Doncaster Rovers and Yeovil Town had both struggled since their promotion to the Championship heading into tonight's meeting at the Keepmoat Stadium.
Paul Dickov's side established an 11th-minute lead when Dean Furman, who was part of the South Africa team that beat Spain in midweek, continued a memorable few days by scoring his first goal of the season.
However, bottom-of-the-table Yeovil responded very well and netted a deserved equaliser when former Rovers defender Byron Webster swept a knockdown from Shane Duffy home just prior to the break.
Furman was dismissed for a second booking on 80 minutes, but Donny snatched a winning goal three minutes after going a man down when Mark Duffy squeezed a free kick in at Chris Dunn's near post.
Below, you can read how Doncaster moved five points clear of the relegation zone in Yorkshire.
Evening, all. Doncaster and Yeovil met twice in League One last term, but tonight they are battling for Championship points as they search for a win which will help them in their early-season struggles.
Between them, these two newly-promoted sides have won just five games and scored 21 goals in their 29 league matches. Is it too early in the campaign to describe this as a 'six-pointer'?
Team news coming your way shortly. Doncaster may feel that they have the ace in the pack having secured the services of Manchester United striker Federico Macheda on another month's loan.
DONCASTER: Turnbull; Quinn, Khumalo, McCullough, Wabara; Cotterill, Duffy, Wellens, Furman; Robinson, Macheda
SUBS: Maxted, Paynter, Wakefield, De Val, Coppinger, Peterson, Finnegan
YEOVIL: Dunn; Ayling, Webster, Duffy, McAllister; Ralls, Edwards, Upson, Fyvie, Grant; Hoskins
SUBS: Dawson, Hayter, Foley, Stewart, Fontaine, Davis, Madden
So, Macheda, who has scored three goals in five games since joining Donny temporarily from the Red Devils, starts up front for the hosts, and is partnered by Theo Robinson.
Chris Brown, who has an ankle problem, drops out of the Rovers squad, as does Paul Keegan, with Welsh international David Cotterill restored in midfield to give Donny a greater attacking threat.
Apart from those two alterations, Paul Dickov names the same XI that he selected for the goalless draw with Barnsley before the international break, with Bongani Khumalo fit to play at centre-back.
For Yeovil, there is a debut between the posts for Chris Dunn, after Reading goalkeeper Stuart Taylor, signed on loan earlier this week, returned to the Madjeski Stadium for personal reasons.
Dunn was signed on a free transfer from Coventry City in the summer, but has yet to play for the Somerset outfit, who had Wolves loanee Wayne Hennessey in goal for their last 12 games.
Glovers boss Gary Johnson resists the temptation to name either of his top two goalscorers from last season, Paddy Madden or James Hayter, in his starting XI as he sticks with just one striker.
Sam Hoskins is recalled to perform the lone forward role and is joined in the Yeovil side by Ed Upson, who returns from suspension, and Wigan Athletic loan midfielder Fraser Fyvie.
Kevin Dawson and Sam Foley drop out of the Yeovil starting lineup, which will soon be coming out of the Keepmoat Stadium tunnel, with only around 10 minutes until kickoff in Yorkshire.
Yeovil may be bottom of the table, but this game is probably more important for Doncaster, who have home advantage and need to be winning these sort of matches if they are to avoid relegation.
This game marks the start of a new era for Rovers, with the chairman that oversaw their rise from the non league to the Championship, John Ryan, having stood down from his position last week.
He felt that the club needed bigger investment if it was to continue its climb up the Football League pyramid, but considering results so far this term, most Donny fans will be looking down at present.
PREDICTION: But things can change quickly in this game, particularly in this division! A couple of wins and suddenly Donny could be in the top half, and I expect them to start a potential run like that with a victory tonight. I'll plump for 2-0 to Rovers, with Macheda on the scoresheet.
Here we go then. Yeovil, in their changed strip, get us underway...
Donny are patient in possession in midfield before Wabara, who had got forward from left-back, is clattered from behind by former Rovers defender Byron Webster. Free kick to the hosts.
Rovers took the set piece quickly, switching the play to the right-hand side. It eventually comes to Mark Duffy, who runs across the edge of the box only to screw his low shot several yards wide.
SHOT! Duffy controls a throw-in on his chest and then cleverly rolls Upson before aiming a shot for the far corner, which is blocked by the head of his namesake, Shane, and behind.
Lovely passing from Donny on the left flank, with Duffy at the centre of it. He is found by Furman in the box, and waits for the run of Wellens, only for his pass to be cut out by Fyvie's stretching leg.
GOAL! DONCASTER 1-0 YEOVIL (DEAN FURMAN)
Doncaster's early possession yields a breakthrough, but it is partially gifted to them by Fyvie, whose slack pass was intercepted by Duffy. He travels with the ball, and then slides in Macheda, who made a clever run across him. It is all set for the Italian to try and chip the outrushing goalkeeper, but instead he gets his head up and squares for Furman to sweep the ball into an empty net.
What a few days Furman is having! He was part of the South Africa team that beat World and European champions Spain in the week, and he has now bagged his first goal of the season!
His international teammate Khumalo is in the thick of the action here, as he appears to shove his hand fairly forcefully into the stomach of Webster while the two were tangling prior to a corner.
Khumalo gets away unpunished, but Doncaster nearly don't from the set piece. Webster climbs above the Spurs loanee and heads across goal, with Turnbull and Furman nearly getting themselves into a right mess at the far post, where the Rovers keeper punched the ball away in panic.
SHOT! A couple more corners follow for the Glovers, who are enjoying their best spell in the game so far as Ralls bends a left-footed shot a few yards high of Turnbull's far post.
Jamie McAllister requires treatment for a head injury after he clashes in the air with Khumalo, who then accidentally lands on the Yeovil defender's head as he followed McAllister to the floor.
With the recent controversies surrounding head injuries, Yeovil understandably and sensibly take their time, deciding to give the Scot two minutes on the touchline to see if he's okay to continue.
BOOKING: Hoskins telegraphs a Wabara pass and then embarks on a forward run which is quickly halted by the backtracking Furman, who tugs him back and gets a caution for his troubles.
SHOT! From the resultant free kick, Fyvie tries to sneak a shot under the wall, rather than go over it, but connects weakly with his strike, which is easily gathered by Turnbull.
SUBSTITUTION: That proves to by Fyvie's last contribution of the evening. He sports a bemused and frustrated look as Johnson swaps him for Kevin Dawson, seemingly for tactical reasons.
CHANCE: Shane Duffy comes forward for a planned long throw, which is in-fact taken short. He stays forward, though, and then gets on the end of a Ralls cross, glancing a header straight at Turnbull.
Donny attack for the first time in 10 minutes, as Duffy breaks from midfield. He has Macheda to his left, but instead attempts to find Robinson in the other direction, only for McAllister to intercept.
SUBSTITUTION: Rovers are forced into a second change before the break, with McAllister unable to continue. It appears to be a problem with his shoulder and not his head thankfully. His collar bone must have taken the full weight of the falling Khumalo. Liam Davis is on in his place.
A nervous moment for Doncaster, as Turbull spills a Ralls cross into the danger area, but, thankfully for the hosts, to a red and white shirt. Ayling delivered deep to the back post for Ralls to cushion it back across the six-yard box for Grant, who nearly pounced before McCullough cleared.
GOAL! DONCASTER 1-1 YEOVIL (BYRON WEBSTER)
Yeovil grab a deserved equaliser before the break, and it is their former Donny man Webster who has got it! The Glovers deliver a free kick from the left byline to the back post, where Duffy climbs brilliantly to head across goal for Webster to power the knockdown through Turnbull and Khumalo on the line!
More good stuff from the visitors, as Grant slips in Dawson behind the Doncaster left-back. His cross is into a fantastic area, but just in front of Hoskins, who is squeezed out of contention.
BLOCK! Cotterill's cross from the right is inadvertently flicked on to Quinn 15 yards out, and he strikes cleanly first time towards the bottom corner, only for Edwards to get himself in the way.
HALF-TIME: DONCASTER 1-1 YEOVIL
What a good response that was from the Championship's bottom side. Doncaster quickly put them on the back foot and took an early lead through Dean Furman, but from the 20 minute mark onwards, Yeovil started to provide an attacking threat and fully deserved their equaliser.
STATS: Webster's strike for the Glovers was just their 10th Championship goal of the season. It came from one of their three shots on target during the first period, which was two more than Donny had. The hosts have had slightly more of the ball, though, having enjoyed 53% possession.
BENCH WATCH: Donny and Yeovil have struggled to find the net this season, but have proven and experienced Football League goalscorers such as Billy Paynter and James Hayter on the respective benches. They will likely be called upon later in the action if the scores are still level.
We are back underway at the Keepmoat Stadium...
Yeovil seem keen to maintain the intensity and purpose with which they finished the first half as they press the ball relentlessly. Edwards is penalised, though, for charging into Furman.
Turnbull launches a punt forward to Robinson, who wins the header but only succeeds in flicking it on to Yeovil stopper Dunn. The fact that Donny have stopped playing the passing game championed by manager Paul Dickov shows just how well the visitors have done to unsettle them this last half-an-hour.
Yeovil skipper Jamie McAllister, substituted in the first half with a shoulder problem, is watching the second period from the stands with his arm in a sling. I say watching, he is paying most of his attention to his phone. Seemingly, it is not his Angry Birds hand that is restricted by the sling.
SAVE! Duffy holds off the challenges of Edwards and Dawson on the left edge of the box before laying the ball off for Quinn to unleash a powerful low drive, which Dunn holds well.
SAVE! Dunn proves that he has safe hands again by gathering a bouncing Duffy free kick which had taken a slight deflection off Glovers full-back Ayling on its way through to goal.
BOOKING: Wabara, who was in-fact not booked earlier for the tug on Hoskins- that was Furman - slides in needlessly on Edwards on the right touchline and picks up a silly yellow card. The ball was already out of play and he could gain absolutely nothing from that challenge.
SHOT! Davis, who has been asked to fill in at left-back in McAllister's absence, shows why he is a midfielder by trade with some good attacking play. He superbly turns away from Khumalo on the edge of the box and fires a thumping shot towards the roof of the net, which Turnbull punches away.
SAVE! Turnbull is called into action once more and this time produces a fine diving stop. Hoskins cut inside from the left and shaped to bend one inside the far corner before changing his mind and firing towards the near post, where Turnbull got down low to display his good reactions.
PENALTY APPEAL! James Coppinger, who had only just been brought onto the field in place of the quiet Cotterill, thinks he should have a spot kick when he goes to the floor after tangling with Davis. There was no contact, though, with the experienced substitute throwing himself to ground and referee Stuart Atwell making the right decision by not falling for his antics.
SUBSTITUTION: Hoskins concedes a free kick, and picks up a yellow card for a foul on Furman, which allows Donny to make their second change in quick succession. It's a straight swap in attack, as Paynter replaces Theo Robinson to provide them with a more physical presence up top.
BLOCK! Rovers are certainly on the back foot at the moment as the Glovers fashion another opening. Grant runs at Quinn on the left side of the area and then pulls the ball back for Upson, Yeovil's top goalscorer with four this term, to poke towards the near post, where Khumalo blocks with his feet.
SUBSTITUTION: Madden will have to wait longer for his first Championship goal as Yeovil introduce James Hayter as their final sub of the evening, with Hoskins making way in a straight swap.
CHANCE! What a glorious opportunity for Wellens to put Doncaster ahead again! Coppinger, whose been lively since coming on, chips a ball into the box which the Rovers skipper flicks on to the back post, where Duffy turns it back into the centre of the area. Wellens is completely unmarked, but absolutely scuffs the bouncing ball from 10 yards out, and his effort dribbles into the hands of Dunn.
CHANCE! Donny have looked most dangerous when Macheda and Duffy have combined, and they do so here as the United loanee cuts in from the right and releases Duffy on the left edge of the box. He tries to curl a side-footed finish beyond Dunn, but doesn't get it quite right and hits it straight at him.
RED CARD! There have been some strong tackles in this last 10 minutes, and FURMAN is caught up in the physicality of the game as he lunges in late and forcefully on Upson in the middle of the park. Referee Atwell has no choice but to show him a second booking and point him down the tunnel.
GOAL! DONCASTER 2-1 YEOVIL (MARK DUFFY)
Three minutes after going a man behind, Donny go a goal in front and it is their best player Duffy who has restored what at this stage is likely to be a winning lead! Rovers have a free kick just the other side of the left edge of the area, and Glovers keeper Dunn is expecting a cross. For the first time tonight, though, he is caught out of position as Duffy surprises him with a curling shot which sneaks in at the near post. Really clever thinking from the winger, who has been Donny's man of the match for sure.
SUBSTITUTION: Dickov makes a defensive-minded change which he hopes will help his side hang on to their newly-earned advantage. Striker Macheda is sacrificed for debutante midfielder Marc De Val Fernandez, who seems to have been instructed to fill in for Furman and sit in front of the back four.
McCullough gives away a daft free kick on the right touchline for shoving Edwards to the floor. Yeovil have a chance to throw bodies into the box, but Turnbull comes off his line to claim the cross.
SAVE! In the first of FOUR minutes of stoppage time, Grant shows some more excellent hold up play before laying the ball off for Dawson to stand up a cross. Hayter flicks it towards the far corner, but Turnbull dives across to get two hands to it and make a smart catch.
CHANCE! Yeovil are throwing the kitchen sink at Donny, and they create a fantastic chance for an equaliser! The ball comes across a crowded box to Ralls, who may have been put off by Upson's sliding attempt to make contact with the cross, as he slices a shot some distance over the crossbar.
Doncaster win a free kick in their own box. This will be a great opportunity for them to wind the clock down. If they can get the ball upfield, and then keep it there, three crucial points are there's.
FULL-TIME: DONCASTER 2-1 YEOVIL
What a massive victory that is for Paul Dickov's men, who survive the late dismissal of Dean Furman to pinch a late winner against their fellow Championship strugglers at the Keepmoat Stadium.
The South African midfielder had earlier given the hosts an 11th-minute lead, which was cancelled out when former Donny defender Byron Webster deservedly levelled proceedings before the interval. Furman was shown a second yellow for an 80th-minute lunge on Ed Upson, but Mark Duffy secured Rovers the points three minutes later by capping his man-of-the-match performance with the winning goal.
Doncaster climb three Championship places to 18th, nine points clear of Yeovil, who remain rock bottom. There were plenty of positives for Gary Johnson to take back to Somerset, but no points.
That's it from me for this evening, where Donny claimed three vital points which may help them climb away from relegation trouble. Thanks for joining Sports Mole tonight. Until next time...
Written by
Joe Fish
Joe Fish
