Doncaster Rovers left frustrated as they pay the price for missed chances against Sutton United

League Two's in-form sides went head to head at the VBS Community Stadium with hosts Sutton coming out on top thanks to second-half goals from Coby Rowe and David Ajiboye.

Doncaster should have been defending the lead at that point but George Miller missed a sitter from close range at the start of the second period.

Just three minutes later Sutton went ahead before substitute Caolan Lavery missed a great chance to pull Rovers level.

Ajiboye wrapped up the win late on.

How it happened

Eight efforts at goal apiece underlined just how competitive the first half was.

Doncaster caused the hosts trouble with some quick passing and movement in the early stages and James Maxwell went close to opening the scoring when he met Miller's cutback inside the box only to see his goalbound effort blocked.

Rovers had a big penalty appeal waved away in the 15th minute when Kyle Hurst was clipped as he took the ball past a defender.

Perhaps to his detriment, however, the winger opted to stay on his feet and referee Darren Drysdale allowed play to continue.

Sutton started slow but almost opened the scoring through their captain Harry Beautyman with the afternoon's first effort on target after 21 minutes.

The ball fell kindly to Beautyman following a scramble for possession on the edge of Doncaster's box and his snapshot was palmed away by Jonathan Mitchell.

Ben Nelson and Tommy Rowe then put their bodies on the line to stop goalbound efforts following Will Randall's corner.

Charlie Lakin had Doncaster’s first effort on target when he tried his luck from outside the box with a half volley that was beaten away by Jack Rose in the home goal.

Seconds after the restart Miller should have ended a goal drought which now stretches 13 games when Maxwell presented him with a tap-in after delivering the ball low into the six-yard box.

But, as is often the case when your luck is out, Miller's effort from point-blank range was blocked by Rowe.

The defender then opened the scoring when he headed home from a corner after his centre-back partner Ben Goodliffe connected with the initial delivery to send the ball back across goal.

You couldn't help but feel Miller's missed chance was one of those 'moments' Schofield regularly references which can separate tight contests.

Doncaster were almost punished again when Joseph Olowu surrendered possession while trying to play out from the back and Will Randall sent a curling effort just wide of Mitchell's post.

Lavery replaced Luke Molyneux on the hour mark and should have equalised with his first touch when he connected with a cross into the box, but sent the ball over the bar.

There was to be no repeat of the late show that saved Doncaster's blushes in the return fixture back in August as Lavery's chance was the closest they came even with two strikers on the pitch.

Matt Gray’s side looked threatening on the counter-attack all afternoon and made it count in the 89th minute when Alistair Smith released David Ajiboye through on goal and he converted past Mitchell.

Three points now separate Doncaster from the top seven, with Sutton leapfrogging them into ninth.