Liam Mandeville continued his red-hot form with two goals to fire Rovers to victory over Leyton Orient
Doncaster Rovers 3
(45+1 Houghton, Mandeville pen59, pen65)
Leyton Orient 1
(Kennedy 20)
Saturday, November 26
Keepmoat Stadium, Doncaster
Sky Bet League Two
Liam Mandeville continued his red-hot form with two goals to fire Rovers to victory over Leyton Orient.
A stunning free-kick from Callum Kennedy had put Orient into a first-half lead against the run of play, but Jordan Houghton's first goal for the club on the stroke of half-time started the fightback.
And Mandeville twice kept his nerve after the break to convert penalty kicks and seal all three points for Rovers.
Goalkeeper Marko Marosi had recovered from the eye problem that forced him off against Hartlepool United, but Ross Etheridge's finger complaint meant Louis Jones had to step up to the bench.
Rovers started well and controlled the opening possession, with Mathieu Baudry heading over from a James Coppinger corner after eight minutes.
Orient's Ollie Palmer failed to capitalise when he found himself in space in the area, then visiting keeper Alex Cisak pulled off two great saves to keep the score level.
The first was a point-blank header from John Marquis. A free-kick was played into the area by Jordan Houghton and headed into the No.9's path by Andy Butler, but Cisak was well positioned to claw it over the bar.
Rovers also went close from the resulting corner. Tommy Rowe met James Coppinger's deilver and flicked it onto the woodwork, then Butler's header also came crashing back off the bar.
Rovers were left to rue those missed opportunities almost immediately, when they were dispossesed at the back and conceded a free-kick. Orient left-back Kennedy stepped up to produce a sublime finish from 30
yards, sticking the ball in the top right corner and leaving Marosi with no chance.
Rovers pushed for the leveller, with Jordan Houghton immediately seeing a shot deflected wide.
Liam Mandeville went close on the half hour mark after the ball broke to him on the edge of the area. His chipped shot clipped the bar - the third time Rovers had been denied by the woodwork inside the opening 30 minutes.
Two minutes later and Coppinger saw a shot deflected by a great block from Tom Parkes.
The Rovers captain also put in a dangerous delivery after 38 minutes, which Rowe flicked just over the bar.
The equaliser did come just before the break, with Houghton drilling home in stoppage-time after a corner was not cleared effectively.
Coppinger almost put Rovers into the lead before the end of stoppage time, with a powerful effort whch went just wide.
Mandeville almost completed his hat-trick in stoppage-time, but could only direct his effort straight at Cisak,
HALF-TIME: Rovers 1 Leyton Orient 1
There were no changesa t the break, but Cisak had to be alert straight from the restart as Mandeville broke into the area and the visiting keeper turned it away at his near post. Coppinger fired wide moments later.
Rovers did go ahead just before the hour mark when Matty Blair was fouled in the area. The in-form Mandeville stepped up and calmly stuck the ball low past Cisak.
A second penalty after 65 minutes saw Rovers extend their lead. Rowe was the man brought down after a dangerous run into the are - he resisted the temptation to shoot, but was clipped as he tried to check back and create a better shooting angle.
Rovers had control of the match, but Marosi had to be alert after 75 minutes to palm away a shot from Paul McCallum, while Josh Koroma also fired over for the visitors.
FULL-TIME: Rovers 3 Leyton Orient 1
ROVERS | Marosi, Alcock, Baudry, Butler, Mason, Houghton, Blair, Rowe, Coppinger (C) (Beestin), Mandeville (Longbottom), Marquis. SUBS | Jones, Wright, Keegan, Evina, Calder.
ORIENT XI | Cisak, Kennedy, Parkes, Collins, Weir (C), Palmer (McCallum), Atangana, Semedo (Koroma), Pollock, Simpson, Judd. SUBS | Dunne, Bowery, Sargeant, Dalby, Jans. BOOKED | Atangana.
ATTENDANCE | 5,135 (366 away)