Roker Report Score Predictions: Can Sunderland get back to winning ways against Doncaster?

Last Time Out...

Another Sunderland defeat and another set of zero points for our panel. Everyone other than Will backed an away win at Shrewsbury, and Will backed the draw. With nobody calling Aiden O’Brien to burst through and open the scoring for Sunderland, it’s as we were.

Today’s Game...

Midweek’s result has had a big impact on our panel, this round is the first set of predictions this season where we are guarenteed that someone will at least get a point.

The only consensus between our panel on the result is that it could be anything. Two have a home win, two have gone for the draw and two have depressingly plumped for an away win. Our only consolation is that it’s our bottom two, in Martin and Will - let’s hope that mean something.

We’ll let our panel explain their mixed bag of results in this round of predictions...

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Philip Butler Predicts...

Score Prediction: Sunderland 1 - 0 Doncaster Rovers

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Jordan Jones

Well, no one can argue that Sunderland are predictable and perhaps only Sunderland would follow up a 3-0 win with not one, but two disappointing results in League One.

In truth, Sunderland’s poor form makes today’s game even more difficult to predict - apart from one run under Phil Parkinson I can’t remember us going three without a win since dropping down to the third tier.

Taking into account our decent form against the division’s better teams (the win at Lincoln immediately springs to mind), and Doncaster’s loss in midweek, I’m going for a Sunderland win and a clean sheet.

I’m expecting Sunderland to look at hitting Donny on the counter-attack, which is in contrast to the game plan from the last two matches. With this counter-attacking Sunderland in my mind, I’ll go for one of the few Sunderland players with pace - Jordan Jones - as first scorer and open his account in red and white.

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

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Malcolm Dugdale Predicts...

Score Prediction: Sunderland 1 - 1 Doncaster Rovers

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Charlie Wyke

I’m at a loss with predicting this week. Will the team who capitulated to both Plymouth and Shrewsbury run out, or will the team who hammered Lincoln show up?

Will Donny quickly return to form and hence we get done by several goals to nil, or will we upset the form books, even though we’re at home, and get a win just when most are thinking our chances of going up are looking ever more slim?

As I couldn’t choose between these options (and anyone who thinks they can after Tuesday is way more of a soothsayer than me), I’ve gone for a Jack Ross spesh. 1-1. It will likely be dull, disappointing, and something we may have to get used to in order to get results, at least till we see what our new but unfit striker can add to the mix.

Really hope I’m wrong but not even sure we have enough to get a point, but who knows? The joys of being a Sunderland fan.

Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images

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Matthew Foster Predicts...

Score Prediction: Sunderland 2 - 2 Doncaster Rovers

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Charlie Wyke

Tuesday was painful, and any positivity I had beforehand, disappeared quickly come the final whistle. It was a complete farce, from our line-up blunder to Remi Matthew’s very loose version of “goalkeeping”.

Who’s up next? Oh yes, Doncaster. Who, before they were beaten by the mighty Simon Grayson’s Cod Army, had lost one in ten. I really hope Johnson has fully digested Tuesday, because we really need to stop constantly tinkering week in, week out, particularly the keeper.

Whilst Burge isn’t exactly Manuel Neuer, he’s certainly not as bad as Lee Camp 2.0. I would be tempted to give Patterson a chance - he can’t do worse than his counterparts although I doubt that will be in Johnson’s thinking.

I’m also really hoping to see Sanderson start from the off, as I have more faith with him in the back line. Doncaster usually bounce back well after defeat, so we need to be quick out the blocks today and give them an early body blow.

But nevertheless I feel we’ll get a draw at best, with Wyke finding the net first

Photo by Hannah Fountain - CameraSport via Getty Images

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Jack Howe-Gingell Predicts...

Score Prediction: Sunderland 1 - 0 Doncaster Rovers

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Charlie Wyke

After a demoralising defeat against the might of Shrewsbury, we have a home game against one of the top six to contend with. Doncaster have been on a good run with five wins on the spin, until it was halted in midweek by Fleetwood. Nevertheless, we will need to step up considerably from recent weeks to get anything.

Losing Ben Whiteman was expected to a major blow to Doncaster’s chances, after his move to Preston, but they have barely lost stride. Elsewhere, Fejeri Okenabirhie continues to be in good form and represents a major threat for us.

Darren Moore has Doncaster set up well and you wonder if our attacking players can knock on the door, though more worryingly is our leaks at the back. Sunderland need to sort themselves out to even have a chance at the top six, but we often do well against the better sides in this league, mainly as they will try to play and leave gaps for our attacking talent.

Wyke to sneak it, and we all go away happy.

Photo by Zac Goodwin/PA Images via Getty Images

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Will Jones Predicts...

Score Prediction: Sunderland 1 - 3 Doncaster Rovers

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Charlie Wyke

We have to keep a lead at some point? Don’t we? Maybe not.

I’m sure LJ will be abusing his team this week however a lot of the blame needs to be left at his door. We cannot string together a full 90 minutes and cannot keep up with teams countering us.

We have a team filled with individual errors and burn out. A completely different looking side to the team that beat Lincoln 4-0 and one that now seems to be an anomaly in our list of results this term.

I just have a gut feeling that LJ won’t see sense. We need a marginally more defensive line through maybe having an extra midfielder who can control the middle of the park and push us on. If this happens I see us doing well, if not, hey, who knows?

But, genuinely, who the hell knows?

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

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Martin Wanless Predicts...

Score Prediction: Sunderland 0 - 2 Doncaster Rovers

Abandon hope all ye who dare to enter. After Tuesday’s pathetic second half showing, Lee Johnson and his team really need to respond and respond well against Doncaster. Trouble is, I don’t think we have it in us to do so.

There are huge questions to be answered all over the field, and it will be interesting to see what Johnson does – my instinct is not much.

Doncaster had been in decent form before their midweek defeat to Fleetwood, and they’ll be determined to bounce back – Darren Moore’s a good manager, and is someone who’ll likely manage again in the Championship, sooner rather than later. With or without Doncaster.

I just have very little confidence in us at present, although my position at the foot of the predictions table should give everyone else confidence we’re going to smash them!

I sincerely hope I’m stranded even further at the bottom of the table come Saturday night.

Photo by Zac Goodwin/PA Images via Getty Images