Doncaster Rovers vs Peterborough United. Sky Bet League One.
The Keepmoat Stadium.
Sunday 9 May 2021 15:58, UK
Peterborough spoiled James Coppinger's grand send-off as they thumped Doncaster 4-1 in the veteran's final game before retirement.
Goals from Mo Eisa, Niall Mason, Idris Kanu and Ricky-Jade Jones saw Peterborough sign off their promotion season in style against hapless Rovers.
Coppinger was given a guard of honour by both teams before the game as his 17th and final season with Doncaster was brought to an end.
But the sentiment from Peterborough ended there and they were a goal up in the third minute when Eisa lashed in a shot from 20 yards.
Mason bundled in from close range against his former club from a cross on eight minutes before Kanu glanced a header in at the near post from a Harrison Burrows cross.
Jones grabbed the fourth on 39 minutes when he spun off his marker and fired home.
The closest Coppinger came to a golden moment saw him rattle the bar with a free kick in the second half.
And Tyreece John-Jules pulled a goal back in stoppage time for Doncaster.
Doncaster's James Coppinger: "I'm ready to retire. The result helps, if I'm being honest. If we had won and done really well, it would have been even harder to walk off that pitch, but this season has been difficult for more than one reason and to come off, to have that ovation and that guard of honour before the game, the timing seems perfect.
"There are no fans in, which makes it harder, but I am 100 per cent ready to retire and I am really looking forward to what's next.
"The fans have been unbelievable and it is so disappointing that they can't be in. The messages that I have had have been unbelievable. This has been my life for 17 years and it means so much to me."