Tyreeq Bakinson’s first goal for Town saw the Blues to a 1-0 victory over bottom side Doncaster Rovers at the Eco-Power Stadium and to within six points of the play-offs. Bakinson tapped in from close range on 39 after Macauley Bonne’s header had been palmed out by home keeper Jonathan Mitchell as Town dominated from start to finish without being able to add to their lead.

Boss Kieran McKenna made three changes from the team which beat Gillingham 1-0 on Saturday.

Bonne started as the out-and-out striker with Joe Pigott left out of the 18, while Bersant Celina came in for James Norwood, who was among the subs, playing behind the on-loan QPR man along with Conor Chaplin.

Bakinson returned to the centre of the midfield for Tom Carroll, who was also not in the squad. Sone Aluko and Idris El Mizouni were back on the bench having been left out of the 18 at the weekend.

Doncaster named the same side that beat Sunderland 2-1 at the weekend with Reo Griffiths and Ben Jackson making their home debuts.

Boss McKenna’s former Manchester United colleagues Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Michael Carrick were watching from the stands.

Town, in their white and black away kit, took a knee prior to kick-off as the Rovers players linked arms on the edge of the centre circle in a similar anti-racism gesture applause from both sets of fans.

The Blues should have gone in front in the second minute. Celina crossed from the right and Bonne got ahead of his man but the ball flicked off his head and flew wide, the strong wind perhaps having brought it onto him quicker than he was anticipating.

Town dominated possession in the early stages and, following a long spell of passing, Chaplin hit a shot through to Mitchell in the sixth minute.

As was the case on Saturday, the Blues had a sloppy spell in which a number of passes went astray and Doncaster created their first opening in the 13th minute.

Charlie Seaman broke away down the right and sent in a low cross for Griffiths, who shot behind with George Edmundson, stand-in skipper for the last time before Sam Morsy returns, and Luke Woolfenden both slid in to block.

But Town quickly regained their composure and started creating chances frequently. First, Bakinson’s first touch let him down after he was found in the box by Burns, then the on-loan Bristol City man teed-up Chaplin but his low shot was gathered by Mitchell at the second attempt.

Almost immediately, Celina chased a ball down the left and cut it back to Burns, but a defender got across to thwart the Blues wing-back.

On 22, a long spell of Town possession ended with Dominic Thompson sending over a ball from the left which Bonne nodded over when he will feel he should have hit the target. Two minutes later, Bakinson was booked for a foul on Josh Martin.

Woolfenden headed over under pressure at the far post from an Evans corner in the 27th minute.

A minute later, Edmundson played a great ball from the back which saw Chaplin in on goal but the forward inadvertently played it on to his hand as he took it down.

Town were continuing to dominate and in the 32nd minute Thompson superbly kept the ball in on the left and found Celina, who crossed low for Chaplin, who couldn’t find room to shoot and was forced out wide to the left.

Doncaster had rarely had the ball let along a shot at goal but in the 35th minute Edmundson fouled Martin 25 yards out. Martin took the free-kick himself but it struck the Town wall and looped over.

But the half had been almost all Town and in the 39th minute they finally got their noses in front.

Following yet another long spell of possession, Thompson crossed from the left, Chaplin flicked on to the far post from where Bonne nodded back towards the corner of the net, keeper Mitchell got a hand to it and Bakinson added the final touch from close range to claim his first goal for the club.

Soon after the goal, Bonne was flagged offside as he broke towards goal from the left and there were no other chances before referee Ollie Yates blew the half-time whistle.

Town had dominated the first half and really ought to have scored prior to Bakinson’s goal with Bonne having had two headed chances the striker will feel he should have taken.

Doncaster made two changes ahead of the second half with Dan Gardner and Kyle Knoyle replacing skipper Tommy Rowe, the brother of former Blues winger Danny, and Ro-Shaun Williams.

Woolfenden headed the half’s first chance over the bar from a corner on the right in the 50th minute with the Blues quickly gaining the control they had in the first half.

On 54, Celina beat his man and broke into the Rovers half before laying off to Bonne. The striker’s cross was overhit but Burns managed to get it back from beyond the far post but Chaplin was crowded out.

Just after the hour, Celina feinted away from his man on the left before sending over a brilliant cross for Bonne but Mitchell tipped his header over. From the resultant corner, Bonne stabbed the ball out to Thompson but the Brentford loanee’s shot was blocked.

Town continued to have all the ball and prod and probe for a second. In the 63rd minute Chaplin tried an over-head kick which was blocked and Bonne was flagged offside as he tried to get on to the loose ball.

Janoi Donacien wasn’t far away from the second in the 69th minute when he looped a header over and on to the roof of the net after Thompson had hooked back in a corner from the right which had been overhit.

Doncaster had hardly threatened at all in the second half but in the 70th minute they won a corner from which the Blues saw Joseph Olowu’s header out for a goal-kick after not looking entirely comfortable.

Town swapped goalscorer Bakinson for El Mizouni, who had been waiting on the sidelines for the change for several minutes with the ball not having gone out of play for a long spell, in the 76th minute. Two minutes later, Bonne was replaced by Norwood.

Donacien was booked for kicking the ball away having been flagged offside in the 83rd minute.

A minute later, the Blues broke quickly after winning the ball on halfway and Celina fed Norwood breaking to his left but the striker scuffed his shot into the side-netting.

Doncaster swapped Seaman for Aidan Barlow in the 84th minute, then three minutes later Town swapped Chaplin for Aluko.

Soon after, Walton, who hadn’t been forced to make a save all evening, was quickly off his line to claim ahead of Mipo Odubeko.

Deep in four minutes of injury time, Burns was sent away on the right. His shot was blocked, as was Aluko’s follow-up.

Town saw out the remaining minutes of added-on time - in the final moments of which home keeper Mitchell came up for a corner - to record manager McKenna’s sixth win in his eight games in charge and the fifth clean sheet in that time.

The Blues dominated from beginning to end against a poor if determined Doncaster side with the three points never really looking in any doubt, although the margin of victory should have been much more comfortable.

Town, still ninth but now six points from the play-offs, next face a much stiffer test when they travel to face MK Dons, who were held to a 1-1 draw at Fleetwood this evening, on Saturday.

Doncaster: Mitchell, Younger, Olowu, Williams (Knoyle 46), Rowe (c) (Gardner 46), Jackson, Smith, Seaman (Barlow 84), Martin, Odubeko, Griffiths. Unused: Jones, Clayton, Dodoo, Agard.

Town: Walton, Donacien, Woolfenden, Edmundson (c), Burns, Evans, Bakinson (El Mizouni 76), Thompson, Celina, Chaplin (Aluko 87), Bonne (Norwood 78). Unused: Hladky, Burgess, Vincent-Young, Jackson. Referee: Ollie Yates (Staffordshire). Att: 6,383 (Town: 1,026).

Photo: Pagepix

RobsonWark added 22:20 - Feb 8 Bonne at the start of the season scored a lot of good goals but he also missed a lot of easy sitters and he keeps missing easy sitters. It's like he panics when the goal is right in front of him for any easy goal, yet he scores amazing goals where maybe he can't actually see the goal in front of him. He must have a phycological issue there. Maybe why QPR don't rate him. Bakinson is useless. Why disrupt the team by picking him when he doesn't know or seem to understand Kieran's system of playing. He is built to be a good footballer and midfield enforcer but what does he do? He stands around asking for the ball. He doesn't move and make any angles to receive the ball. Thompson can just not create any attacking play. My heart sinks every time the ball is played to him. I just know it's a waste of time.

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johnwarksshorts added 22:23 - Feb 8 Not a classic by any means, but a wins a win. 3ots we move on to Mk.
3

runningout added 22:35 - Feb 8 thought we were going to throw that. I won't moan much, but would love to see more threat from us going through the middle. Chaplin was brilliant and should start most games and keep being a pest
3

Saxonblue74 added 22:42 - Feb 8 Fat Boy Tim, quote those stats to a Sunderland fan and they'll tell you they don't mean a thing! Love seeing us win by whatever means, but there were more than enough mistakes at the back tonight to be punished by a better team than Donny.
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TimmyH added 22:54 - Feb 8 Worrying for me also is that Edmundson doesn't look quite the player he was a couple of months ago (not the only player) he now looks a bit unsure and nervy at times and undecided on making a decision...needs to be a big step up in performance to beat MK and make it our 1st 3 wins in a row this season. Saying that McKenna has a good win % thus far and can't moan really, I'd just like to see somewhat better performances which leaves me uncertain whether we are really a play-off side.

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Gforce added 23:04 - Feb 8 Fat boy Tim.......Great stat's !
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BurleysGloryDays added 23:05 - Feb 8 Fat Boy Tim - absolutely, nailed on, perfect analysis. And agree re Brenner Wolley. The most depressing commentator, sucks all the joy and pleasure out of being a Town fan. I thought we'd conceded when we scored! I don't think he enjoys it anymore. And it is sad for the fan base subjected to it. Mills as well, so so depressing. BBC Radio Suffolk need a shake up.

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BurleysGloryDays added 23:15 - Feb 8 Also, if you read KM's comments after the game tonight you realise - however well intended - most of us fans have absolutely no idea what is going on strategically and tactically. Trust KM, he's clearly the best thing to happen to the club since the people that brought him here. Smart, honest. If it doesn't work out this season, he has a few more ahead of him to build something and he'll have my backing all the way.

7

algarvefan added 23:35 - Feb 8 At this time of the season I would take the points over performance every time. March is a huge month for us, I thought at times today the football was excellent we just lack penetration at the moment, hopefully things will improve with every game, Rome wasn't built in a day folks, KM is doing well, onwards and upwards.
4

MickMillsTash added 23:40 - Feb 8 Not convinced - all a bit 6/10 and safe You feel to beat the better teams we need to be better - a performance like the 2 home games vs Sunderland and Wycombe are required - Intensity, bravery, desire- MOVE the ball quicker and forward! BUT Walton did not have to make a save It was comfortable We should have won by more and missed 4 or 5 good chances Doncaster are Rubbish Job done ?

2

Irishblueboy99 added 00:11 - Feb 9 A wim is a win but still a lot of improvement needed Would love to see Simpson brought into the first team squad,
1

62WasBest added 00:27 - Feb 9 Well, Leicester had much more possession than Forest on Sunday which just goes to show that it is a meaningless stat. It is speed,movement, conviction and accurate passing that wins games, not possession. Certainly at League 1 level. As I said last week, and Leicester amply demonstrated, having the bulk of the possession can be counter productive as usually all the space in front is closed down, but the space behind is opened up leaving vulnerability to counter attacks.

1

ZonderFan added 08:24 - Feb 9 Come on boys. 45 juicy points to play for. Top 6 has to be the target. "If you aim at nothing, you hit nothing"
1

peewee added 09:50 - Feb 9 Thing is now is that we can play bad and win where before we could play well and lose. Mission here is to get out of FL1 by any means then thats where the real rebuild starts. There are very few in this team now that would be here in a championship team, and with FFP being so tight makes it hard now. But happy what I see
1

yorkieblue62 added 10:13 - Feb 9 There is a danger of over analysis. I am worried that the strikers are not firing but you can't argue with the results overall. The games coming up v MK, Oxford & Plymouth will be pivotal but so long as we keep beating teams in bottom half by any means we will be in the mix. Don't forget Sunderland & Wycombe are being dragged into the play off fight so the teams above us will be taking points off each other.

1

Ipswichbusiness added 10:42 - Feb 9 On the positive side we were playing away from home, dominated possession, kept a clean sheet and won. On the debit side side we were playing Doncaster who were bottom of the league, started the match with a goal difference of -36, we only scored one goal, missed a couple of sitters and almost lost it by mucking around with the ball at the back on the edge of our penalty box. When we play like that against better opposition (eg. Sheffield Wednesday) we lose and lose for good reason.

1

Nobbysnuts added 10:53 - Feb 9 Cloddyseedbed....what a stupid comment about morsy. I honestly think that people think when a player is out suspended that they are sitting on the couch at home eating kebabs and drinking beer. Of course he will be ready. He will of been training everyday with the squad as normal.
1

Razor added 13:43 - Feb 9 In reality it was a pOOR performance last night----Rotherham won 5-0 here last week. The match proved what I said about the ttransfer window----we needed a quality striker to put the ball in the net--------soebody like Twine who plays for-------MK DONS.
1

TimmyH added 13:59 - Feb 9 Walton has won fans MoM umpteen times on here the last couple of months - that tells you all we need to know!
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therein61 added 17:11 - Feb 9 3 points and all credit to the 1,026 travelling blues.
0

gosblue added 19:10 - Feb 9 There is only one in-form striker at the club atm, Tyreece Simpson if he's still here. I know he's only done it in League 2 but that's the standard of Gillingham and Doncaster. Bonne or Norwood would have a field day if they played off his massive presence.
0

DerryfromBury added 20:36 - Feb 9 @ButchersBrokenNose Can't quite understand why your views and comments have received so many down votes. It is a very good summation of last nights game as viewed via IFollow. Agree totally with your views on Thompson and Bakinson (the former always look as though he's got a mistake in him). Still has many have said, 3 points move on to MK at the weekend.
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Marinersnose added 10:58 - Feb 10 I'm not getting carried away as we have beaten two poor sides but have struggled to convert chances. KMK has however got a strong defensive unit in place now and this team look solid at the back and are difficult to penetrate. Walton is a key signing and the recognition that Wolfie is a proper player has contributed to our upturn in results. The midfield clearly still needs improvement but creativity is no longer an issue with both Celina and Aluko very capable at this level. Norwood should be our main striker imo as he is the best finisher. Bonne works his socks off and unsettles defenders but his form doesn't merit a start . Piggot showed a few glimpses last weekend but was obviously off the pace having not played first team football but I still think he has an important part to play as he can finish. I'll finally get to my point that we are now in a very strong position to creep into the playoffs as our form is good albeit we as fans can see room for improvement. Momentum is key and if we can get a result against a decent MK then we have some winnable games coming up. I honestly believe we will be very close this season . Under Cook I couldn't see too many positives . I think happier times are around the corner for our huge following. KMK talks much sense in interviews and he must be a breath of fresh air for the players after Cook.

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