A thrilling game at the Keepmoat Stadium saw a last minute Liam Mandeville goal grab all three points for the home side.
Doncaster Rovers 2 (Marquis 23, Mandeville 90)
Hartlepool United 1 (Amond 40pen)
Saturday, November 19
Keepmoat Stadium, Doncaster
Sky Bet League Two
John Marquis’ opening goal in the 23rd minute was cancelled out by a Padraig Amond penalty in the 40th. It wasn't until the 90th minute of the match that Rovers were able to find the breakthrough, but a brilliant move saw Mandeville knock the ball into the back of the net to claim the victory.
The home side started strongly, carving out chance after chance. The first came in the 11th minute, when a sweeping Marquis shot from just outside the area was routinely gathered by Trevor Carson in goal.
Moments later, Mandeville attempted to play Marquis in but the final ball was hit just too hard for the latter to latch on to.
There were yet more nervy moments to come for the visitors, as a slip from Carson at a crucial moment let James Coppinger have a crack at goal, but the Rovers captain could only manage to win a corner for his side.
In the 22nd minute, injury struck as goalkeeper Marko Marosi pulled up and was unable to continue the match, being replaced by Ross Etheridge.
Etheridge was almost immediately put under pressure, as Amond pounced on a miss hit ball and forced the shot stopper into a save.
However, in barely a blink of an eye, Rovers had raced down the length of the pitch on a counter attack, and Marquis headed home from a Coppinger cross to put Rovers into the lead.
Hearts were in mouths in the 38th minute at Etheridge completely missed a high ball into the box, but Coppinger was on hand to mop things up.
Hearts were in mouths in the 38th minute at Etheridge completely missed a high ball into the box, but Coppinger was on hand to mop things up.
Barely a minute later, Mathieu Baudry was adjudged to have brought down Amond in the box, and the visitors were awarded a penalty which the striker duly converted to level the score just before the break.
HALF-TIME: Rovers 1 Hartlepool United 1
Pools started the second half well, with goalscorer Amond coming close to doubling his tally but for a neat collection from Etheridge in the 46th minute.
In the 57th minute, Coppinger set up Marquis brilliantly with a square ball across the face of goal, but a clinical tackle from Jordan Richards managed to prevent him from getting on the scoreboard.
Coppinger took things into his own hands moments later as he stung Carson’s gloves with a rocket of a shot, but could not find the back of the net even as the rebound fell to him once more.
Marquis came close to finding the winner in the 66th minute, but his shot from outside the box went just over the crossbar.
A bending shot from Nicky Deverdics curled dangerously around the far post in the 75th minute but otherwise did not trouble Etheridge.
With 10 minutes left on the clock, Marquis picked out Mandeville in the box, but the latter couldn’t control the pass and the ball was scrambled away by the Pool defence.
An aerial challenge involving John Marquis and Aristote Nsiala sparked a pitch wide argument in the 87th minute after which Nsiala was booked.
In the 90th minute of the match, Marquis darted in on goal and played in Mandeville beautifully, who knocked the ball into the back of the net before reeling away in celebration.
FULL-TIME: Rovers 2 Hartlepool United 1
ROVERS | Marosi (Etheridge, 22), Alcock, Baudry, Butler, Mason, Houghton, Blair, Rowe, Coppinger (C) (Keegan, 90), Mandeville, Marquis.
SUBS NOT USED | Wright, Beestin, Longbottom, Evina, Garratt.
BOOKED | Marquis (86)
POOLS | Carson, Carroll, Featherstone (C), Bates, Amond, Alessandra (Paynter, 82), Deverdics (Jones, 88), Hawkins (Woods, 63), Richards, Nsiala, Laurent.
SUBS NOT USED |Oates, Bartlett, Orrell, Harrison.
BOOKED | Nsiala (86)
ATTENDANCE | 5009 (661 away)