Rovers hit for six

Doncaster Rovers alarming decline in form continued when they were comprehensively beaten by Ipswich Town 6-0 at the Keepmoat Stadium.

Rovers boss Sean O`Driscoll made a number of changes from the side beaten by Portsmouth at the weekend.

O`Driscoll was without both club captain Brian Stock and leading goalscorer Billy Sharp both through injury.

Matt Kilgallon dropped to the bench after coming back from injury at the weekend.

Despite going into the game on the back of the weekends defeat to Portsmouth, Doncaster started brightly with Joseph Mills enjoying plenty of possession down the Ipswich left.

Ipswich had the first shot on target when Gary Woods saved from Connor Wickham.

Jason Scotland was next to have a chance but his shot went well over the bar.

John Oster had Rovers first real sight of goal but his shot from the edge of the area went just wide of the post.

Jimmy Bullard then went close for the visitors when his shot went just wide for a corner after taking a deflection.

Ipswich took the lead on 25 minutes when Sam Hird put through his own goal after a shot from Gareth McAuley.

The visitors were now beginning to enjoy plenty of possession and they won another corner when Jason Scotland saw his shot deflected wide.

Ipswich doubled the lead on 33 minutes when Lee Martin found Colin Healy who made no mistake.

James Chambers almost brought Rovers back into the game a few minutes later but his deflected shot went just wide of the post.

It was 3-0 before half time when Gary Woods could only parry a Healy shot and Connor Wickham followed up to score.

James Coppinger tried to get Rovers some sort of foothold into the game before half time but his shot was easy for Marton Fulop in the Ipswich goal.

Mills then missed a good chance for Rovers when he headed wide following a Coppinger cross.

It was the last action of a very disappointing first half for Rovers.

Rovers had a good early chance at the start of the second half but Keegan`s effort went just wide of the post.

Mark Wilson was next to try his luck for Rovers but his effort also failed to trouble the Ipswich goal.

Connor Wickham got his second of the evening on the hour following an Ipswich corner, when he volleyed in from inside the penalty area.

It was soon 5-0; Bullard`s free kick found McAuley at the back post who headed past Woods.

Connor Wickham almost completed his hat trick when his header forced a good save from Woods.

Ryan Burge replaced Dean Shiels with just over twenty minutes remaining to make his Rovers debut.

Paul Keegan almost got Rovers a late consolation goal when his shot was straight at Fulop.

Thomas then thought he`d scored for Rovers when it looked like Fulop had carried the ball over the line but nothing was given by referee Mark Halsey.

Ipswich were awarded a penalty in the last minute of normal time when Sam Hird brought down Connor Wickham.

Wickham beat Woods in the Rovers goal from the spot to complete his hat trick.

The full time whistle soon followed to end a disastrous night for Rovers.

Teams

Doncaster
G. Woods, O`Connor, Chambers (Thomas 46), Hird, Mills, Oster, Wilson, Keegan, Friend, Shiels (Burge 69), Coppinger

Substitutes not used
Sullivan, Kilgallon, Webster, Grayson, Souza

Ipswich
Fulop, McAuley, Delaney, Leadbitter (Peters 79), Edwards, Healy, Martin (Drury 63), Bullard, Kennedy, Wickham, Scotland (Priskin 77)

Substitutes not used
Lee-Barrett, Smith, O`Dea,

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