Hull City 1 Doncaster Rovers 2: Poacher George Miller puts down frustratingly toothless Tigers

But there was a twist in this League Cup first-round tie.

It was Championship Hull City who made an art-form of the ineffective backwards and sideways passing which became a Rovers hallmark under Danny Schofield, and the visitors who won 2-1.

The home fans in a 6,577 crowd soon bored of it and Liam Rosenior had poured on all five substitutes before Tommy Rowe became Doncaster's first change.

The pre-match plotlines were about Grant McCann taking on his old club but ex-Rovers player Jason Lokilo caught the eye by virtue of providing the incision his team-mates sorely lacked.

Otherwise it was a story of centre-forwards giving their managers a nudge and George Miller delivered the most goals, scoring twice.

Lokilo, who was with Doncaster in 2020-21, was making his Hull debut following his free transfer move from Sparta Rotterdam (after a loan spell in Turkey which no doubt caught the eye of the Tigers' hierarchy) and of all the players in two much-changed sides, it was the 24-year-old who caught the eye, playing the first half on the right, the second more quietly on the left.

Rosenior has been keen to inject more pace into his Hull squad this season, and Lokilo certainly has that, a good outlet wide but willing to sprint through the middle as well.

His ability to break the lines was behind Hull taking the lead after three minutes, Ian Lawlor spreading himself twice to deny him, only for the ball to drop for Oscar Estupinan to convert.

In the early stages it looked very much like a Championship side at home to League Two opposition, Hull dictating the flow. It lacked Championship incision, though, and the longer it did, the more restless the Hull fans became.

The Tigers were happy to invite the press by tapping the ball around at the back and Rovers more than willing to accept... except when Matt Ingram had it.

McCann knows Ingram well from his time as Hull manager and was content to leave the goalkeeper be, satisfied the Tigers' No 1 is no Ederson. With little movement in front of him as the two sides cancelled each other out in 4-4-2s, it led to some excruciating pregnant pauses as Ingram waited for a black and amber shirt to run free and Doncaster just waited.

A goalkeeper more confident with his feet is on Rosenior's shopping list.

In the opening quarter of an hour it looked like being a comfortable home win. When Adama Traore, forming a central midfield two with Xavier Simons, released Lokilo only for his pull-back to evade everyone it seemed a second was only a matter of time.

Instead it came Doncaster's way.

Like Estupinan, Miller was his team’s main man up front when fit last season, but summer signings have put that under threat. Like the Colombian he showed poacher's instincts.

When a shot from Miller's strike partner Luke Molyneux fell into his path, the former Barnsley forward dispatched it, and suddenly a contest broke out.

Ruben Vinagre, playing behind Brandon Fleming on Hull's left, had to put a ball behind after Molyneux rolled it across the goal when a sneeze, never mind a touch, could have put it in.

Lokilo continued to threaten – heading back a free-kick to be glanced wide, having a shot blocked by Tom Anderson and nearly getting on the end of a good give-and-go with Traore – but so did Molyneux, only a good Sean McLoughlin interception stopping him finding Miller.

Doncaster ended the half with Ingram denying Miller from close range and seeing a corner flash across his goal without a touch.

Lawlor started the second half with a good save from Estupinan but his team fed off the home fans' frustration, Ayodeji Sotona shooting over after cutting inside, then Harrison Biggins having a second go after he and Molyneux had shots blocked. Miller diverted the well-struck effort in after 62 minutes.

Hull had a chance to equalise in the 89th-minute when Regan Slater played Ozan Tufan in with a clever free-kick, only for Lawlor to save, and a glorious on in the third added minute, only for Estupinan to head Vaughan Covil’s ball over.

Hull CIty: Ingram; Christie (Coyle 70), Smith, McLoughlin, Vinagre (Covil 46); Lokilo, Traore (Slater 57), Simons, Fleming (Tufan 70); Estupinan, Connolly (Delap 57). Unused substitutes: Greaves, Jones, Lo-Tutala, Sandat.

Doncaster Rovers: Lawlor; Bailey, Olowu, Anderson, Maxwell; Sotona (Westbrooke 78), Broadbent (Rowe 70), Biggins, Roberts; Molyneux, Miller (Ironside 85). Unused substitutes: Brown, Long, Senior, Griffiths, Faulkner, Watson.

Referee: S Mather (Atherton).