Walsall 4 Doncaster Rovers 2: Two late goals fail to lift Rovers' spirits

Manager Darren Ferguson’s side were second best throughout as the rampant Saddlers condemned the visitors to an eighth game without a win.

Tommy Rowe grabbed the first of two late consolation goals for Rovers, slotting home from just inside the box when the hosts were already 4-0 up.

Niall Mason then converted a stoppage-time spot-kick for Rovers after Andy Boyle had been upended.

Rovers turned in a dreadful first-half performance on a freezing cold night at the Banks’s Stadium and were three down by half-time, with Joe Edwards notching twice.

The first goal came after 22 minutes, Edwards rising high to plant home a header from Nicky Devlin’s cross.

Two minutes later Edwards was perfectly placed to side-foot home a low cross from Justin Shaibu. Shortly before the break Kieron Morris took a touch before drilling clinically past Ian Lawlor.

Substitute James Coppinger almost bagged a goal, but in the 71st minute the Saddlers scored a fourth. Erhun Oztumer played in Amadou Bakayoko, and the Walsall substitute made no mistake from the edge of the box.

Walsall: Roberts, Devlin, Fitzwater, Guthrie, Leahy, Morris, Dobson, Chambers, Edwards (Cuvelier, 82), Oztumer (Ngoy, 78), Shaibu (Bakayoko, 60). Unused substitutes: Gillespie, Kinsella, Roberts, Kouhyar.

Doncaster Rovers: Lawlor, McCullough (Mason, 61), Boyle, Anderson, Houghton, Blair (Kiwomya, 61), Kongolo (Coppinger, 53), Whiteman, Rowe, Beestin, Marquis. Unused substitutes: Alcock, Marosi, May, Garratt.

Referee: John Brooks.