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Free Press team matches on-pitch heroics to report on cup final

A team effort by news staff at the Doncaster Free Press reflected the on-pitch heroics from Doncaster Rovers as the football team claimed its first piece of silverware in 128 years.

The editorial team kept fans up to speed on the team’s thrilling 3-2 win after extra time against Bristol Rovers in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy final at the Millennium Stadium.

The paper’s website was updated throughout the day by a news team based at Doncaster.

The sports team filed the team sheet through ahead of the game, followed by updates of all the major incidents and goals as and when they happened. The drama-filled game saw Doncaster storm to a 2-0 lead within five minutes before Bristol pegged them back.

Photographers filed pictures from the stadium as the match was being played while a reporter was able to cover events about the celebrations going on in the town.

And a full match report was on the internet minutes soon after the game ended in extra time before all the reaction from the club chairman John Ryan and Rovers’ boss Sean O’Driscoll.

It is the first time the Free Press has attempted web coverage on this scale and is in line with the paper’s ever-improving online service in preparation for the launch of the new website on April 19.

Free Press editor Graeme Huston said: “The team did a great job on Sunday and we hope the coverage will have been useful to readers.

“We have a large number of ex-pats from Doncaster who we know use our website regularly and who may have trouble following the game any other way, so it will have been particularly good for them to follow events as they happened.”

The Free Press now updates its website three times a day in preparation for a re-launch to improve the look of the site and make it easier to use, as well as including video technology.