Deano ends away drought in fiery draw

Just try keeping Dean Windass out the spotlight.

First it was the case of alleged "ball-tampering" at Cheltenham. Then three days on he was scoring at the double at Doncaster - and being bundled over in the key incident which led to City's equaliser at the end of a breathless Yorkshire derby.

In both games, Windass was at the heart of a clash which saw an opponent sent off; and in both, he was subjected to torrents of abuse from the aggrieved home fans.

But as the man himself revealed in the build-up to the Belle Vue bash, that's just how he likes it.

Nobody has twigged yet but the more they scream and boo at Windass, the better he plays. No wonder he "absolutely loves it" when the jeers ring out.

Windass was involved in the first and last decisive moments of a pulsating advert for League One football which left every participant drained.

Doncaster went into it on the back of three goalless draws since Sean O'Driscoll took the hot-seat. Windass had not scored away from Valley Parade since February 4 at Colchester.

Something had to give - and it did inside 45 seconds as the veteran hitman pounced from close range after Jermaine Johnson's shot was parried by unconvincing goalkeeper Jan Budtz.

Having broken his duck on the road, Windass soon found that away goals are just like buses. Wait ages for one to come along and suddenly two arrive at once.

Midway through the first half he was on the mark again with a finish out of the top drawer. David Wetherall lobbed a pass wide to Nathan Doyle, his cross was perfect and the header from Windass devastating as it powered into the top far corner of the Doncaster net.

The Donny faithful, never a patient bunch at the best of times, were growing restless, though their team responded with a couple of half-chances blocked by Jamaican duo Johnson and Donovan Ricketts.

It was a rare, but welcome, foray into his own box for Johnson, whose pace going forward was once again a hugely effective weapon in the Bantam armoury.

But this was no repeat of the one-way traffic at Whaddon Road, with Doncaster swiftly dusting themselves down after Deano's double blow to give as good as they got.

Their nippy movement and passing into feet caused plenty of uncertainty in the away defence and the noise level increased when referee Graham Laws ignored back-pass claims against Richard Edghill after Lewis Guy had gone close.

With the tension rising, City needed to see it through to half-time but they were caught out three minutes short.

Coughing the ball up cheaply deep in their own half, they allowed Sean McDaid to swivel and shoot and, despite Ricketts parrying it, Paul Green swept home the loose ball from a tight angle.

Mark Bower immediately produced a vital tackle on Paul Heffernan to prevent Rovers levelling before the break but the tide had already begun to turn - and City were bowled over by a tidal wave at the start of the second half.

Five minutes in and Wetherall was harshly pulled up for a push level with their penalty area. City's beef with the decision intensified when Brian Stock's free-kick picked out Green's run at the near post and Doncaster were back on an equal footing.

Worse was to follow three minutes later as City paid the price for failing to clear their lines. Marc Bridge-Wilkinson and Bower were both unable to clear the danger in the corner of the box and the lively James Coppinger nipped in between them to scoop up possession and lash an unstoppable effort off the underside of the bar and past a stunned Ricketts.

The game had been turned on its head as the fickle home fans now lauded the players they had been hammering half an hour earlier.

One supporter in front the press box began a chorus of "only one Sean O'Driscoll" - he was the same guy who'd been taunting "time to go" at the manager when City were two up.

Colin Todd had disappeared to the sanctuary of the stand to avoid the bile he was getting on the touchline but he was soon back in the dug-out, trying to revive a team that had suddenly switched to snooze control.

City's good intentions had fallen apart as they looked a shadow of the side that had come bursting from the blocks.

Doncaster were rampant and Ricketts saved a Stock free-kick before topping that with a blinding block from the same player.

The midfielder's 25-yarder was destined for the far corner but somehow the keeper, using his full 6ft 6in frame, managed to stretch and palm it away.

It was to prove a crucial moment although, in true Ricketts fashion, he then let a Coppinger cross slither through his grasp. Fortunately Doyle was on hand to clean up the mess before Heffernan was able to pounce.

Green had a hat-trick goal ruled out for a push in the build-up before City thankfully cranked back into gear.

Johnson was seeing more of the ball and was not too far away when he tried his luck from distance and, when a home corner broke down, he was off to the races over the halfway line before being cynically cut down by centre half Graeme Lee.

It was premeditated by the defender, who only survived because Gareth Roberts had got back to cover and he was not the last man, but justice was not long in coming.

Ricketts pulled off some more gymnastics to push away a fierce effort from the treble-hunting Green before City found themselves facing ten men for the third game running.

A ball straight down the middle caused panic in the Donny ranks and, as Windass attempted to get half a yard on Lee, he was sent tumbling to the ground. The crowd shrieked at the City striker but the official had no doubts and Lee was shown a straight red card.

City had eight minutes to make their man advantage count; they needed less than 30 seconds.

In fact, it was the time it took for Bridge-Wilkinson to step up for the free-kick and caress a curler over the wall and past Budtz's left hand.

The midfielder celebrated his third goal of the season, first free-kick strike since January and a much-needed point for the Bantams.

But on such a wild night there was no guarantee that the scoring had finished. Johnson had Budtz scrabbling nervously with a thumping volley and Doncaster substitute Jonathan Forte's shot on the turn did not miss by much.

In the end, it was a point apiece but there was still time for the locals to dish out more vitriol towards Windass as he headed for the tunnel.

Not one for missing out on the final say, he flashed a cheeky grin before disappearing from sight, leaving his detractors gnashing their teeth. Just another day at the office for Deano.