What's it all about Alfie? Goals, says Doncaster hero

For Alfie Beestin, the new year may only be 25 days old, but it is already proving one to remember for the young Leeds-born forward.

Back in August, it was Beestin’s team-mate and fellow striker Alfie May – similarly weaned in the unforgiving school of non-league football – who made a statement by way of five goals in the opening month of the season.

Now it is Beestin who is claiming his piece of the spotlight, with his beaming smile saying it all after he dramatically bailed out Rovers on derby day at neighbours Scunthorpe United on Tuesday night.

A clinical stoppage-time header from Beestin, who was plucked from Tadcaster Albion’s development squad in the summer of 2016, extended Rovers’ unbeaten league run to eight matches in a 1-1 draw, with his second goal in three matches justifying Darren Ferguson’s decision to recently promote him to the starting line-up.

For his part, Beestin is just glad to pay back the faith shown in him, with Ferguson’s skill in tapping into the non-league market and unearthing gems – as he successfully did at Peterborough – starting to bear fruit up the A1 at Doncaster.

Questioned on whether it represented the best moment of his career thus far, Beestin, whose overall performance was lauded by Ferguson, said: “I keep saying it! Every time I score, I say it is my best moment. But a late goal in a derby is definitely the best feeling.

“Scoring goals gives you a lot of confidence. But to score so late on gives me a feeling that I can score loads more goals.

“At the start of the season, I was not playing as much. But now I am in the squad, I am trying to keep my place and feel like I am doing that and am scoring goals, too.

“That one was of my first headed goals, but I will take it.”

On his rise to prominence following a difficult first season which saw him take a while to acclimatise to professional football, he added: “Last season, it took a toll on me as I was not really used to it. But after that, I felt great and came back stronger into the season and the gaffer and Strachs (Gavin Strachan – assistant) have been unbelievable with me to help me put in the work in the gym.

“They have also helped me technically as well. Now, I am feeling like proving and showing to them what they have helped me with.”

Beestin’s strike provided an enriching moment in a sobering few days for Ferguson, who revealed after the game that he is likely to be without influential defender Andy Butler and Tunisian midfielder Isaam Ben Khemis for the rest of the season after they picked up injuries in Saturday’s draw at Shrewsbury.

Butler suffered knee damage and while the prognosis will mean he is out for at least 10 weeks, Ferguson initially feared that the injury could put the 34-year-old’s playing career in potential jeopardy.

Ferguson, who says that Rovers may look to re-enter the transfer market, more especially if the hamstring injury that forced Mathieu Baudry off early on at Scunthorpe is a serious one, said: “With Butler, to be honest, I was pleased it was only that because my worry was that it was his cruciate (ligament). I have seen it happen so many times.

“Given Andy’s age and all the rest of it, it is hard recovering at the best of times. I am pleased for him that it was not that and Buts is tough enough.”