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Match Review
Match Number: 470
Date: Saturday 3rd February 2007
Kick-Off: 3:00pm
Match: Doncaster Rovers 1 Carlisle United 2
Competition: Coca Cola League One
Stadium: Keepmoat Stadium
Attendance: 9,036 (1,530)
Stadium Stats
No. of visits to stadium: 1
Total no. of stadiums visited: 87
Programme and Ticket
Photos
Review
Travel to match
Method of Travel: Car
Travelling time: 2hrs 15mins
Neil and I left Carlisle at 9:50am travelling down the M6, A66, A1(M) and then into Doncaster via the A630 and A18 arriving at 12:05pm. The journey is easy from Carlisle with only a few roadworks' slowing us down on the A66 near to Scotch Corner.
Pre-Match
We parked up at Doncaster's old ground at Belle Vue and whilst there took
the opportunity to walk round the ground to see the state of it after
its closure only a few weeks earlier. We were surprised to see a gate
open at the back of the Popular side terrace where we could walk straight
into the stadium (something which a few others were taking advantage of).
The old ground was in an appalling state and so bad it was probably a danger to be in with many loose wires and metal lying around. However we walked all the way around and took advantage taking many photos on the way.
After leaving Belle Vue we made the 15 minute walk to the new Keepmoat Stadium walking through the new shopping complex and alongside the lake. Once there we were around the outside of the ground and had a look in the club shop before going into the bar for a drink. Credit to Doncaster for being organised and having a “one out one in” policy as this meant the bar was comfortable to drink in and the service was quicker than at a normal bar as it had a proper queuing system. A pint was £2.50 though I only had a coke as I was driving.
Stadium
The Keepmoat Stadium is the latest in new and dull stadiums. It reminded
me very much of Darlington's new stadium (on a much small and realistic
scale) but it had no character although the facilities are much better
than there previous home at Belle Vue. The stadium only opened a few weeks
early as it to be shared with the town's Rugby League and ladies football
team.
The ground is completely enclosed and all stands are the same height- with the East Stand containing executive boxes, whilst opposite the East Stand holds the changing rooms and press facilities. In my opinion the only interesting feature of the ground is the floodlights.
Admission
It was £18 to sit behind the goal in the North Stand where there
was a reasonable amount of leg room and good facilities under the stand.
The atmosphere was good in the away end too.
The match had been made all-ticket for away fans despite there being around 3,000 seats available- and the day before the game DRFC decided that away fans could pay on the day too.
Programme
£2.50 for 44 pages.
Food and Drink
We grabbed a few sandwiches in Tesco while getting petrol before we left
Carlisle so I didn't buy any food in Doncaster though we picked up a McDonalds
on the way home in Penrith. A bottle of coke inside the ground was typically
overpriced at £1.50 and the top was taken off.
The Game
It was a game of two halves for us with conceding a goal within 3 minutes
and not really doing much to get back into it until the interval. We came
out looking much more positive in the second half and scored two cracking
goal to turn the result around. It was a much welcome away win and moves
us closer to the play-off places.
Home Fans
I've found the Donny fans to be one of the friendlies around- they certainly
were on our last visit when we were playing our last game in the Football
League (before returning) and they were much the same again. For a ground
which can keep the noise in well they didn't create much of an atmosphere
despite the tannoy announcer calling them the “South Stand or West
Stand Barmy Army” at every opportunity.
Away Fans
There were 1,530 Carlisle fans there and we got behind the team well,
especially in the second half.
Stewards / Police
The stewards didn't bother the away fans much (which we were warned would
happen) although a few fans did get thrown out when our goals went in
for climbing over the advertising boards.
The Ref
Mr Bratt tried his best to spoil the first half blowing at every opportunity
which disturbed the flow of the game though he seemed to let it flow much
more in the second half though and only produced one booking through out.
The Journey Home
Travelling time: 2hrs 15mins.
We walked back to Belle Vue taking a slightly different route this time going through a housing estate and by the time we had eaten a sandwich in the car the rest of the fans who parked there had left (5:25pm). The roads out of the town weren't as busy as expected and we parked up at Leeming Bar services at 6:20pm for a 15 minute break. Whilst parking up I noticed a bus from Carlisle which ended up being the shopping trip bus my wife and mother-in-law were on so they joined us for the rest of the journey home. We were back in Carlisle at 8:15pm with our only other stop being at McDonalds in Penrith at 7:40 for 20 minutes for a bite to eat.
Statistics
Travel: £14.25
Ticket: £18.00
Programme: £2.50
Total: £34.75
Mileage: 303
Travelling time: 4hrs 30mins
Stadium character: 3/10
Facilities: 8/10
View of pitch: 7/10
Atmosphere home fans: 4/10
Atmosphere away fans: 8/10
Match Rating: 7/10
Wish to go back to stadium: 4/10
Photos
