Doncaster Rovers 0 Blackpool 1: Cullen's late winner crushes Rovers

The result leaves Rovers third-from-bottom, two places and four points adrift of safety with seven games remaining.

It also heightens the pressure on manager Darren Ferguson, who after overseeing a rise up the table on succeeding Paul Dickov on October 21, has been unable to arrest a slide back down the division since the turn of the year.

Doncaster rose to 11th after winning 3-0 at Southend on January 2, but they have not won since, and indeed, have claimed only three points in the last 14 league games.

That looked like being at least another point in credit on Monday as a tepid game with fellow strugglers Blackpool petered out.

Doncaster had shown the most enterprise and came within a whisker of taking the lead on 75 minutes when loanee Tommy Rowe thundered a shot against the underside of the bar.

But just as they had been undone in the dying moments in their last home game with Peterborough, so Doncaster were again left to rue their fortune late on once more.

Cullen, who was a constant threat on the break and forced Remi Matthews into a couple of smart saves in the first half, struck a blow for Blackpool with three minutes to go.

A ball inside right wing-back Mitchell Lund found the lively Cullen whose shot deflected over the head of Matthews off Andy Butler.

It was harsh on Rovers, but once again they lacked a cutting edge and the ability to unlock an obdurate rearguard.

Ferguson’s men have not won at the Keepmoat Stadium since December 12, and have claimed only two points on home soil in that time.