Doncaster Rovers 0 Carlisle 2: Rovers’ coronation thoughts curtailed by Noble’s double

That was to toast the old Division Three title, back on May 8, 2004, when Rovers enjoyed an end-of-season party to savour while their Cumbrian visitors contemplated life out of the Football League following an inauspicious relegation.

Fast forward to last night when League One leaders Rovers had hopes of a win to set up the possibility of them cracking open the bubbly this weekend – to celebrate annexing the League One title.

Such aspirations were well and truly scuppered by Greg Abbott’s side, courtesy of a double from Liam Noble, who prevented them from taking a giant step to the title.

While there was a huge element of good fortune about the midfielder’s deflected free-kick opener 10 minutes before the break – which took a wicked deflection off the defensive wall – there was nothing fortuitous about his second, a screaming long-range strike which flew past Gary Woods four minutes from time.

Rovers went into the game mindful that victory over Carlisle, if complemented by a weekend win over Crewe Alexandra, could have seen them celebrating not just promotion, but the title – if other results went for them.

Which they certainly did last night, with promotion rivals Sheffield United and Swindon Town both losing, but Brian Flynn’s troops were left to rue a real missed opportunity.

The big victors on the night were second-placed Bournemouth, now just two points behind Doncaster having played the same amount of games, and third-placed Yeovil and Brentford, in fourth.

Uwe Rosler’s Bees can move within four points of Rovers – against whom they play on the final day of the season at Griffin Park – if they win at Crewe this evening, with a game in hand to boot.

Rovers had their opportunities last night against the Cumbrians, but could not find the net as Carlisle donned the guise of South Yorkshire spoilers for the second time in just over a week to dash the silverware-chasers’ hopes of a weekend party.

No one suffered more than Chris Brown – who played in the famous game against the Brunton Park outfit at Rovers’ old home back in 2004 in his first spell at the club – with the frontman hitting the bar twice in the second half.

Rovers’ chief Flynn had spoken about continuity of selection in the build-up to kick-off and proved as good as his word, picking the same starting line-up for the third match running.

With their fears of relegation all but extinguished, Carlisle had little pressure resting on their shoulders and were free to express themselves, with all the expectation on the hosts.

With Andy Welsh and ex-Sheffield Wednesday player Jon-Paul McGovern supporting centre forward Lee Miller, the Cumbrian club’s line-up hinted at adventure, but it was Rovers who set the early tempo without creating substantive chances, the visitors adopting a containment policy.

A cleanly-hit volley on the turn from Kyle Bennett which flashed wide was the best they could muster in the opening 20 minutes before seriously testing the mettle of visiting goalkeeper Mark Gillespie via an unlikely source in Andy Griffin.

The veteran defender, still awaiting his maiden strike for Rovers and without a goal in over three and a half years since September 2009, went desperately close on 25 minutes with his blistering low drive blocked by Gillespie.

But after bringing little to the table, aside from a wind-assisted free-kick from Jordan Mustoe which flew over, United stunned the expectant Keepmoat crowd by taking the lead in lucky fashion 10 minutes later.

Noble’s well-struck free-kick, awarded after captain Rob Jones fouled former Huddersfield Town midfielder James Berrett, took a big deflection to loop over Woods.

It was cruel on Rovers, who had monopolised possession in the first period, but could not get behind the Cumbrian side’s defence on too many occasions, and that pattern was to continue on the restart.

After the interval, Rovers pressed, with Bennett firing over before Brown was within inches of an equaliser when he crashed a close-range header against the bar after a spell of home pressure.

The forward suffered anguish again on 67 minutes when he hit the woodwork with an instinctive shot, with the perception that it might just not be Rovers’ night inescapable.

At the other end, Carlisle knocked on wood themselves to almost double their tally when Welsh’s dipping cross caught out Woods and hit the bar before Jamie McCombe blocked an effort from Berrett on the line as the visitors sought a killer second goal on the break.

The hardy band of visiting supporters who had made the long midweek trip to South Yorkshire did not have long to wait for the clincher, thanks to an exquisite 25-yard effort from Noble – the prelude for many among the home support to head for the exit doors.

Those that stayed did show defiance with a chorus of ‘We are top of the league’, but all told it was a seriously disappointing and frustrating night for Rovers and an opportunity lost with their hopes of clinching a return to the Championship at the first time of asking placed on hold.

[email protected]

Doncaster Rovers: G Woods; Griffin (Husband 87), McCombe, Jones, Spurr; Bennett (Paynter 64), Lundstram, Furman, Cotterill; Coppinger (Hume 77); Brown. Unused substitutes: Sullivan, Howieson, Wakefield, Harper.

Carlisle United: Gillespie; Potts, Livesey, O’Hanlon, Mustoe; Berrett, Thirlwell (Cadamarteri 63), Noble; McGovern, Miller, Welsh. Unused substitutes: Collin, Edwards, Murphy, Loy, Manset, Beck.

Referee: A Woolmer (Northants).