When Doncaster Rovers announced the loan signing of Hakeeb Adelakun in January, much of the initial social media reaction from supporters was of disappointment of another temporary deal.
Whereas from a Lincoln City perspective, it was a fresh start for the winger, as he prepares to leave Sincil Bank in the summer. Of Rovers’ six incomings in January, five were on loan, so that first gut feeling was certainly valid. Also, there was evident scepticism around a player who had only scored 31 goals in his senior career.
Donny were also in need of a player to light up their attack, having only found the back of the net 31 times in 27 games prior to his arrival. Only the bottom two, and a Gillingham side shy in front of goal, had scored fewer goals than Grant McCann’s men.
Fast forward 51 days and any lingering fears of relegation have now disappeared. While the gap to the relegation places has only increased by two points, the sign of what is to come next season is a frightening prospect for League Two.
And all of this points to one man: Hakeeb Adelakun. The 27-year-old recently won the Sky Bet League Two Player of the Month award, following his scintillating start in South Yorkshire.
Hakeeb’s Time To Date
The early signs didn’t hint at what was to come; a 5-1 thrashing by then-leaders Stockport County was hardly unexpected though. Adelakun was introduced at half-time when County led 3-0, and he wasn’t able to have an impact on a game which was already out of the Yorkshire side’s grasp.
Having been cup-tied for the EFL Trophy defeat against Bradford City three days later, he made his full debut away at Sutton United the following Saturday. This encounter was always going to be tough, with the hosts looking for a vital three points as they looked to close the gap to safety. Approaching the hour mark, the former Bristol City man made way at 0-0, and Joe Ironside’s late penalty salvaged a point.
Then came the decisive first win, in which the wide forward more than played his part. Having provided the cross for the opener, Adelakun then produced a moment worthy of winning the game as he cooly finished after rounding Luke McGee. Next up against Salford City, the attacker found a yard of space in the area, making the Ammies defence pay as he bent one into the far corner to give them the advantage.
As the games came thick and fast, so did the goal contributions, with the former West Ham United youngster about to make his most devastating attack to date. At Grimsby, he provided three of the five assists as the visitors ran riot against a sorry Mariners side, Hakeeb pulling the strings. Seven days later he netted his third goal for the club, a composed effort that ended up being the matchwinner early on.
Disappointment followed with a defeat at in-form Walsall, before Donny took a point in their Yorkshire derby against Bradford City on Tuesday. But then as Doncaster returned to winning ways, there was a familiar name on the scoresheet. This goal was all the loanee’s making, winning a corner after a successful dribble, before he found the net directly from the set-piece in superb style.
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Combining With Key Men
It was no surprise that it took Adelakun a couple of games to find his stride with with his new club. Ever since then, he’s been linking up with players all over the park. On his first home start, it took just 15 minutes for him to provide a pinpoint cross onto the head of Joe Ironside. Then Owen Bailey provided the excellent over-the-top through ball to Hakeeb to win the game.
Matthew Craig was a fellow arrival in January, and the two combined to give Donny the lead at Salford. Against Grimsby, the opener took just six minutes, and Adelakun was involved in the build-up. He then provided the pass into the middle that Ironside finished in his stride, the second time that the former Cambridge United man had linked up with the January recruit. The final goal in Cleethorpes came from his outside-of-the-foot assist as his team broke, Kyle Hurst providing the finishing touch to the goal and the performance.
In the final game of February against AFC Wimbledon, the South Yorkshire side were fast out of the blocks again, with Harrison Biggins providing the assist for the winger to quickly sort his feet out and net under Alex Bass. There is a common theme throughout this and that’s Hakeeb’s ability to dictate play, and his ability to combine with players regardless of their position, as if he had been playing with them for years.
Grant McCann & A System to Suit
In Doncaster’s first six games of 2024, they lined up with a 4-3-3 formation on each occasion. Since his first start in red and white though, McCann has varied the formation he has gone with numerous times. For example, away at Sutton, they went with a 3-4-3 in order to try and exploit the division’s bottom side.
That was the only time he has featured on the wing, and having moved into a wide midfield role he has found himself at home. In doing so, it has allowed him to make runs from midfield, suiting his game much better. He is more prolific as a left-midfielder, though, with six goal contributions in four appearances compared with one goal in two games on the opposing side.
There has been a lot of debate about what he can achieve in the game following his past exploits. Seven years ago this month, Graham Alexander told BBC Radio Humberside that he “needs players who compete and train well everyday. Hakeeb isn’t doing that.”
Put simply though, it may be that he needs a system that suits his needs, and a manager who can give him the freedom to express himself. On top of that, this was seven years ago, giving him adequate time to do exactly what the current Bradford City manager said. Much like Reeco Hackett-Fairchild, previously out of favour at Portsmouth, who has flourished until Michael Skubala at Lincoln this term.
Where Next?
There’s no doubt that Doncaster will be desperate to secure Adelakun’s signature in the summer, but they will face numerous suitors thanks to his fine form at the Eco-Power Stadium. Following their most recent victory against AFC Wimbledon, an injury early in the second period saw the 27-year-old replaced only nine minutes into the second half. But the calls of “sign him up” from the home supporters, according to the Doncaster Free Press, shows exactly what the consensus is only seven weeks since he moved up the A1.
The immediate focus though is on a trip to Wiltshire to face Swindon Town at the weekend. That’s the first of 10 games remaining this term, as the ambition looks to be to get as many points on the board with promotion or relegation all but mathematically out of the question. How well they do at the end of this campaign may dictate whether Adelakun will be playing in red and white again next term.
