Doncaster vs Exeter City Predictions

Doncaster vs Exeter City predictions for this League One clash. Doncaster Rovers host Exeter City at Eco-Power Stadium on Saturday, aiming to start their League One return with a win after securing promotion last season. Read on for our free match preview and betting tips.

League One| Aug 02 2025 at 3:00 pm UK at Eco-Power Stadium

Doncaster vs Exeter City Predictions

Can Doncaster’s Momentum Roll Into League One or Will Exeter Ruin the Homecoming?

• Doncaster’s End-of-Season Form: Rovers wrapped up last season on an 11-match unbeaten run, including four straight victories, showing their ability to finish strong and start sharp.
• Exeter’s Travel Struggles: The Grecians lost three of their final eight away matches last season and conceded nine goals in their last four road trips.
• Home Comforts: Doncaster scored multiple goals in six of their final seven home league games last term, underlining their attacking threat at Eco-Power Stadium.

Best Bet for Doncaster vs Exeter City

The opening weekend of League One throws up a fascinating encounter as newly-promoted Doncaster Rovers return to third-tier action with a home clash against Exeter City at Eco-Power Stadium. The buzz around the hosts is tangible. After a triumphant League Two title win and an unbeaten pre-season run, Rovers fans have every reason to feel optimistic. But football has a wicked sense of humour, and Exeter arrive with just enough threat to dampen the party if Donny aren’t sharp from the off.

Doncaster’s rise over the last 12 months has been remarkable. Barely avoiding relegation two seasons ago, they turned things around with a title charge powered by belief, consistency and an eye for goal. Grant McCann, in his second stint at the helm, has created a vibrant, attacking unit. In fact, Rovers bagged 19 goals across their six pre-season games and netted two or more in seven of their last nine league fixtures in 2024-25. With Luke Molyneux, Billy Sharp and Jordan Gibson leading the line, there’s no shortage of firepower up front.

Exeter, on the other hand, appear a little more subdued coming into this. Their pre-season form has been steady – three wins and a draw – but their end to last season was a mixed bag. Their defence hasn’t been watertight, and their away form in particular raised eyebrows, with just three wins from their last eight on the road. The departures of influential players such as Caleb Watts and Demetri Mitchell leave them looking slightly underpowered in midfield, and the jury is out on whether the new arrivals are ready to make an instant impact.

Best Bet: Doncaster to Win and Over 2.5 Goals

At BettingTips4You, we don’t believe in overwhelming readers with a flood of betting options. We carefully analyse every fixture and deliver a single, top-value prediction to keep things focused and fair. For this opening-day fixture, our Best Bet is: Doncaster to win and over 2.5 goals.

This pick isn’t just about gut instinct – it’s built on form, stats, and tactical trends. Doncaster have been relentless in their approach. They ended last season on an 11-match unbeaten streak, winning the last four, and they’ve simply carried that momentum straight through pre-season. The goals have been flowing – 19 in six friendlies – and their ability to break teams down at home has been a huge asset. Rovers scored at least twice in six of their last seven home league games in 2024-25, and against a leaky Exeter defence, there’s a strong chance that trend continues.

Exeter may have managed a respectable 16th-place finish last season, but they conceded 65 goals and found wins hard to come by on the road. Their backline lacks stability, and the likely absences of key figures such as Caleb Watts have made their midfield easier to overrun. That could prove costly against a Doncaster side that presses hard and transitions quickly, particularly with Molyneux exploiting the space out wide and Sharp lurking in the box.

BettingTips4You.com expert quote:

“Doncaster have come flying into League One and haven’t skipped a beat during pre-season. With the attacking talent they’ve got and Exeter’s travel woes, we’re backing a home win with goals.” – Graham Hartshorn

With the crowd behind them and momentum on their side, Doncaster are well-placed to land a statement victory – and we’re expecting them to do it with some style.

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Predicted Scoreline: Doncaster 2-0 Exeter City

The contrast in momentum is hard to ignore. Doncaster’s sharpness and goal threat should prove too much for an Exeter side that may struggle to keep up, especially away from home. A 2-0 scoreline feels about right – controlled, convincing, but not over the top.

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