Championship
Tuesday 13th March 2012 – Kickoff: 1945hrs
Second from bottom Doncaster Rovers take on third placed Reading at the Keepmoat Stadium on Tuesday night with Reading in search of a ninth successive Championship win.
Doncaster themselves have put together a four match unbeaten run to keep their hopes alive of maintaining their Championship status, but remain in the bottom three level on points with Coventry City. However, draws against Peterborough United, Brighton and West Ham, along with a 2-1 win at lowly Nottingham Forest has given Dean Saunders’ men renewed hope.
Doncaster’s home record stands at 4-7-5 13/17, and have lost just once in their last eight at home which was a disappointing 1-3 loss to play-off candidates Blackpool. Three of their last four at home have ended in draws though which has prevented them from climbing out of the drop-zone.
Up front they’ve now got El-Hadji Diouf (5 goals, 4 assists) since striker Billy Sharp left for Southampton, but seem a little light on attacking options with James Hayter (3 goals) and James Coppinger (3 assists) as the other main back-up players.
Reading will be looking for their ninth successive win when they travel north on the back of some impressive results; 1-0 against Burnley, Middlesbrough 2-0 and Leicester City 3-1 which has sustained their final push for automatic promotion.
The Royals now lie third place just behind West Ham on goal difference and another win at Doncaster would lift them into second place just behind Southampton. Their away record stands at 9-2-5 19/14 and have won their last four on the road with wins at Watford, Derby County, Middlesbrough and Millwall.
They have more attacking options in Simon Church and Adam Le Fondre (7 goals each), Noel Hunt (6 goals) and McAnuff, Robson-Kanu and Roberts (4 goals apiece). Creativity has been supplied by wingers McAnuff (9 assists) and Kebe (7 assists).
Despite Doncaster’s recent unbeaten run, I have to back this Reading side who have the winning habit along with scoring 13 goals and conceding just 2 in this eight match winning streak, and possess far more attacking options going forward; a 2-1 win for the away side I reckon.
Pick: Reading straight win @ 2.00 Pinnacle
