Doncaster Rovers net late winner against 10-man Chesterfield to advance to the third round

Stuart Brennan
BBC Sport England

Jack Senior struck in the last minute of normal time to put Doncaster Rovers into the draw for the third round of the FA Cup with a win over 10-man Chesterfield.

The 28-year-old only scored his first goal for Rovers in his 74th club appearance on Tuesday, also against the Spireites in a 5-1 EFL Trophy thrashing, but he quickly added his second after going on as a substitute at the SMH Group Stadium.

League Two side Chesterfield had taken the lead through Northern Ireland international Lee Bonis's seventh goal of the season but Owen Bailey headed home within three minutes to level.

The Spireites were up against it after veteran midfielder John Fleck was sent off for a late challenge on Bailey five minutes after going on as a substitute, and Senior capitalised on late pressure to win it for the away side.

Chesterfield, who famously reached the semi-finals in 1997, threatened to produce an upset against a team from 16 places, and a division, higher, after goalkeeper Zach Hemming denied Jordan Gibson with a one-on-one save in a frenetic first half.

Bonis opened the scoring, snapping up the rebound after Kyle McFadzean had lofted a half-cleared corner back into the area and, when it was headed to the edge of the box, Liam Mandeville crashed in a fierce volley which was parried by Thimothee Lo-Tutala in the Rovers goal.

The celebrations had barely died down when the visitors were level as Luke Molyneux delivered a perfect cross from the right and their top scorer Bailey headed in his eighth goal of the season, meaning he has already equalled his career-best tally before the halfway point of the season.

The game turned on the hour when Scotland international and ex-Sheffield United man Fleck raked his studs down Bailey and was shown a straight red card.

Doncaster pressed for the winner, Jamie Sterry twice going close, before Jay McGrath slid a sharp through-ball down the right side of the Spireites defence and Senior fired his shot between Hemming and his near post.

Roberts: 'The game has changed on a decision'

McCann: 'An excellent finish to win us the game'

Player of the match

L. Molyneux
8.00
1 Z. Hemming
5.00
7 L. Mandeville
4.33
9 W. Grigg
4.20
11 D. Duffy
3.40
10 L. Bonis
3.40
4 T. Naylor
3.20
3 A. Lewis
3.20
19 L. Gordon
3.00
6 K. McFadzean
3.00
30 D. Tanton
3.00
8 R. Stirk
3.00
24 D. Markanday
3.00
22 C. Dunkley
2.80
27 R. Darcy
2.80
13 J. Fleck
2.60
Back to team tabs

After the opportunity to rate players has closed, the score displayed represents the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport users.

Related topics