Ex-Rover Hayter helps make Doncaster suffer

The striker headed his third goal since moving to Huish Park, netting from Reuben Reid’s cross just before the hour.

Doncaster sent on newcomer Iain Hume after falling behind but Yeovil substitute Gozie Ugwu, on for Hayter, clipped over the goalkeeper in the 84th minute to net what proved to be the winning goal. The visitors broke through when Billy Paynter forced home in stoppage time but it was too little, too late.

Rovers were looking to become the first side this season to beat leaders Yeovil and got underway with the same starting line-up on duty as in the 3-0 win at Walsall on the opening day at the season.

Rovers were the first to threaten but Chris Brown was well off-target from 25 yards. Yeovil’s former Sheffield Wednesday defender Richard Hinds then came off worst in a clash with David Syers and needed a lengthy spell of treatment before carrying on.

The home side showed in the opening half-hour why they are top but Rovers then enjoyed their first spell of sustained pressure and had several shots on target blocked in quick succession.

The 340 Rovers fans who had made the long journey will have hoped that Dean Saunders’s side would show more of a cutting edge after the interval and Rovers had claims for a penalty for handball rejected on 49 minutes.

But it was the unmarked Hayter who gave Yeovil the lead on 55 minutes, heading home from 10 yards after getting on the end of Reid’s wide cross on the right.

Ugwu, who had replaced Hayter on 79 minutes, put the game beyond Rovers’ reach when making it 2-0 seconds later.

Rovers pulled a goal back in stoppage time when Paynter hit the ball home from close range after getting on the end of David Cotterill’s cross.

Yeovil Town: Stech, Ayling, Hinds, Webster, McAllister, Marsh-Brown (Young 72), Blizzard, Upson, Foley, Hayter (Ugwu 79), Reid. Unused substitutes: Stewart, Ralph, Ince, Nkumu.

Doncaster Rovers: Gary Woods, Quinn, Rob Jones, McCombe, Spurr, Cotterill, Syers, Martin Woods (Husband 83), Bennett (Hume 60), Paynter, Brown (Harper 60). Unused substitutes: Sullivan, Martis, Blake, Keegan.

Referee: Dean Mohareb (Cheshire).

Man of the match: James Hayter.