York City bow out on penalties at Doncaster Rovers in Capital One Cup

Few bothered and there was also no disguising the negligible difference between the recently-relegated Championship outfit and their visitors, newly-promoted from the Blue Square Bet Premier.

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Doncaster only tested City ’keeper Michael Ingham once from open play during two hours of football with the hosts’ two other on-target efforts, prior to the penalty shoot-out in which they would prevail, coming from a free-kick and Chris Brown’s equalising 73rd-minute spot kick.

Just six minutes earlier, Michael Coulson had marked his City debut by rifling into Rovers ’keeper Gary Woods’ top right-hand corner from 20 yards in front of a sizeable and jubilant away crowd.

Those supporters, however, were denied the opportunity to inspire their team to shoot-out success after South Yorkshire Police deemed the sparsely-populated home end as the safest to take spot kicks.

Doncaster quartet Brown, Martin Woods, Kyle Bennett and Robbie Blake all went on to beat Ingham from 12 yards while, either side of successfully-converted efforts from substitute Jon Challinor and transfer-listed midfielder Michael Potts , Coulson and Matty Blair skied their attempts over the crossbar.

The visitors, though, could take consolation in defeat after matching a side that plied their trade three divisions higher last season.

City could have perhaps been a little less conservative in attack, especially in the first half, with lone central striker Jason Walker looking a little isolated at times against uncompromising centre-backs Rob Jones and Tommy Spurr.

The Minstermen also need to switch on quicker after conceding set-pieces in the final third of the pitch but, otherwise, Gary Mills’ side were well-organised and disciplined during an encouraging return to Football League competition.

Jonathan Smith, kicking off his second spell with City, started the match with typical purpose, forcing Doncaster ’keeper Gary Woods into a second-minute save from his low-struck 25-yard volley and seeing a second long-range effort fly wide after Ashley Chambers had darted past challenges from David Cotterill and Paul Quinn.

On his return to the club, Lee Bullock also glanced a near-post header across the face of goal from Coulson’s 14th-minute corner.

Rovers’ first chance of the afternoon saw Spurr head wide from a corner by Cotterill, who also appeared to be nudged over in the penalty box by Jamal Fyfield on the half-hour mark but referee Graham Salisbury remained unmoved.

As City lined up a little ragged for a Cotterill free-kick moments later, Ingham was forced to claw away the former Swansea and Wigan winger’s effort from under his own crossbar.

Another curling Cotterill attempt from the edge of the box also sailed narrowly over prior to the break.

Cotterill continued to be the home side’s biggest attacking outlet and, after cutting in from the left flank two minutes after the restart, forced Ingham to save a low drive with his feet. At the other end, Paddy McLaughlin’s edge-of-the-box volley from a Walker lay off was safely gathered by Woods.

Walker then combined with Chris Smith to send McLaughlin charging towards goal through the left channel but the Northern Ireland under-21 international’s rising drive was kept out at his near post by Woods.

Shots from distance by Cotterill and Martin Woods, meanwhile, failed to trouble Ingham before Coulson broke the deadlock.Receiving the ball from Jonathan Smith, the former Grimsby Town attacker cut in from the flank before rifling a left-footed shot into Woods’ top right-hand corner.

City almost doubled their advantage when Chambers’ long diagonal pass sparked a counter attack that saw Walker feed Jonathan Smith, who sidefooted wide from the edge of the box.

Dean Saunders’ men were soon back on level terms, however, when Bullock lunged at Cotterill in the penalty box and Brown, who posed little threat generally, sidefooted into Ingham’s bottom right-hand corner.

Centre-backs Spurr (twice) and Jones went on to miss the target with headers from Cotterill corners and David Syers also sliced wide from the edge of the box before the tie entered extra time. Little happened in the ensuing half-hour although Chris Doig’s horrendously sliced clearance presented Kyle Bennett with an excellent opportunity to settle matters for Rovers.

Bennett’s ball control let him down, however, allowing Doig to recover and make a tackle. On 99 minutes, Cotterill also curled wide from 12 yards but neither side could stave off the spectre of penalties.

Brown was first up and, maybe indulging in a little double bluff, sent Ingham the wrong way as he found the City ’keeper’s bottom right-hand corner again.

Following Coulson’s miss, Martin Woods then drilled a low spot kick in off Ingham’s right-hand upright, while Challinor sidefooted down the middle and into the roof of the net for the Minstermen.

Bennett maintained Doncaster’s advantage by confidently despatching his effort to Ingham’s right before Potts held his nerve to find the same spot.

Veteran former Leeds and Bradford forward Robbie Blake then fired into Ingham’s bottom right-hand corner as the former on-loan Doncaster ’keeper guessed wrong again before Blair, last season’s hero on so many occasions, drove over and City were out.

City ratings
Ingham 7 – beaten all five times from the penalty spot. Made a good second-half save from Cotterill though and  looked assured on his return to Football League action.

Parslow 7 – given some difficult moments by lively home wingers Bennett and Cotterill. But typically stuck to his task and gave a solid display.

STAR MAN C Smith 8 – carried on from where he left off last season. Marshalled the back line superbly and hardly put a foot wrong.

Doig 7 – cool in possession and rarely caught out of position. Heavy legs perhaps led to an extra-time mistake that could have proven costly.

Fyfield 7 – a little tentative in his raids down the left flank. Strong defensively, though, keeping tricky customer Coppinger generally quiet.

Bullock 7 – used his experience to sit in midfield, win balls and distribute sensibly. Only blemish was his challenge on Cotterill for the penalty.

J Smith 8 – an energetic display that will not have surprised any City fans who remember his previous spell at Bootham Crescent. Tackled when he needed to do and always willing to make forward runs.

McLaughlin 7 – a little quiet for periods. Still got into some good goalscoring positions however.

Coulson 7 – rattled in a brilliant first goal for the club. Also delivered some dangerous corners.

Walker 7 – battled valiantly against Spurr and Jones. Frustrated at times but sent McLaughlin in on goal with one of the best passes of the match.

Chambers 7 – made a bright start to the game. Faded a little in the later stages but never hid.

Subs:  Matty Blair 6 (for Walker, 78) – struggled to get into the game before missing his shoot-out penalty, Jon Challinor 7 – busy when brought on in midfield and stuck away his spot kick well (for McLaughlin, 88), Michael Potts (for J Smith, 113). Subs not used: Paul Musselwhite, Danny Blanchett, Oli Johnson, Liam Henderson.

Doncaster: Gary Woods, Paul Quinn (Liam Wakefield, 95), Tommy Spurr, Rob Jones, James Husband, David Cotterill (Robbie Blake, 106), Paul Keegan (David Syers, 59), Martin Woods, James Coppinger, Kyle Bennett, Chris Brown. Sub not used: Jonathan Maxted.

Star man: Cotterill – worked hard for his team and looked his team’s only goal threat prior to Brown’s penalty

Booked: Quinn 86

Attendance:  5,243

Referee: Graham Salisbury (Lancashire) rating: 7/10 – Mills would have welcomed advance notice of the penalty shoot-out decision on ends but he did a decent job otherwise

Shots on target: Doncaster 2, City 4

Shots off target: Doncaster 9, City 4

Corners: Doncaster 9, City 6

Fouls conceded: Doncaster 13, City 16

Offsides: Doncaster 3, City 4