Rotherham Vs Doncaster: Rovers come from behind to win 2-1 in South Yorkshire derby
Doncaster Rovers came from behind to beat Rotherham United 2-1 in rotherham vs doncaster at AESSEAL New York Stadium, with Brandon Hanlan and Luke Molyneux striking after half-time to overturn a third-minute Sam Nombe penalty and move eight points clear of their neighbours.
Rotherham Vs Doncaster: second-half fightback decides fixture
Rotherham took the lead in the third minute when Sam Nombe converted from the spot after Duncan Watmore was tripped in the box following a 23-second breakaway, Nombe sending Thimothee Lo-Tutala the wrong way; that advantage lasted until the 56th minute, when Brandon Hanlan smashed home from Glenn Middleton's pinpoint cross to level the scores.
Hanlan and Molyneux change the game after the interval
The winner arrived in the 68th minute when Luke Molyneux chased down and dispossessed goalkeeper Cameron Dawson outside his area and fired into the empty net, giving Doncaster the lead; Dawson later made a last-ditch save to deny Neill Byrne at the back post but could not prevent the defeat. Earlier in the half Josh Benson tested Lo-Tutala with an inswinging free-kick that had to be palmed away.
Key facts and aftermath
The result left Doncaster eight points clear of the Millers, and matched a recent pattern in the fixture: Rotherham had historically won nine of their last 10 home league meetings with Doncaster since September 1985, conceding just three goals across those matches. Doncaster had taken the reverse fixture 1-0 in August and were seeking a first league double over Rotherham since the 1949-50 season.
Disciplinary and match incidents included Harry Gray being shown a yellow card for a bad foul and Jordan Gibson winning a free kick in the defensive half. The match ended Rotherham United 1, Doncaster Rovers 2, with the decisive moments coming in the 56th and 68th minutes.
Where both sides stood before kickoff
Pre-match coverage underlined the stakes: Rotherham had been mired near the bottom of the table, sitting 23rd and three points adrift of safety with just 31 points from their first 30 games, while Doncaster had steadying recent form, picking up four wins and 13 points from seven league outings and arriving off a midweek victory. Rotherham were expected to be without Denzel Hall, Daniel Gore, Jordan Hugill and Joshua Kayode through injury, with Sam Nombe leading the line and 17-year-old loanee Harry Gray in the side.
Ahead of the match some comment captured the mood around the fixture: "You heard the fans moan, which is understandable, completely understandable. "
Doncaster’s immediate outcome is clear: a comeback win away at AESSEAL New York Stadium sealed a 2-1 victory. Recovery and squad updates, and any changes to upcoming fixtures, will be confirmed by the clubs as they prepare for the next league matches on the calendar.
