PATIENT KEEPER MAROSI EARNING REWARD

MARKO Marosi says his willingness to be patient has been pivotal in having a prolonged run in the Doncaster starting team.

Going into the weekend, the 24-year-old Slovak goalkeeper had four clean sheets in his last six starts for Rovers, keeping regular No.1 Ian Lawlor, 23, out of the side.

Most of Marosi’s appearances this season before February had been in the Checkatrade Trophy, but he believes that biding his time has presented him with the opportunity to play now.

He said: “Being out of the side, waiting to come in, is only as difficult as you make it for yourself.

“You just have to be patient, keep working hard, keep improving and just wait for your opportunity, and when it comes, show that you are ready.

“It’s been very important for me that I’ve kept a few clean sheets since I’ve come into the side, and it also shows that we are defending as a team.

“My dad always told me to be patient and that things would come, so I just listened to him and took the advice on board – and it works.”

Marosi’s first appearance in this run of games was in the 3-0 win over Fleetwood in February, Rovers’ first clean sheet in ten games.

Three more clean sheets followed – against Southend, Bradford and Gillingham – as he proved himself to be reliable between the sticks.

Lawlor’s arrival from Manchester City in January 2017 had signalled the end of Marosi’s longest stint of first-team football, but just over a year on it seems the two goalkeepers’ fortunes have reversed.

The Slovak said: “Me and Ian have a great relationship. We’re good friends and we push each other as much as we can in training.

“We’re definitely improving each other, but the competition is great and we both thrive off it.”