Mid-table Doncaster Rovers take on promotion-chasing Northampton Town in League Two on Saturday afternoon.

Crawley Town's Rafiq Khaleel bagged the first professional goal of his career to hold Doncaster to a 1-1 draw in midweek while Northampton have had the rare luxury of a seven-day break after edging out Crewe Alexandra last Saturday.

Match preview

January signing Caolan Lavery converted Doncaster's first shot of the match - and his first goal since arriving in Yorkshire - deep into first-half stoppage time against Crawley on Tuesday night, but Rovers had just one more effort all game as the hosts deservedly equalised through Khaleel.

Doncaster have earned just one win from their last seven matches, slipping deeper and deeper into the mid-table mire.

There is little danger of a second successive relegation after dropping down from League One last season, but Doncaster sit 12th, eight points adrift of the playoff spots with just nine games of the regular season left to play.

Manager Danny Schofield may insist that promotion is still "mathematically possible", but the Doncaster-born 42-year-old has offered little evidence to suggest he can inspire the consistency needed to crash the top seven; Doncaster's longest winning run of the season - three games - was immediately followed by the club's longest goalless streak (four matches).

Jon Brady has been keen to stress that his Northampton side are "just enjoying it now and having fun" - repeating the word 'fun' four times in as many sentences when previewing the trip to Doncaster.

However, there has not been an endless reserve of good times in front of goal for the Cobblers, with Northampton last scoring more than once in the same league game in January.

Nevertheless, a renewed defensive solidity has kept Northampton in contention for an automatic promotion spot, only trailing third-placed Carlisle United due to an inferior goal difference as the season ticks towards its conclusion.

Northampton boast the second-best away record in the fourth tier, taking 31 points from 18 games - the same tally Doncaster have been able to accrue on home turf.

However, the Cobblers have not fared well on their recent travels to Doncaster; Rovers are unbeaten at home to Northampton since 1996 and have not conceded a goal in this fixture since the two clubs shared League One in 2007.

Team News

Injuries and illnesses have been so prevalent in Doncaster's squad that Schofield had to recall Bobby Faulkner from his loan spell at Spennymoor Town earlier this month to provide cover for the absent Adam Long.

Leicester City loanee Ben Nelson is also unavailable after linking up with England's Under-19 squad during the current international break.

Northampton's Brady lamented the "heartbreaking" loss of three first-team players to season-ending injuries in the same week at the start of March.

Defenders Ali Koiki and Tyler Magloire joined midfielder Ben Fox in the treatment room for the remainder of the campaign, while centre-back Max Dyche is another long-term absentee with ankle ligament damage.

Right-back Aaron McGowan will be one welcome returnee after serving his three-game suspension while Akin Odimayo (hamstring) and Shaun McWilliams (groin) are nearing full fitness.

Second-choice goalkeeper Tom King and striker Kieron Bowie are on international duty with Wales and Scotland respectively.

Doncaster Rovers possible starting lineup:
Moore; Olowu, Anderson, Rowe; Brown, Ravenhill, Close, Seaman; Molyneux, Hurst; Lavery

Northampton Town possible starting lineup:
Burge; Lintott, Sherring, Guthrie, Hayne; Hondermarck, Sowerby, Leonard; Hoskins, Pinnock, Appere

We say: Doncaster Rovers 0-1 Northampton Town

Despite their struggles at the Eco-Power Stadium in recent years, Northampton Town are favourites to extend their unbeaten sequence to seven matches this weekend, taking one step closer to automatic promotion while nudging Schofield towards the realisation that Doncaster will be in League Two this time next season.


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