well it heals but do you put him back in and it re-tears, leaving you a massive problem during the summer? He's not our player so we will have to talk to Sheffield United but we certainly will not be pushing him."

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Despite the manager's assertions, Doncaster did miss Sharp and the fact that he had only five rather than the seven permitted players on the bench highlighted the lack of strength in depth at the club.

That, however, is not to decry Doncaster's achievements this season and it is no wonder that they play 'The Impossible Dream' before each home game.

If any club has punched above its weight this season then it has been Doncaster.

What a pity then that they produced a sub-standard performance just when a victory would have set-up a showdown with Blackpool to decide which of them was going to mount the biggest challenge to sixth-placed Leicester.

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"Perhaps it was a game too far," conceded captain Gareth Roberts. "I think we let ourselves down today. Potentially it was going to be a massive game at Blackpool but we did not do ourselves justice.

"I know the club has come a long way and put a good run together recently but Plymouth have done the double over us now and that is disappointing against a team near the bottom.

"We will just go to Blackpool and try and put things right and see what happens."

Plymouth's victory left them just three points away from safety but, in many respects, it was a smash and grab act by the Pilgrims.

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Bradley Wright-Phillips headed the winner in stoppage time, one of two players unmarked as Onismor Bhasera sent over a free-kick from the right.

Young substitute Joe Mason had brought them level in the 67th minute when Damien Johnson's 20-yard low drive took a slight deflection and thudded off goalkeeper Neil Sullivan's chest into the predator's path for a tap-in.

But that was about all Paul Mariner's side had to offer as an attacking threat apart from a bright 10-minute opening when their pace troubled Rovers.

John Oster, however, calmed things down and his probing passes allowed Doncaster to dominate the rest of the half, Hayter heading wide from their best opportunity created by an accurate cross from James Coppinger, who also had a shot tipped around the post by former York City goalkeeper David Stockdale.

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Rovers, without ever hitting top form, went up another gear after the break and Arsenal loanee Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, again pressed into service up front, had three half-chances before they deservedly went in front in the 58th minute.

Oakwell match-winner Coppinger collected Hayter's square pass and broke through the challenge of left-back Bhasera before volleying his shot across Stockdale into the far corner.

Even after Plymouth's equaliser, Rovers should have regained the lead after Stockdale had beaten away a shot from Emmanuel-Thomas for a corner from which Karl Duguid shoved Hayter in the back as the ball came across but escaped without conceding a penalty.

Hayter, restored up front in Sharp's absence, should also have done better than clipping the bar from 12 yards after great inter-play between James O'Connor and Coppinger.

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O'Driscoll went for broke but his options from the bench were limited and, in the end, central defender Adam Lockwood was thrown on up front to no avail.

The warning signs were there as last man Shelton Martis was fortunate to escape without even conceding a free-kick when he pulled back Jamie Mackie, who twice drove fierce crosses across the area without colleagues being able to convert.

Doncaster Rovers: Sullivan, Chambers (Hird 77), Martis, O'Connor, Roberts (Lockwood 88); Wilson, Coppinger, Oster, Shiels (Mutch 77); Hayter, Emmanuel-Thomas. Unused substitutes: Smith, McDaid.

Plymouth Argyle: Stockdale, Duguid, N'Gala, R Johnson, Bhasera; Judge (Cooper 82), Clark, D Johnson, Bolasie (Mason 67); Mackie, Wright-Phillips. Unused substitutes: Larieu, Fallon, Barker, Folly, Leoward.

Referee: K Wright (Cambridge).