Maturing Doncaster Rovers delight boss Fergie

Two divisions divided the sides last term, but Doncaster showed how far they have progressed with an impressive second-half display.

John Marquis grabbed the opener, pouncing on a poor back pass, before James Coppinger netted from the penalty spot, after the Rovers captain was brought down by Charlie Mulgrew.

A calamitous goalkeeping error gifted a third goal to substitute Alfie May, meaning Dominic Samuel’s late goal was of little consolation.

Ferguson said: “I thought we deserved the victory, our performance was a mature and solid one. We had to be disciplined about what we did, both on and off the ball. There was a real maturity about the team, every player knew what they were doing. The players look confident and fit.

“In the first half they didn’t cause us too many problems, both sides kept the ball well without too many chances for either team and we were clinical in the second half.

“I know there were a couple of mistakes, but you have still got to punish them.

“It was quite a tactical first half, but once the first goal went in we were very clinical.

“But I’ve no doubt Blackburn will be right up there because the quality will come through, but we knew we could cause them problems and we did.”

Blackburn: Raya, Nyambe, Ward, Mulgrew, Caddis (Dack 57), Smallwood, Evans, Williams (Gladwin 65), Bennett, Whittingham (Samuel 57), Graham. Unused substitutes: Feeney, Chapman, Leutwiler, Doyle.

Doncaster: Lawlor, Mason, Wright, Butler, Andrew, Blair, Whiteman, Coppinger (Kongolo 84), Rowe, Marquis, Mandeville (May 63). Unused substitutes: Ben Khemis, Alcock, Williams, Marosi, Garrett.

Referee: D Webb (County Durham).