Doncaster Rovers vs Oldham Athletic; The FA Cup Fourth Round
Doncaster Rovers vs Oldham Athletic. The FA Cup Fourth Round.
The Keepmoat StadiumAttendance11,260.
Doncaster Rovers 2
- B Whiteman (68th minute, 90th minute pen)
Oldham Athletic 1
- P Clarke (84th minute, sent off 96th minute)
Doncaster v Oldham preview: Grant McCann wants Rovers to rise to occasion
Saturday 26 January 2019 00:04, UK
Doncaster Rovers and Oldham Athletic meet in a lower league FA Cup fourth-round encounter that brings huge opportunities for the winner.
Rovers have not qualified for the fifth round of the FA Cup since 1956 and boss Grant McCann is well aware of the opportunity that awaits his team.
"The boys will enjoy the environment and the pressure of it," he said.
"I feel like I've got a changing room who like the big games and the big occasions - like the Sunderland game down here earlier in the season. Hopefully we can put that into place on Saturday."
Team news
Doncaster centre-back Andy Butler is suspended which means new loan signing from Blackburn Paul Downing is likely to make his debut.
Joe Wright and Herbie Kane are back in the selection fold.
Oldham Athletic's caretaker manager Pete Wild will have a near-fully fit squad to pick from.
Dan Gardner, who is out for the season with a long-term injury, is the only player to miss out.
Opta stats
- This is the fourth meeting in the last seven seasons between Doncaster and Oldham in the FA Cup, with Oldham winning most recently in 2016-17 in the first round.
- Oldham have eliminated Doncaster from the FA Cup on three occasions (2007-08, 2012-13 and 2016-17) - they've only knocked out Mansfield Town (five times) more often.
- Oldham Athletic haven't played in the FA Cup fourth round since 2012-13 - they won 3-2 against Liverpool; they've never qualified for the fifth round as a fourth tier side.
- Doncaster striker John Marquis has scored in all three rounds of this season's FA Cup and scored in his only other appearance in the FA Cup fourth round in January 2013 for Millwall against Aston Villa.
Merson's prediction
This will be a tight game but home advantage could be key. Oldham were great against Fulham but this may a round too far.
PAUL PREDICTS: 2-1 (15/2 with Sky Bet)