Rovers had to settle for a point after Accrington after being pegged back in the closing stages.
Doncaster Rovers 2
(Rowe 20, Marquis 58)
Accrington Stanley 2
(McCarten 4, Edwards 81)
Saturday February 25, 2017
Keepmoat Stadium
Sky Bet League Two
Rovers had to settle for a point after Accrington after being pegged back in the closing Darren Ferguson made two changes, bringing Harry Middleton in to sit at the back of the midfield diamond in place of the injured Jordan Houghton and Alfie May handed his first start after his goalscoring cameo on Saturday.
Rovers fell behind early on, with the visitors ahead from their first chance after four minutes. Seamus McCarten broke free down the right and slotted a low effort into the far corner past Ian Lawlor.
Rovers were not too disheartened by the early goal, with a vital interception preventing James Coppinger playing Alfie May through.
But, with 10 minutes gone, there ws a reminder that Rovers had to keep focus after an Andy Butler clearance was picked up by Billy Kee - but the Stanley man blasted his effort over.
Chances then came quickly for Rovers, with Rodak getting down well to stop a John Marquis cross - after good work from Rowe and Niall Mason - after 10 minutes and a James Coppinger corner well cleared.
May had his first opportunity when Marquis picked him out with a low pull-back from the left, the forward took the ball down well and composed himself, but was his effort was cleared as three defenders got back to crowd him out.
The equaliser came after 19 minutes. Rovers broke well down the right, with Conor Grant's low effort stabbed home by Rowe at the second attempt after Rodak had blocked his first.
Rodak again did well to deny Coppinger, as he made himself big to deny the Rovers captain's attempted dink.
Scott Brown lashed one over for Stanley from distance, but the home side enjoyed most of the possession and chances.
Coppinger again went close with a free-kick which landed just wide of Rodak's right-hand post, while Matty Blair fired a late chance over.
HALF-TIME | Rovers 1 Accrington Stanley 1
The visitors made one change at the break, with Noor Husin coming on in place of Sean Clare.
Stanley survived an early scare when a goalmouth scramble came to nothing, while a Marquis volley after 53 minutes went wide.
Home keeper Lawlor had to be alert after 55 minutes to turn away a McCarten effort from distance which looked destined for a top corner.
Rovers took the lead with just over half an hour to go. Matty Blair intercepted the ball on the right and fed Coppinger. His deep cross was flicked on by May into the path of Marquis, who advanced on
Rodak with purpose before slotting the ball home.
Rommy Boco's cross from the right after 65 minutes caused real danger and came off the woodwork, but Rovers survived.
Rowe went close to his second of the game after 77 minutes when he got on the end of a near-post cross from Coppinger, but his flicked effort went just wide.
Coppinger almost got on the scoresheet himself after 79 minutes, beating a couple of men before firing wide.
It was his last contribution to the game, coming off for Mathieu Baudry. Alfie May also came off, with Williams coming on for the final 10 minutes.
Williams almost got a goal within seconds of coming on when Rowe burst down the left before chipping the ball in, but Williams' cushioned header went just wide.
Stanley drew level against the run of play. A free-kick from Jordan Clark found Matty Pearson, who nodded it back across the area for substitute Jonny Edwards to turn it home.
Rowe had a brilliant chance to restore the lead with three minutes to go after Williams found him with a perfectly-weighted cross which cut out the home defence. Rowe slotted the ball past Rodak, but it rolled agonisingly wide of the far post.
FULL-TIME: Rovers 2 Accrington Stanley 2
ROVERS | Lawlor, Mason, Alcock, Butler, Rowe, Blair, Middleton, Grant, Coppinger (C) (Baudry), May (Williams), Marquis. ROVERS SUBS | Etheridge, Keegan, Evina, McSheffrey, Longbottom. BOOKED | Mason.
STANLEY XI | Rodak, Pearson, Hughes, Clark, Brown (Edwards), McCarten, Clare (Husin), Boco (Shaw), Conneely (C), Kee, Rodgers. STANLEY SUBS | Chapman, Davies, Sykes, Gornell. BOOKED | McCarten, Hughes, Pearson.
ATTENDANCE | 5,272 (231 away)