Alex Kiwomya and Tom Anderson scored their first goals for Rovers as in a dominant 3-0 win over Fleetwood Town.
Kiwomya’s early opener was followed up by two strikes from defender Anderson, as Rovers convincingly beat the Cod Army at the Keepmoat Stadium.
It was the home side who made the brighter start to the game, as Luke McCullough saw the ball bounce at his feet.
Ashley Hunter ran past everyone down the left-hand side before cutting onto his right foot, but he could only curl just wide of Marko Marosi’s near post.
It wouldn’t be long before the game’s opening goal did come about, and it was one that greatly received by all around the Keepmoat Stadium.
James Coppinger and John Marquis linked up well down the left, allowing Marquis to slide the ball across for Kiwomya.
Kiwomya, on his first start since signing back in the summer, squeezed the ball underneath Alex Cairns, under pressure from Eastham, to hand the home side the lead.
The visitors went on the attack immediately after conceding, and with their next attempt on goal, they went very close to getting back on level terms.
A corner from Kevin O’Connor was cleared by the Rovers defence, but only out as far as Hunter, who was waiting for the ball to drop on the edge of the box, but the winger could only flash his volley just wide.
Rovers took control after this, with Alfie Beestin next to try his luck, as he collected the ball from Marquis to shoot from just outside the area, but his strike was straight at Cairns.
Just a minute later, Beestin went close again, collecting an inch-perfect through ball from McCullough, and as he looked to chip over the on-rushing Cairns, the former Leeds United stopper got a finger tip to it to put it behind from a corner.
The second goal that Rovers did threaten did eventually come though, albeit through an unlikely source.
Anderson was dragged down on the edge of the area from one free-kick to earn Rovers another, with Marquis stepping up to strike the set-piece.
His free-kick was parried by Cairns but only into the path of Anderson, who stabbed home for his first goal and to double the hosts’ lead.
Rovers did have one last chance before the break to extend their lead even further, with their next effort coming via a set-piece routine once again.
A foul on Beestin on the right-hand side saw Coppinger float the free-kick towards the back post, with Andy Boyle looking to get in on the act.
The Preston loanee’s diving header looked destined to fly into the near corner, but Cairns got down superbly to deny the Irishman his first Rovers goal.
Rovers came out firing after the interval, and with their first meaningful attack of the half, it was very nearly three.
Good work by McCullough and Coppinger on the right saw the captain cut inside and fed the ball through for Beestin, but he could only strike the base of the post from just inside the area.
From Rovers next attack though came a well-deserved third, with the home side capitalising on some poor Fleetwood defending.
Toumani Diagouraga’s foul on Beestin 25 yards out saw Coppinger strike a free-kick straight at the wall, but the ball found it’s way to Rowe on the right, who cut back onto his left foot and crossed into the box.
Rowe’s ball in was met by the diving Anderson, who headed past Cairns for his second of the game, giving the hosts a three-goal lead just before the hour.
Fleetwood did start to come back into the game shortly after, with half-time substitutes Conor McAleny and Jordy Hiwula linking up for their first chance of the half.
McAleny’s chipped ball found its way through to Hiwula, and with his low strike looking destined for the corner, Marosi got down brilliantly to tip the ball away from danger.
From the resulting corner, the ball was cleared out by the Rovers’ defence once again, but the ball fell to Lewis Coyle on the edge of the area.
His curling effort looked like it might head for the far corner, but Niall Mason was there to head the ball behind for another Town corner.
Rovers held firm and were good value for their first win of the calendar year, and they will now look to build on that as they travel across South Yorkshire to face Rotherham United next Saturday.