Doncaster 1 Leeds 2: Nunez hits double as Leeds stun dominant Doncaster

Considering the struggles Doncaster Rovers have endured this season in the Championship, it was perhaps an understandable sentiment from a manager who has been besieged by injuries for much of 2011.

Following the hugely impressive performance of Doncaster last night, however, O’Driscoll may well consider last night to have been a useful exercise in terms of getting the club’s season up and running.

Okay, Leeds may have prevailed courtesy of two truly stunning finishes from Ramon Nunez, who in the process took his tally of goals in the competition this term to four from just two starts.

But surely even the 3,320 visiting fans who made up more than a third of the 8,505 crowd would accept that United were not the best side. In fact, had Paul Rachubka not had such an impressive debut in the visitors’ goal, it is highly likely that it would have been Rovers looking forward to the third round draw and not Leeds.

Certainly, there was plenty to build on in the quest to get off the bottom of the Championship on a night when Doncaster were so dominant in the opening half hour that United assistant manager Glynn Snodin was twice forced to leave his usual vantage point at the back of the main stand and head to the dug-out.

Once there, the former Rovers favourite then had plenty to say when in discussion with Simon Grayson and it is highly unlikely that any of it was positive.

Snodin’s desire to pass on his thoughts was understandable with Leeds having looked a pale shadow of the side that had so impressed when drawing 2-2 at West Ham just two days earlier.

Doncaster, in contrast, were passing the ball slickly and with confidence to make a mockery of their struggles to date in the league. It helped that they had enjoyed a dream start.

With just 119 seconds on the clock, James Hayter showed the predatory instinct that proved to be United’s undoing at Wembley in the 2008 League One play-off final by nipping in front of his marker to turn a drilled cross from Giles Barnes into the net.

Buoyed by going ahead, Doncaster assumed control and with steadier finishing could have put the tie beyond their West Yorkshire visitors.

Richard Naylor, playing against his former club for the first time since leaving Elland Road in the summer, was the first to waste an excellent opening when he headed straight at Andy O’Brien despite being picked out unmarked by Barnes.

It was a let-off for Leeds but a warning they failed to heed as Kyle Bennett then robbed Jonny Howson of possession in midfield before racing forward and unleashing a shot that Rachubka did well to turn behind.

The United goalkeeper followed that by saving smartly from Simon Gillett before the midfielder then released Bennett with a sublime pass.

With just Rachubka to beat and the rest of the United defence trailing in his wake, Bennett should then have done a lot better than shoot against a post.

Snodin had seen enough, the miss prompting his first dash to the dug-out.

Whatever was said, Leeds did improve after Nunez moved into what basically amounted to a free role behind the front two.

The switch paid dividends almost straight away when Andy Keogh headed a long clearance by Rachubka towards the Honduran international.

Then, with Rovers’ defence caught flat-footed for the first time all evening, Nunez unleashed a stunning drive that Gary Woods did not have a hope of keeping out.

Being pegged back after such a dominant half-hour must have been hard for O’Driscoll’s side to take. But, credit to Doncaster, they continued to play the more enterprising football and it took a fine Rachubka save to keep out a firm downward header from Hayter two minutes into the second half.

Sam Hird then had a penalty appeal turned down after Howson blocked the former Leeds trainee’s shot before Bennett fired over after a mazy run.

Grayson’s response was to bring on Max Gradel and it took the Ivory Coast international just a couple of minutes to fashion his first opening with a strong run and shot that flew just over the crossbar.

Rovers then almost snatched a second when Rachubka misjudged Mark Wilson’s shot, the United goalkeeper being relieved to see the ball bounce wide after squirming from his grasp.

It was a big let-off for the visitors and one they duly took advantage of with just seven minutes remaining.

Once again, it was Nunez who supplied a truly stunning finish from 15 yards out to send the travelling army of fans into raptures.

Even then, though, there was still time for Rovers to go within a whisker of netting a deserved equaliser when Bennett drilled a shot against the post.

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Doncaster Rovers: Woods;Hird, Naylor (O’Connor 66), Friend, Spurr; Dumbuya, Barnes (Wilson 69), Gillett (Stock 86), Oster; Bennett; Hayter. Unused substitutes: Sullivan, Radford, Martis, Baxendale.

Leeds United: Rachubka; Connolly, O’Brien (Kisnorbo 76), O’Dea, White (Taylor 59); Sam, Howson, Thompson, Nunez; McCormack (Gradel 64), Keogh. Unused substitutes: Lonergan, Clayton, Snodgrass, Turner.

Referee: M Brown (East Yorkshire).