Preview: Doncaster Rovers vs Port Vale - prediction, team news, lineups

Doncaster Rovers play host to Port Vale on Tuesday evening looking for the win that would take them to the 50-point mark in the League One table.

At a time when the home side sit in 17th position in the standings, Port Vale remain bottom despite their much-needed victory on Saturday.

Match preview

Having concluded 2025 with five successive defeats in League One, Doncaster looked on course to remain in a relegation scrap in the long term.

However, since the turn of the year, Grant McCann's side have impressively accumulated 25 points from 15 matches to move clear of the bottom four.

Saturday's 1-0 victory at Yorkshire rivals Barnsley extended their unbeaten record to four matches, while also moving Rovers five points ahead of 21st place.

Although survival remains their main aim, Doncaster have the chance to move to the brink of edging their way into the top half of the standings against the odds.

An upturn in form at the Eco-Power Stadium has proven pivotal, with 11 points coming from their last six such fixtures.

Despite that return, Doncaster remain with the fourth-worst home record in the division, emphasising how poorly they had performed on familiar territory during the opening half of the campaign.

While Port Vale have an FA Cup quarter-final tie at Chelsea on April 4, Jon Brady is currently focused on keeping his team in the survival hunt.

Tuesday's 3-2 defeat at Blackpool appeared to end any hope on that front, yet a 1-0 success at home to Bolton Wanderers on Saturday has kick-started the club's bid to remain in the third tier against the odds.

With three matches in hand, Vale sit 11 points adrift of 20th position, and a win on Tuesday would cause concern at the teams above them.

Victories have now been posted versus Bristol City, Sunderland and Bolton at Vale Park since the start of March, complementing two away wins - at Leyton Orient and Northampton Town - in the league.

Vale have kept five clean sheets in their last eight fixtures, albeit just one of those coming on their travels.

Doncaster Rovers League One form:

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Doncaster Rovers form (all competitions):

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Port Vale League One form:

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Port Vale form (all competitions):

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Team News

Despite the quick turnaround, McCann may be prepared to make minimal changes to his Doncaster XI.

Hakeeb Adelakun and Harry Clifton are most likely to return in an attack-minded role in midfield or attack.

Meanwhile, Luke Molyneux and Billy Sharp both remain doubts after missing the trip to Barnsley and will be assessed.

Given their workload, Brady is expected to freshen up his Port Vale side, with Ben Waine potentially replacing Ben Garrity after the latter's recent return from injury.

Jordan Shipley could also be drafted back into midfield, but the likes of Ben Heneghan, Cameron Humphreys and George Byers remain on the sidelines.

Doncaster Rovers possible starting lineup:

Lo-Tutala; Sterry, Byrne, Pearson, Senior; Gotts; Middleton, Bailey, Lee, Gibson; Hanlan

Port Vale possible starting lineup:

Gauci; Lawrence-Gabriel, Hall, Campbell, Gordon; Ojo, Walters; Hall, Shipley, Headley; Waine

We say: Doncaster Rovers 1-1 Port Vale

Although Doncaster have impressed of late, we cannot ignore the statement victories that Port Vale are managing to churn out, albeit on familiar territory. While a home triumph is a strong possibility, the Valiants get the benefit of the doubt with us and could earn a share of the spoils.

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