Rochdale 1 Doncaster Rovers 3: Doncaster shake off early setback to win

Former Barnsley midfielder Matty Done gave Rochdale the lead eight minutes in. Full-back Rhys Bennett chipped the ball over and Done nipped in unheeded by the visitors’ defence to plant home a diving header.

Rovers took time to settle but once they had gained a deserved equaliser, although they had to wait until the final minite before the break, they took charge.

Richie Wellens, Reece Wabara, James Coppinger and Nathan Tyson were all involved in a move which freed Kyle Bennett who raced into the area and threaded a shot through a crowded box and into the bottom corner of the net.

Done was dismissed 10 minutes after the interval for a dangerous tackle on Coppinger.

Rovers began to apply pressure, but a number of chances were created and missed before late strikes from Robinson and Curtis Main secured victory.

Robinson found space unmarked six yards out to meet a corner and head Rovers into a lead which was quickly doubled when Main backheeled the ball beyond Conrad Logan.

“We got off to the worst possible start, conceding, and then after that I thought the boys were fantastic,” said Dickov.

“Even when it was 11 versus 11, we played football, we created.

“We had as many chances as I could remember in a game and it would have been a crying shame if we hadn’t won the game.”

Rochdale: C Logan, Bennett, Lancashire, Eastham, Rose (Tanser 46), Lund, Allen, Noble-Lazarus, Dawson, Done, Andrew (Rafferty 68). Unused substitutes: Lillis, Hery, Muldoon, Cannon, Hasler-Cregg.

Doncaster Rovers: Johnstone, Wabara, McCullough, Butler, Stevens, Coppinger (Forrester 55), Keegan (Robinson 84), Wellens, Bennett, Main, Tyson (Jack McKay 90).

Unused substitutes: Furman, Marosi, Wakefield, De Val Fernandez.

Referee: J Simpson (Lancashire).