Doncaster Rovers’ promotion attempt can benefit from the Premier League skills learned by the “in-demand” defender.

When asked about his experience playing against one of the nation’s top strikers, Joseph Olowu beams.

Of course, the Doncaster Rovers defender is talking about his battle with Jean-Philippe Mateta,

the Crystal Palace center-forward, who he kept quiet for much of Monday’s FA Cup fourth round match.

Although Mateta’s team won, the Frenchman had an exceptionally quiet evening in South Yorkshire,

and Olowu was instrumental in ignoring that threat.At one point in the second half, Mateta,

who already has ten goals in the top flight, had eluded Tom Anderson’s challenge and was

poised to take aim just outside the six-yard box when Olowu suddenly appeared and skillfully

dangled out a foot to block the shot and divert it into the hands of goalkeeper Ted Sharman-Lowe.

It was a fantastic tackle with little margin for error, and it was just another example of

well-executed defending to add to the center-half’s already impressive and bulging body of work this season.

It is not surprising that clubs at the top of the pyramid are allegedly looking at him with admiration.

According to speculative sources this week, Championship teams are preparing a possible summer

raid on a player who is nearing the end of his current contract.

Naturally, Rovers supporters will be concerned about the future, but for the player, the now is all that matters.