Ian Henderson marked his record-breaking 532nd appearance with a goal that gave Dale a half-time lead, but four goals after the break gave Rovers the win and passage through to the knockout stages.
Henderson captained the side on a special evening for the Club legend, whilst Bryant Bilongo, Sam Beckwith and Jamie Paterson all started for Dale.
The visitors started brightly, and Sam Waller had to make a one-on-one save from Brandon Hanlan, but it wouldn’t take long for Henderson to mark his special night with a goal.
Zain Silcott-Duberry’s high press saw him win the ball back, keeping it in play by pulling it back into the middle of the area, where Henderson slotted home from close range.
Sam Sherring made an important block from Harry Clifton’s shot inside the Dale area, before Henderson almost made it two.
Silcott-Duberry sent a stunning diagonal ball over the defence to the Dale number 40, who produced a sublime first touch to set himself, before crashing a shot off the crossbar.
Bayley McCann headed over from a central area for Doncaster, before Dale began to turn the screw ahead of half-time.
Paterson flicked an effort narrowly wide of the near post from a corner and also saw a shot from the edge of the area deflected inches over, before Henderson headed over Luke Hannant’s cross and side-footed a Glenn Middleton pass off target.
After the break, the visitors again started the half well, as Clifton forced a strong one-handed save from Waller.
However, there was nothing Waller could do to prevent the equaliser. Kaiden Wilson looked as though he was pushed to ground in the Dale area, but when the referee waved away claims for a foul, Doncaster squared for Alfie May centrally, who simply converted from close range.
Another close-range goal put Rovers ahead just after the half-hour mark, when Brandon Hanlan slid in to convert another pull back.
Dale threatened to pull level as Henderson sent aa header wide and Charlie Tasker fired over from range.
However, a third Doncaster goal from Owen Bailey, converting a rebound after his own header from a corner was saved by Waller, followed by a fourth from Isaac Hutchinson, put the game to bed.
Dale XI | Waller, Wilson, Silcott-Duberry, Francis, Hannant, Sherring (40’ Flint), Bilongo (46’ Gilmour), Beckwith (30’ Tasker), Paterson (46’ Adeeko), Henderson ©, Middleton (46’ Hayes).
Unused subs | Spaven, Ebanks-Landell.
Scorers | 15’ Henderson.
Doncaster Rovers | Clarke, McGrath, Hanlan (78’ Adelakun), Clifton (78’ Hutchinson), Nixon, Keane (4’ May), Robinson, Gotts ©, Senior, McCann (46’ Thomas), Grehan (46’ Bailey).
Unused subs | Simkin, Broadbent.
Scorers | 54’ May, 62’ Hanlan, 88’ Bailey, 90+2’ Hutchinson.
Attendance | 645 (202 away).
