Commentary: Doncaster 1 Leeds 0

Last updated: 25th May 2008

Doncaster Leeds United League 1 Playoff Final

Doncaster's players rejoice, while Leeds' hit the deck as Donny win promotion just five years after they were playing in the Conference. Sean O'Driscoll's side have played some fine football all season and on the day, were deserved winners at Wembley. Many thanks for all of your feedback, as always it is much appreciated.

94 - It's all over here!!! DONCASTER ROVERS have been promoted to THE CHAMPIONSHIP.

93 - Heart in mouth time as Mills heads back to Sullivan under intense pressure from Leeds' strikers. Cool, cool defending as Donny's keeper gathers.

91 - Howson booked for a clumsy and tired lunge on the fresh legged Guy, while Sullivan has again demonstrated some fine handling in repelling another Leeds attack.

90 - There will be four minutes of injury time. I'm not sure where the referee has conjured four minutes from - O'Driscoll will not be happy!

88 - Sullivan and the whole of Doncaster breath a huge sigh of relief as he takes a looping ball in his six-yard box. It could well be a massive moment in the game, indeed in Donny's history.

87 - Doncaster are very much on the back foot but Leeds are still to create a clear goalscoring opportunity. Meanwhile, Guy has come on for Coppinger.

86 - Douglas thumps a half-volley just wide of Doncaster's near post after the ball broke to him on the edge of the box. Leeds' best effort of the afternoon.

84 - O'Connor clears his lines down Doncaster's right as O'Driscoll's side drop further and further back. Kilkenny is trying to make inroads for Leeds by picking the ball up at every opportunity but as yet he's not played a telling ball.

82 - Craig Rigden says he's in Curries watching the clock tick down. Where else would you want to watch the League One play-off final. Sullivan has just been booked for some time-wasting.

80 - Excellent hold-up play by Hayter wins his side a corner but as Leeds clear and counter-attack, Hughes wins one up at the other end. Again though Donny closed the door on the Whites' attacking forays to clear.

79 - Sullivan to break Leeds hearts? Doncaster's keeper has twice in the space of as many minutes taken crosses wonderfully well when under pressure. The former Elland Road favourite would love to keep his former employers in League One, and he might do just that as the clock ticks down.

77 - Freedman substituted for Andy Hughes. Seems a strange one as Dougie certainly has the know-how to break down defences. Fear not Leeds fans though, for Nicholas Clapham in North Carolina is predicting a late comeback.

75 - Howson attempts to scoop the ball past Sullivan but he would have done better to feed in an exasperated Beckford, who had made space down the left.

72 - Beckford threatens after Kandol's marauding run but Mills covered his team-mates well to get across to lash the ball clear. Moments later and Richardson made space well down the right but again, and I hate to say it Leeds fans, his cross was dire.

71 - Doncaster sub as Wellens is unable to continue. Mark McCammon has come on, with the big striker's introduction likely to see Hayter drop into a deeper role.

70 - Coppinger breaks clear but Douglas manages to get back with a wonderful defensive challenge. Ankergren played his part in racing off his line but all credit to Douglas for some brilliant defending.

69 - I should have been a Championship manager as McAllister concurs and brings on Kandol for Prutton. It's an attacking switch for Leeds, with Kilkenny like to move infield from the left to make up a narrow three-man midfield.

67 - Price again back to clear as Howson threatens on the edge of the box. How long will McAllister wait before thinking of bringing on big Kandol? They've improved in the last five minutes or so but have yet to really test Sullivan.

65 - Leeds begin to turn the screw as Doncaster are forced onto the back foot for the first time. Again, though, the final pass escapes them as Richardson is left to rue a team-mate's poor pass.

62 - Wellens down again after a snappy Leeds tackle on him. The Donny man is due in hospital for a hernia operation but he's showing no sign of tiring yet. The former Oldham playmaker looks desperate to guide his side to the Championship.

60 - Sullivan's angles are just right as Beckford gets a lucky break but yet again he fails to really test Doncaster's big keeper. He is not, though, Leeds' top goalscorer for nothing and if Doncaster continue to show him the whites of the posts, eventually he'll get one.

57 - Credit must go to Price for what has been an all-action display. The big striker was there to clear in his own box as Beckford attacked a Leeds corner. Price has proved just as effective in his own half as he has in Leeds'.

55 - Good defending from Johnson prevents Price from getting in an effort from Wellens' clever lofted pass. Doncaster are at their best when attacking and pressing teams so it will be interesting to note what tactics they adopt now they have taken the lead. Leeds fans will draw consolation from the fact no team this season has been more prolific in scoring late goals.

52 - Donaster win a corner as Coppinger's effort on the edge of the box, from Wellens' cutback, is blocked by a ponderous Leeds backline. Stock's ball in was less impressive than his last as Leeds clear the setpiece easily enough.

50 - Hayter had not scored for four months prior to opening the scoring but what a time to break his duck. O'Driscoll brought the player to Doncaster from his old club Bournemouth and his judgement has been proved to be sound to date.

48 - Leeds aim to hit back immediately but again Beckford's effort lacks any real snap as Sullivan drops on the ball. The game needed a goal and now it's got it, I'm predicting we've got quite a contest on our hands.

Brian Stock's deliveries have been poor all day but this time it was inch-perfect from a right wing corner. Hayter, criminally left unmarked, stooped to bullet home a fantastic header. It's game on here at Wembley.

46 - Doncaster have SCORED!!!! James Hayter has done it with a glorious header.

45 - Doncaster get the second half underway as they bid for the Championship.

Brian is a Doncaster fan out in sunny Detroit, USA, and he's following the commentary pining for a 1-0 win, while James Edgar thinks Leeds' will come out on top via penalties. We shall see chaps, we shall see.

Half-time Doncaster 0 Leeds 0. Stay tuned for the second half and remember to email any thoughts/predictions/grumbles to alex.dunn@bskyb.com.

45 - Sullivan off his line to thump the ball clear as Freedman hones in on goal. As the half draws to its conclusion Doncaster will feel they shaded proceedings as Ankergren was by far the busier of the two goalkeepers. McAllister will be buoyed though by the manner in which his side battled back into a contest that could have been out of their hands within the first ten minutes.

44 - Howson springs to life with a clever curling effort that bends a yard or so over Sullivan's bar. Beckford was robust and determined down the left to play into the path of his team-mate, but the finish was just off target.

42 - Excellent goalkeeping from Ankergreen let's Leeds off the hook again as Hayter is denied. The former Bournemouth striker bent a clever run to avoid the linesman's flag but Ankergren was off his line to clear with his feet.

Phil Dobreen is a Leeds fan who feels his side will blow their chance of promotion by sitting too deep. He's bracing himself for a 2-1 Doncaster win, while Hayter has fired over the top after a neat turn on the edge of the area gave him a yard of space.

38 - A decent final ball in continues to elude Leeds, with Kilkenny the latest to put in an insipid cross from the left. With a little more craft Leeds look as though they could trouble their opponents but at the moment it is Doncaster that have played the more incisive football in the final third.

35 - Bit of a lull here as Leeds have sated Doncaster's more enterprising early movement, with Freedman and Beckford looking for the ball at every opportunity. It's fair to say McAllister's side have taken the second half of the first period after struggling in the first 15 minutes.

33 - Ex-pat from Ossett Ian Jackson is dreaming of the Championship in Idaho, while Rick has taken the trouble to write in and inform me that he doesn't care who wins as the game is between 'two Yorkie teams - way too dour, pig headed and egotistical'.

30 - O'Driscoll not happy on the bench if our touchline sources are to be believed, as he feels Leeds are pinpointing Wellens as a man to hit in the challenge. Beckford has just had another sniff at goal, but again his snapshot was easily gathered by Sullivan.

28 - Prutton enters the book for a thumping challenge on Wellens. Leeds are starting to get the bit between their teeth though, with Freedman dropping deep to show a little of his vintage quality. Only a fine challenge from Green prevented him from engineering space in Doncaster's box.

25 - Leeds win a corner thanks to some decent play from the gypsy warrior Prutton on the edge of Doncaster's box. Sullivan, a former Leeds player, punches the ball clear from Howson's delivery.

Harry Gaper is confident Leeds will come good as he's predicting a 1-0 win for his side, with Dougie Freedman to net the winner on the hour mark. Let's have some more on alex.dunn@bskyb.com.

21 - Leeds' midfield appears to be anchored by Lord Lucan as they haven't been seen so far. The youngster Howson, a hero in the semi-final, is a peripheral figure and needs support from his more experienced team-mates.

18 - Green is bombing forward down Doncaster's right at every opportunity and he's finding plenty of space. Wellens is starting to show for the ball and trying to dictate the pace of the game, while Beckford at the other end has squandered possession in a good area with a woeful pass wide.

Feedback is starting to come in as the game settles. Beckford has just capitalised on a woeful pass from Hird across his own box, but his drive was tepid and straight at Neil Sullivan. Mike from South Africa will be pleased Leeds are starting to show a little bit more spirit as he's a White, while Stephen in Portugal is another exiled United fan.

15 - Mills booked for Donaster as goes through the back of Beckford on the edge of his own box. Kilkenny's effort lacked venom and came back off the wall to safety.

14 - Interesting contrast in styles here as Doncaster play neat one-touch football and Leeds adopt a more agricultural approach. Beckford is looking to hold the ball up but has been fed on scraps to date.

11 - It's all Doncaster here in the capital as Hayner threatens to get free after a jinxing run in Leeds' box. Doncaster will feel they should be in the lead by now, with O'Driscoll's side side having created several decent opportunities.

9 - Ankergen has to be quick off his line to thwart Coppinger, who has the fine knack of arriving from deep. A fine save from the big Dane. Just moments later and he was again brought into action as Hayter ran free but was unable to round Leeds' keeper as an outstretched hand thwarted him.

7 - Leeds are very much on the backfoot as Wellens tries to score from outlandish angle but finds the side-netting after some fleeting foot work. McAllister looks a worried man on the bench as his players have yet to settle.

5 - Doncaster start to settle as Price squanders a glorious chance to open the scoring. Paul Green pulled the ball back after beating Douglas too easily down the right but Price's drive was deflected over.

3 - Excellent passing move by Doncaster ends in the award of a corner. Stock's setpiece is too low though and Leeds clear easily. As is always the case in the early stages of such games, it's very much nervy sparring out there. Knockout blows are rarely delivered in the opening stages.

1 - Bright start for Leeds as Freedman wins a throw deep in Doncaster's half. The ball breaks to Johnson and with a left foot drive he demonstrates why he is a defender as he hammers over the top.

1- Leeds kick-off in the knowledge no club that started a season with a penalty deduction has ever won promotion. The good news for Doncaster is that influential playmaker Richie Wellens has passed a fitness test to start.

The tension is mounting like a champion horse booked for stud as both sides are introduced to the pre-match dignitaries. The national anthem brings a lump to the throat as both sets of supporters are in fine voice. Let's hope for a classic here at Wembley. You can send me your thoughts/predictions throughout the day on alex.dunn@bskyb.com.

Leeds team: Ankergren, Richardson, Huntington, Michalik, Johnson, Kilkenny, Howson, Douglas, Prutton, Beckford, Freedman. Subs: Lucas, Marques, Kandol, Hughes, Sheehan.

Doncaster team: Sullivan, O'Connor, Mills, Hird, Gareth Roberts, Green, Stock, Wellens, Coppinger, Price, Hayter. Subs: Smith, Guy, McCammon, Taylor, Lockwood.

Welcome to skysports.com's live commentary from Wembley as Doncaster and Leeds lock horns in the League One play-off final.