Doncaster Rovers 1 Harrogate Town 0: Rovers bench and goalkeeping error make all the difference

Grant McCann has a squad of enviable depth which should see his team to promotion from League Two this season but devoid of creativity against stubborn visitors, they looked as though they were going to drop two points on a cold afternoon.

But McCann threw four attacking players from the bench and two of them – Jordan Gibson and Harry Clifton – combined to score a goal which will give James Belshaw nightmares for many evenings to come.

With four minutes of regulation time to play, Gibson carried the ball down the left and fed Clifton, who turned on it and produced a shot which never should have squirmed under the body of Harrogate's goalkeeper.

It earnt Rovers their first Football League win over Harrogate after a laborious afternoon of more perspiration than inspiration, and marked the the Sulphurites first league setback since the mid-season signings started arriving at Wetherby Road.

One of them, Olly Sanderson, had the best chance of the game, but fluffed it.

The hosts enjoyed plenty of possession but only managed two shots on target. Doncaster's sponsors choose goalkeeper Ted Sharman-Lowe as man of the match.

The first 20 minutes were al Doncaster, with right-back Jamie Sterry able to step into midfield without having to worry too much about defending.

He played a one-two with Luke Molyneux in the fifth minute, and the cross Joe Ironside but over the crossbar with a diving header.

James Maxwell put in a couple of dangerous crosses in quick succession from the other side, the first not getting a touch, the second met by the head of Harrogate centre-back Jasper Moon.

Molyneux took the low road in the 12th minute, but this one bounced off Anthony O'Connor and behind for a corner. Maxwell then shot at Belshaw. Little did we know then it would be a landmark moment.

Bryn Morris did well to anticipate Sterry's centre after Doncaster worked the ball to him. Eventually Sterry decided to take matters into his own hands, but Belshaw came out to save as the defender ran onto Molyneux's delivery.

So it was a bit of a bolt from the light blue when Josh March had an audacious overhead kick saved, but it gave the visitors much-needed confidence.

O'Connor headed a good Morris free-kick at the goalkeeper and on his first Town start, Sanderson had the best chance of the lot on his first start for his new club.

Morris cleverly clipped the ball to March, pulling out onto the right and Sanderson had plenty of time to think about what he would do. Too much. He ballooned over.

For all that Doncaster continued to boss the ball after the break, and much as McCann tried to shuffle his pack from the bench, chances were fairly evenly spread.

Jay McGrath did well to cut out an Ellis Taylor ball early on and Morris put a free-kick onto the roof of the net, whilst Jasper Moon glanced a header wide.

Most of Doncaster's efforts were blocked before Belshaw hat to worry about them. Molyneux, Sbarra and Maxwell unable to penetrate the light blue wall. When Molyneux really got hold of one in the 65th minute it poleaxed the unfortunate Moon.

Rovers looked the more likely winners without actually looking likely winners, pressing hard in the final half-hour to little effect, only for Clifton to score from nowhere.

Harrogate only had tine for a Bryant Bilongo header at Sharman-Lowe.

It was a forgettable win, but back-to-back victories do not come often enough for Doncaster. Three in a row would be unprecedented for them in this League Two season, but they will need to be better at Barrow to claim it.

Doncaster Rovers: Sharman-Lowe; Sterry, Olowu, McGrath, Maxwell; Bailey, Crew (Gibson 81); Molyneux, Sbarra (Clifton 65), Ennis (Street 72); Ironside (Sharp 72).

Unused substitutes: Anderson, Broadbent, Lawlor.

Harrogate Town: Belshaw; Sims, O'Connor, Moon, Bilongo; J Daly (Cornelius 65), Morris, Sutton, Taylor; March, Sanderson (Muldoon 65).

Unused substitutes: Oxley, Asare, Hill, Dooley, Cursons.

Referee: R Eley (Derby).