Dons v Rochdale - Preview
Posted by Jemmo on February 27 2010 10:30:45
The Dons start the real business this weekend as the Championship One season kicks off with a trip to Spotland, Rochdale with the Dons fans looknig to get off to a good start on the their traditional cake day.
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Extended News
With a pre-season friendly at Featherstone and two home Northern Rail Cup matches already lost to the elements for the Dons (albeit one ultimately re-arranged and played), one eye will be on the weather again this weekend as the regular season is due to get under way at Spotland Stadium, Rochdale.
As with the Dons, the Hornets squad was reassembled over the close season with over twenty new faces arriving in Rochdale. Coach John Stankevitch, famous in Doncaster for his alleged travel-sickness, joined a Club in October 2009 which had just sacked Darren Shaw and had lost the majority of it's playing staff. Blackpool Panthers being the biggest beneficiaries in picking up no less than half a dozen recruits including former Don Paul Anderson, as well as the experienced trio of Dave Best, Casey Mayberry and Marlon Miller.
Although Jay Duffy has moved in the other direction from the Flyde coast, the majority of Stankevitch's recruitment has come from Swinton Lions and unsurprisingly Widnes Vikings. Seven players have arrived from Swinton including centre Dean Gorton and half back Paul Crook who are both familiar to Dons supporters having spent time at the Keepmoat Stadium. Also snapped up from Sedgley Park were a number of players who have done the rounds in Lancashire including hooker Phil Wood, prop forward Gareth Hayes and loose forward Craig Ashall as well as long-time Lions full back Wayne English.
The signings from Widnes are younger players who Stankevitch will no doubt have been involved with during his time at the Halton Stadium, the pick of which may well be highly rated utility forward Michael Ostick.
Much-travelled three quarter Damien Reid and former Dons favourite Chris Hough (from our Belle Vue days) are more recent recruits brought in to bolster the squad and Semisi Cocker will no doubt add some Tongan flair and steel to the Hornets pack.
Rochdale's four Northern Rail pool matches yielded a return of a single bonus point from a 22-14 defeat against Oldham, but in the same way that the Dons will not face the likes of Barrow Raiders and Whitehaven too often this season, that comment applies to the Hornets with Dewsbury Rams and Featherstone Rovers and a defeat to Championship One favourites York City Knights is far from being a disgrace.
The Dons have suffered a couple of heavy defeats and then missed out on a home fixture with Blackpool Panthers last weekend but speaking to Chief Executive Carl Hall, this is a fixture which he believes could realistically go the Club's way and Tony Miller may well have both Captain Craig Lawton and promising three quarter Aaron Henry available although forwards Garry Ellery and Scott Johnson along with half back Simon Brown may yet need another week before making a return. The hand injury sustained by Danny Stanley at Whitehaven is likely to see him sidelined for a least another couple of weeks.
Finally to all the travelling Dons faithful, enjoy the trip and don't forget your cakes!
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