Doncaster Rovers 5 Southend United 1

12:36am Saturday 17th May 2008

Comments (27)   Have your say »

A subdued Sean O'Driscoll warned his Doncaster side it was only "a job half done" after they secured their place in the Coca-Cola League One play-off final.

Rovers booked an all-Yorkshire showdown with Leeds at Wembley on May 25 after a stunning 5-1 victory over a Southend side who had lost just one of their last 16 games going into the encounter.

Captain Brian Stock opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the eighth minute after Peter Clarke had brought down Jason Price in the area.

Adam Barrett's own goal doubled the home side's lead shortly after, while James Coppinger added a solo third prior to the break.

Coppinger then contributed his second with another virtuoso strike just minutes after the restart before his precise free-kick completed the rout.

"I thought we matched their determination, which is what we wanted to do," said O'Driscoll.

"It's back to work on Monday, we're not getting carried away. It's a Yorkshire derby at Wembley and the job's half done. We want to finish it against a very good Leeds team.

"We've performed like that for most of the season and sometimes you don't get your just rewards. It's just fitting that, in a game like this, we've finished off some off the moves that we've been creating all season.

"I'm surprised at how emphatic the victory was, it was tight down there (in the first leg) but goals change games.

"We can get goals from everywhere and I think we showed that here."

O'Driscoll acknowledged that Leeds will be favourites going into the final, but also insisted counterpart Gary McAllister would not be underestimating the challenge they will come up against.

When asked if Leeds will be the more fancied side, O'Driscoll said: "Yes, I suppose so. But it depends what Leeds do.

"I don't suppose Gary McAllister will put that message to his players, he's too good a manager to do that.

"We're both going to be prepared and we've both got our foot in the door of playing in the Championship.

"One of us is going to go through. But we'll try and do our best to make sure it's going to be us.

"It's a Yorkshire derby so it will be a good occasion for everybody.

"We want to win it. It's a job and we're back to work on Monday to try and repeat what we've done here."

Nicky Bailey netted a late strike for Southend but it was mere consolation as the visitors' hopes of an immediate return to the Championship were blown away. But Shrimpers boss Steve Tilson was honourable in defeat and had nothing but praise for Doncaster.

"Credit to them, they played really well and deserved to beat us," he acknowledged. "I said before the home tie that they were the best footballing side in our league and I think they proved it here.

"I'd love to see Doncaster go on and get into the Championship.

"At the end of the day, we did well to get where we did this year and we've got to build for next season now.

"I've just said to the players, 'it's gone', and we've got to work hard at pre-season and hopefully look to win promotion next year.

"It's taken us 47 games to get here and you don't become a bad side overnight."