UNITED TREBLE SECURES AWAY WIN

UNITED TREBLE SECURES AWAY WIN

Smith, McCormack and Austin the goalscorers for United at the Keepmoat...

DONCASTER 0, UNITED 3 (Smith 19, McCormack 76, Austin 87).

Doncaster: Turnbull, Quinn, Furman (Duffy 66), Brown, Macheda (Coppinger 83), McCullough, Khumalo, Wellens, Robinson, Woods, Stevens. Subs. Maxted, Paynter, Wakefield, Coppinger, Peterson.

United: Kenny, Lees, Zaliukas, Pearce, Peltier, Pugh, Mowatt (Brown 73), Murphy, Austin, Smith, McCormack (Poleon 90). Subs. Cairns, Warnock, Byram, Tonge, Varney.

Referee: G Eltringham

Booked: Furman, Stevens (Doncaster), Murphy (Leeds).

Att: 12,192 (4,319 Leeds)

United manager Brian McDermott made one change to his team that drew with Watford one week earlier. Tom Lees returned from injury in midweek and was restored to the starting line-up in place of Sam Byram, who was among the substitues.

The opening 15 minutes of the game past with both teams struggling to keep hold of possession on a windy day at the Keepmoat. There was an early half chance for the home side when Dean Furman shot from distance, Paddy Kenny wasn't troubled by his effort.

The first real chance of the afternoon fell to Ross McCormack, when he latched onto a Matt Smith knock down from a corner but his first-time header went over the bar.

Moments later the first real piece of quality the match had seen brought the opening goal for United. The goal came from an Alex Mowatt free-kick, which was floated into the box and Smith headed the ball past Ross Turnbull to give United the advantage.

With the 30-minute mark approaching McCormack found himslef on the ball with space to run into. The Scot carried the ball forward and struck at goal with his shot going just inches over the bar. United had some defending to do after McCormack's effort when the home side attacked. Marius Zaliukas had a strong opening to the game and kept Doncaster at bay by winning all the long balls that came his way. The home side had multiple corners in quick succession but the defence stood strong and the ball was eventually cleared by Mowatt.

With five minutes of the half left Danny Pugh was released down the left and his cut back was hit goalwards by Mowatt but Turnbull got his body behind the strike and saved well.

The following minutes saw chances at either end of the field. First Rudy Austin hit one over the bar for United and then, Theo Robinson blasted his effort over the bar and into the back row of the watching home supporters.

The final action of the half almost saw United double their advantage through the scorer of the opening goal. United's strike pairing linked up well with McCormack crossing for Smith whose glancing header went just over the bar.

The home side enjoyed a good spell of possession at the start of the second period and were almost rewarded when Richie Wellens broke through United's defence, but the midfielder's curling effort went just wide of the mark.

Wellens threatened Kenny's goal once again in the 55th minute when a poor United clearence landed at his feet. The midfielder struck the ball just time but Kenny saved well down to his right.

The home side thought they had draw level just after the hour mark when Robinson had the ball in the back of the net, but a late flag was raised by the linesman to rule the goal out for offside.
Moments later the home side saw a long range shot go wide to Kenny's right.

With the home side playing the better football in the second half United manager Brian McDermott made his first change of the game introducing Michael Brown to settle down the midfield area.

Within three minutes United went further ahead in the game with their first meaningful attack of the half. McCormack picked up the ball wide of the left, worked the space by beating two defenders and tucked the ball into the back of the net from a tight angle to put United two goals in front.

As the game went into the final 10 minutes United threatened to get a third when Brown cleared the ball into open space with only the keeper in front of him. The midfieder was looking to get on the end of his punt forward but was stopped in his tracks by Enda Stevens, who recieved a yellow card for the foul.

Kenny was called into action with five minutes left when a shot across his goal looked to be creeping into the net but the keeper pushed the ball wide for a corner.

Moments later the game was over as a contest when McCormack crossed. The ball evaded Smith but Austin was at the back post and he made no mistake in smashing the ball home in the 87th minute.

Austin's goal knocked the stuffing out of the home side and United ran out 3-0 winners at the Keepmoat Stadium.

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