Niall Ennis ready to shoulder Doncaster Rovers’ goalscoring burden

Impact: Niall Ennis fires a shot at goal on his Doncaster Rovers debut against Gillingham on Saturday. (Picture: Marie Caley)

ANALYSIS: Work to do for Doncaster Rovers after opening day draw with Gillingham

Ennis was part of the Wolverhampton Wanderers side that won the Premier League Asia Trophy in China, beating Manchester City, Newcastle United and West Ham United to the crown.

And after making his debut off the bench for Rovers in the opening day draw with Gillingham, the 20-year-old is targeting promotion with Rovers.

Doncaster Rovers' Reece James (Picture: Marie Caley)

“Success would be promotion,” he said. “For me personally it’s about getting goals but it’s a team game so it’s all about promotion.

“We finished sixth last season so we want more of the same, or even better. I just want to help the team win and see where we go.

“It was a good game to start with, an entertaining one.”

If Rovers are to match or improve upon last season’s run to the League One play-offs, improvement will be needed from the opening-day performance.

Doncaster Rovers manager Darren Moore (Picture: Marie Caley)

Rovers looked understandably disjointed at times during Darren Moore’s first game in charge, a little more than three weeks after his appointment.

Visitors Gillingham enjoyed much the better of the attacking play in the first half and took a deserved lead when the Rovers defence were caught napping.

Mikael Ndjoli was afforded far too much space to latch onto a flick-on and square to Alex Jakubiak who slammed home.

The lifeline for Rovers came on the stroke of half-time when James Coppinger clipped a superb ball into the box which Kieran Sadlier met with a stunning volley from close range.

The goal buoyed Rovers significantly and they delivered a much-improved performance in the second half.

As was the case throughout the afternoon, they struggled for clear-cut opportunities despite renewed attacking aggression and fluency.

Alfie May was a lively presence and missed a pair of self-crafted opportunities while Ben Whiteman dragged wide late on.

Adding attacking options remains top of Moore’s agenda, though Ennis is hoping he can provide the answer.

“I’m just focusing on myself, looking to play as many games as possible and score goals,” he said.

Doncaster Rovers: Lawlor; Halliday, Baptiste, Anderson, James; Sheaf, Whiteman; Gomes (Ennis 67), Coppinger (Crawford 84), May; Sadlier. Subs not used: Dieng, John, Blair, Longbottom, Kiwomya.

Gillingham: Bonham; Hodson, Ehmer, Jones, Fuller; O’Keefe, Cisse; Ndjoli (Byrne 72), Charles-Cook (Marshall 62), Jakubiak (List 62); Hanlan. Subs not used: Walsh, Garmston, Ogilvie, Mandron.

Referee: John Busby (Oxfordshire)