Doncaster Rovers League Two play-off boost as on-loan Hull City player gets semi-final reprieve

The French youth international was sent off in the second half of Saturday's final game of the regular League Two season for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity after handling the ball outside his area.

Hosts Gillingham scored from the resulting free-kick, and added a second goal – put through his own net by Tom Anderson – five minutes later to turn a 2-0 deficit into a 2-2 scoreline but Doncaster survived the final half-hour with no further goals and booked their place in the play-offs.

The punishment was set to be a one-game ban for Lo-Tutala for the trip to Crewe.

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But Rovers - whose first-choice goalkeeper Ian Lawlor has been out injured since Christmas - successful persuaded an independent disciplinary panel it was a case of wrongful dismissal.

Lo-Tutala handled as Jamie Sterry headed the ball towards him as striker Josh Andrew closed it down. Doncaster's argument can only have been that Owen Bailey and James Maxwell were close enough to stop it being a clear goalscoring opportunity, although McCann had no complaints with the dismissal when he spoke to the media afterwards, saying: "There's not much you can do if he puts his hand up there."

The first leg is at Gresty Road on Monday, with the return on Friday, with the final on May 18.