Doncaster 1 Peterborough 1: Barnett shows Rovers fans why he was the target for Saunders

Dean Saunders’s struggling side had suffered a heart-breaking defeat at Leeds in the previous match after conceding a late goal and there was yet more frustration for the Welshman, who bemoaned his side’s luck and criticised their inability to see out the game.

Giles Barnes’s first goal since January, 2009, looked to have given Rovers victory until Tyrone Barnett nodded home a cross from centre-back Ryan Bennett, making his last appearance for Darren Ferguson’s side before joining Norwich.

Barnes struck a minute before the break when El Hadji-Diouf swung in a cross from the right and he rose above his marker to head down and home.

Barnett, out of Saunders’s price range, joined Posh on loan until the end of the season from Crawley last week and will complete a permanent move to London Road for a club-record fee of £1.1m in the summer.

The big striker, who was working as a delivery driver just two years ago, showed why Ferguson pushed the boat out to sign him with his bullet header in the second minute of stoppage time.

Former Wrexham chief Saunders said: “It happens in football doesn’t it, but obviously the whole dressing room is gutted. I thought we played really well first half, I think they had one shot. We’re missing chances every week and we had chances to make it 2-0 and we didn’t take them.

“Luck is just not with us at the minute, even with their goal David Button has touched it onto the post and it’s gone along the line and into the other side of the net.”

Doncaster Rovers: Button, Chimbonda, Martis, Beye, Spurr, Diouf (Hayter 85), Stock, Barnes, Gillett, Bagayoko (Oster 73), Bennett (Robert 80). Unused substitutes: O’Connor, Hird.

Peterborough United: Jones, Little, Bennett, Zakuani, Briggs, Taylor, McCann, Frecklington (Rowe 68), Boyd, Tomlin (Sinclair 57), Ball (Barnett 53). Unused substitutes: Lewis, Kearns.

Referee: E Ilderton (Tyne & Wear).

Man of the match: Tyrone Barnett.