Southend United vs Doncaster Rovers. Sky Bet League One.
Roots HallAttendance7,147.
Visitors survive late Southend onslaught to take opening three points.
Saturday 4 August 2018 18:34, UK
Grant McCann made a winning start in charge of Doncaster as his side held off a Southend fightback to claim a 3-2 victory at Roots Hall.
Rovers netted three goals in the second half but they were indebted to a fantastic goalkeeping performance from Marko Marosi.
The Slovakian shot-stopper superbly denied both Ben Coker and Simon Cox in a first half dominated by the Shrimpers.
But Rovers took control after the break and opened the scoring in the 51st minute with John Marquis firing home from close range.
Six minutes later, Mallik Wilks sent a 20-yard shot into the bottom right-hand corner of the net before a tame Tommy Rowe shot trickled in to make it 3-0 in the 70th minute.
Southend responded with Tom Hopper reducing the arrears in the 75th minute before Marosi again did well to deny both Sam Barratt and Sam Mantom.
The keeper was finally beaten again in the 86th minute when substitute Theo Robinson fired home from close in, but the Shrimpers were unable to complete a comeback as Doncaster held on for the points.
