Just a point separated Doncaster Rovers and Barnsley in the middle of last season’s League One table and it is the home side who could have the edge when they meet on Saturday in their second match of the new campaign.
Rovers found life tough as they fell to a 2-1 loss across the county border at Mansfield Town, but the issues at Barnsley could be more pressing after they fell to a home loss to Bromley, who were playing their first match at third-tier level.
Doncaster Rovers v Barnsley Tips Summary
Best Bet - Doncaster Rovers to win @ Evens
Alternative Bet - Alfie May to score at any time @ 13/10
Bet Builder - Barnsley to have most corners, both teams to score & over 2.5 goals @ 16/5
Doncaster Rovers v Barnsley Prediction
Best Bet: Doncaster Rovers to win @ Evens
These two had virtually identical records in last season’s League One table and the fact they both claimed one win against each other shows there could be little to choose between the teams in Saturday’s derby clash.
Both are looking to recover from defeats in their opening matches, but while Doncaster fell to Mansfield Town, there will probably be more concern at Barnsley, who were poor in a home defeat to newly promoted Bromley.
The Tykes have a young squad and they are desperate to make a bigger impression under returning manager Daniel Stendel, who took them up in 2019.
However, it is now just two wins in 14 league matches and this could prove a difficult assignment against a team who took ten points from their final five games of last season.
Alternative Bet: Alfie May to score at any time @ 13/10
Doncaster have pulled off a bit of a coup in securing the loan services of striker Alfie May and they will hope the seasoned League One performer will help shoot them up the table.
The former Charlton, Birmingham and Huddersfield striker got off the mark for his temporary club in the penalties win over Stockport County in the EFL Cup.
He had two shots on target in last week’s 2-1 loss at Field Mill and he is capable of breaking his seasonal league duck in this derby clash.
Doncaster Rovers v Barnsley Bet Builder Tip
Barnsley to have most corners
Both teams to score
Over 2.5 goals
Pays 16/5
Only Blackpool and Reading forced fewer corners than Doncaster did in League One last season and they managed just one in last Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Mansfield, so it would not be a huge surprise if Barnsley earned the greater number of flag-kicks in Saturday’s clash.
No team had more League One matches in which both teams scored than the Tykes last season as it was a winning bet in all but 15 of their 46 fixtures.
Both teams have also found the net in five of Rovers’ last six matches and while their last five home games have featured fewer than three goals, that trend could change in this one.
Nearly half of Barnsley’s games last season produced four or more goals, so there looks a decent chance that over 2.5 goals could be a winner, just as it was in the fixture last season when the Tykes headed home with the points from a 2-1 victory.
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Key Match Stats
Both teams scored in 31 of Barnsley’s 46 League One games last season - the highest number in the division.
Doncaster’s last five league home games all featured fewer than three goals.
There were at least four goals in 21 of Barnsley’s League One fixtures last season.
Only bottom-of-the-table Northampton conceded more than Barnsley’s total of 73 League One goals last term.
None of the last ten meetings has been settled by a margin of more than one goal.
Barnsley have won just two of their last 14 League One matches.
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
