Newcastle United ended their 10-game winless streak in the EFL Trophy at Doncaster with a 0-0 draw to take a point - only to then squander the extra point by losing on penalties.
However, the Papa John's encounter in South Yorkshire at least ended a miserable sequence of defeats in the competition. On a night in which Newcastle had chances to win it, Doncaster could be considered fortunate to be level at the end of 90 minutes.
But it was Rovers who kept their nerve in the shoot-out to hand Newcastle a tough lesson at the Eco-Power Stadium.
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Newcastle midfielder Joe White picked up a yellow card on five minutes for- a crunch challenge on Liam Ravenhill. A minute later summer signing Jude Smith was called into action between the posts as he twice kept Tavonga Kuleya out.
Doncaster made 10 changes to the side that beat Northampton Town 1-0 in League Two on Saturday. EFL clubs must field at least four regular senior players or face a fine of £5,000 from league officials. A wild Doncaster clearance on 12 minutes was blocked by Kyle Crossley with the ball subsequently clipping the bottom of the post and bouncing to safety.
Dylan Stephenson then did well to pinch the ball off his marker and progress down the right-hand side but he then blazed the ball high and wide. White won himself a free-kick from 25-yards on 26 minutes but then curled it straight at keeper Louis Jones.
Moments later, Kuleya was sent through down the left-hand side but he fired straight at Smith. White tried an audacious chip from inside the centre circle on 38 minutes but it wasn't troubling Jones at any stage.
United's best effort came on the stroke of half-time when Crossley struck an effort from 25-yards at Jones but the Donny stopper beat the ball away. There was still time for Jay Turner-Cooke to try to chip Jones with the keeper using the ball over the bar for a corner.
But ref James Oldham decided that was enough action for the first 45 minutes and blew for the interval with the score locked at 0-0. Newcastle had the best moments of a scrappy first half against the League Two team.
United's first chance of the second half came when Michael Ndiweni got free down the right but hit a harmless shot into the side netting three minutes after half-time. Rovers replied when Kyle Hurst saw an opening but sent an effort soaring over the top.
Doncaster won a free-kick mid-way through the second half with Luke Molyneux curling the ball into the box for Adam Long but the ex-Wigan man headed over the bar. Coach Dickman made a double change with 20 minutes to go with Lewis Miley and Josh Scott coming on to try to make a difference with White withdrawn along with Ndiweni.
Stephenson forced a good save from Jones with 14 minutes left as United searched for the breakthrough. As the clash drew to a close Molyneux's long range effort flashed over the top with six minutes to go.
Sub Miley got a sight of goal on 88 minutes but his low shot was blocked as Donny hung on. The game ended 0-0 with both teams securing a point.
Competition rules then state that ties go to penalties with the winner of the shoot-out getting an extra point. And so to the shoot-out...
Remi Savage went first and rolled it home sending the keeper the wrong way for 1-0. Doncaster's first taker was Kyle Hurst, and he tucked it past Smith to level.
Crossley made sure for Newcastle with a confident penalty for 2-1 but Charlie Seaman made it 2-2. Turner-Cooke then stepped up for United but after a little shimmy, his low kick was beaten away by Jones.
Doncaster went into the lead with Long applying the finish. Then Murphy blasted his kick against the post. And that left skipper Kieran Agard to slam home the crucial kick as Doncaster took the extra point to take a 4-2 win.
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