Cambridge Utd 1 Doncaster 3: Grant impresses with superb double strike for Rovers

The 20-year-old hit two sweet strikes as Rovers came from behind to beat League Two side Cambridge at Abbey Stadium.

“Conor Grant is a quality player,” said Doncaster manager Darren Ferguson. “The first was a great finish, the second was out of this world. Sometimes when you are in the cup you have to roll your sleeves up and take a win.”

The hosts made the breakthrough after an end-to-end opening after Luke Berry was upended by Aaron Taylor-Sinclair.

Thorsten Stuckmann got down brilliantly to save Barry Corr’s spot-kick, only for Berry to head in the rebound.

After a fairly even first period, Rovers ran riot straight after the break, as Grant scored two stunners either side of Mitchell Lund’s close-range finish.

The second half was only 35 seconds old when the Everton loanee lashed in a lovely left-footed strike from 20 yards.

That was followed 10 minutes later by youth product Lund tucking away the impressive Cameron Stewart’s quality whipped cross at the back post for his first goal for the club.

Grant’s second was even better than his first as he rocketed home a left-footed shot just a minute after Lund had scored.

Home substitute Liam Hughes came off the bench to head against the bar twice in quick succession as the hosts pushed hard in the last 10 minutes, but Doncaster held on to claim their place in tonight’s draw.

Cambridge United: Beasant, Taylor, Roberts, Legge, Demetriou, Ledson (L Hughes 78), Newton, Donaldson (Simpson 69), Berry, Dunk, Corr. Unused substitutes: Dunn, Slew, Coulson, J. Hughes, Jones.

Doncaster Rovers: Stuckmann, Lund, Alcock, Butler, Taylor-Sinclair, Evina, Coppinger (Keegan 67), Middleton, Grant, Tyson (Stewart 45), Williams. Unused substitutes: McCulloch, Mackenzie, McKay, Marosi, Whitehouse.

Referee: M Brown.

Man of the match: Conor Grant.