Doncaster Rovers vs Crewe tips and predictions: No way back for Railwaymen in League Two play-offs
- George Dempsey
- 8 May 2024
Doncaster Rovers have a 2-0 lead in their League Two play-off with Crewe and we expect them to come through the second leg unscathed on Friday (2000 BST).
Doncaster Rovers were dead and buried at the turn of the year and staring a potential relegation battle in the face, yet here they are in the play-offs.
They’re making a rather good fist of it, too, having beaten Crewe Alexandra 2-0 in the away leg last week to place one foot in the final.
Donny bettered winning runs produced by the likes of Man City, Arsenal, Leicester and Portsmouth when winning 10 on the spin to crash the top seven.
The Railwaymen were one of the sides they beat as they prevailed 2-0 at the Eco-Power Stadium, while they also claimed the scalp of then fifth-placed Barrow, a result which has proved decisive.
But Monday’s win at the Mornflake Stadium was a major statement in the hunt for promotion and a marked improvement on the 3-2 defeat they’d suffered during the regular season.
Indeed, Crewe have a mountain to climb, but they wouldn’t be the first to scale a first-leg deficit of two or more goals. Sheffield Wednesday did the unthinkable just last season.
The crucial difference here is they’ll need to do it against English football’s form team. Rovers haven’t lost at home since late January or at all since early March.
They’ve won eight on the spin at the Eco-Power, conceding four goals along the way. Even promotion winners Wrexham fell well short in a 1-0 defeat in South Yorkshire.
So, what of Crewe’s away form? Well, it beats their home form, but 2024 has been a disastrous year. They’ve gone from pushing the top three to claiming top seven on the final day.
Alexandra have won three of their last 15 matches and scored a total of three in their previous six away trips, so asking them to win and score two or more seems a stretch.
Grant McCann’s side has shown their ability to look after the ball and control games, so the focus will be on limiting Crewe until chances arrive later in the game.
