Doncaster Rovers left looking over their shoulders

Doncaster chief Darren Ferguson was left to bemoan their failure to score a decisive third after seeing his side hit back from conceding a goal after just four minutes.

The result left Rovers just three points clear of Plymouth, who have a game in hand.

The visitors soon struck when Conor Grant was robbed in midfield by Shay McCarten, who burst through and scored past Ian Lawlor.

Alfie May and James Coppinger went close before Matty Blair went down the right and found Tommy Rowe, who finished well at his second attempt.

It was 2-1 to Rovers in the 58th minute as May flicked on Coppinger’s cross for John Marquis to go through and finish.

Rovers sought a third and, after Edwards made it 2-2, Rowe could have won it but curled wide.

Ferguson said: “It was very much a case of two points dropped for us. It’s a disappointing result as we wanted to get back to winning ways. But when you start a game the way we did, going 1-0 down that early, it gives the opposition a massive lift and makes it doubly hard.

“We managed to get ourselves in the lead but we just didn’t get that third goal to kill off the game. We had so many opportunities to do it. When you’re only one goal ahead in a game, you give the opposition the chance to get the equaliser.”

Doncaster Rovers: Lawlor, Alcock, Butler, Mason, Blair, Middleton, Coppinger (Baudry 79), Grant, Rowe, May (Williams 80), Marquis. Unused substitutes: Etheridge, McSheffrey, Keegan, Longbottom, Evina.

Accrington Stanley: Rodak, Boco (Shaw 75), Pearson, Hughes, Rodgers, Clark, Brown (Edwards 68), Conneely, Clare (Husin 46), McCartan, Kee. Unused substitutes: Davies, Gornell, Chapman, Sykes.

Referee: R Lewis (Shropshire).