Doncaster Rovers 0 Crewe Alexandra 2 (AET, 3-4 on penalties): Rovers pay heavy price for failing to help themselves

Two-nil up from the first leg and in far better form than Crewe Alexandra, Doncaster Rovers looked a safe bet to be heading to Wembley. Some bookmakers had Crewe at 16-1 to reach Wembley.

But in the final analysis, Grant McCann’s side lacked the ruthlessness to take what ought to have been theirs.

His second season as Rovers manager – five years apart – ended the same way as the first, in a penalty shoot-out defeat in the play-off semi-finals.

Doncaster only started to play once they had given Crewe the opportunity to level the tie just 16 minutes in and for all that they were the better side from that point on, they lacked the cutting edge required.

And when their fate was decided from 12 yards, neither Zain Westbrooke nor Hakeeb Adelukan could find the net. Doncaster were beaten 4-3 on penalties.

Just to have got that close to the arch was a remarkable achievement by a team who were in far more danger of leaving League Two in the opposite direction three months ago. But having got themselves into this position, they will be furious with themselves that they could not take it.

A 12,887 Eco-Power Stadium crowd was rocking at kick-off but soon Rovers were too.

Former Huddersfield Town forward Aaron Rowe got in behind in the fifth minute and when he pulled the ball across, Joel Tabiner's shot deflected behind for a corner. Mickey Demetriou found too much space from it, and headed in.

Accidents happen, but Rovers did not learn their lesson.

Chris Long shot wide and forced a low near-post save from Thimothee Lo-Tutala before getting in down the inside-right channel and putting the ball over for James Maxwell to bundle in for Doncaster's second own goal out of the last three conceded. Had he not, Elliott Nevitt would have put it in.

The home team could have gone to pieces – and Adelakun booting the ball out of play in his own half attempting a switch to Jamie Sterry was not a good sign in that respect – but a 13-match unbeaten run has built up reservoirs of resilience they needed now.

It was as the half-hour approached that Rovers finally got to grips with the game, Adelakun and Maxwell ganging up to ambush Shilow Tracey and the former playing a lovely ball to Joe Ironside, whose shot was smothered.

Adelakun forced another corner when he got on the end of a long ball and Tom Anderson got on the end of it but could not beat Max Stryjek. The goalkeeper did well to save when Tommy Rowe got on the end of Sterry's near-post cross, and when Owen Bailey nodded into the path of Adelakun, he drove his shot just over.

After a positive start to the second half and with both sets of supporters giving great support, Doncaster took control of events without working Stryjek enough – even if he did go down with alleged cramp as the pressure was mounting midway through the second period.

Up from the back in the 63rd minute, Richard Wood could not get a decisive contact on a deep Adelakun croiss, and Crewe were able to get a dangerous delivery from Kyle Hurst clear. Luke Molyneux's lovely dink was just beyond Ironside and Maxwell and penalty appeals for a foul on Hurst were waved away.

The best chance came hot on the heels of Nevitt shooting wide at the other end after a counter-attack, Owen Bailey finding Adelakun with a gorgeous pass and his tempting low back somehow kept out in the goalmouth scrum.

Molyneux's stoppage-time run inside was much better than the shot it created. His strike in the first half of extra time was far better, but deflected onto the near post.

Crewe forced a number of corners in the second period of extra time, one of which Lo-Tutala punched to Matus Holicek, who could not control his shot.

Bailey had a shot deflected for a corner in the 119th minute as Rovers broke whilst Crewe appealed in vain for a handball at the other end.

Lo-Tutala got the shoot-out off to a good start, saving the third kick from opposition captain Mickey Demetriou, such a good performed on the night.

But given the chance to ram home the advantage, Westbrooke allowed Stryjek to squeeze his kick onto a post and watched in agony as it trickled out the wrong side of the line.

The next five kicks were all converted, heaping the responsibility on Adelakun, who circled the ball before hitting a shot lacking the conviction to beat Stryjek.

It is the hope that kills you, and Doncaster had created plenty.

With key players signed up to new contracts in the run-in, they must build on the powerful momentum rather than wallow in their misfortune.

Doncaster Rovers: Lo -Tutala; Sterry (Miller 112), Anderson, Wood, Maxwell (Olowu 112); Bailey, Craig (Westbrooke 101); Molyneux, Rowe (Hurst 60), Adelakun; Ironside.

Unused substitutes: Broadbent, Jones, Waters.

Crewe Alexandra: Stryjek; Billington, Turns, Demetriou, Adebisi; Tabiner (Austerfield 58), Thomas (Leigh 85); Tracey (Baker-Richardson 65), Rowe (Cooney 85), Long (Holícek 58); Nevitt (Kirk 104).

Unused substitutes: Finney.

Referee: S Oldham (Lancashire).