Nicky Ajose's late strike handed Crawley their first ever League One away win at the expense of Doncaster.

Kyle McFadzean nodded wide from close range after the break for the visitors, and just minutes later did the same again but this time the ball went over.

Substitute Josh Simpson fired a good chance just wide moments after coming on for the Red Devils.

But Ajose steered in the winner late on when he got the slightest of touches on Simpson's well-hit shot.

VIEWS FROM THE DRESSING ROOM

Doncaster boss Dean Saunders told BBC Radio Sheffield:

"It was a tight and scrappy game and I think they'd have been happy with a draw.

"I thought the worst thing that would happen to us would be that we'd draw 0-0.

"We couldn't string passes together as we have been doing in our other games. A few of the lads looked a bit jaded."

Lineup, Bookings (2) & Substitutions (3)

Doncaster Rovers

  • 33 Woods
  • 02 Quinn
  • 05 Jones
  • 14 Spurr
  • 16 McCombe
  • 06 Syers
  • 07 Woods
  • 11 Cotterill
  • 23 Bennett
  • 08 Paynter
  • 09 Brown (Coppinger - 64' )

Substitutes

  • 01 Sullivan
  • 03 Husband
  • 20 Harper
  • 26 Coppinger
  • 30 Keegan
  • 10 Blake

Crawley Town

  • 01 Jones
  • 03 Sadler
  • 05 McFadzean
  • 13 Hunt Booked
  • 28 Davis (Simpson - 69' )
  • 06 Akpan
  • 08 Torres Booked
  • 16 Adams
  • 18 Cooper
  • 09 Alexander
  • 14 Ajose (Bulman - 90' )

Substitutes

  • 25 Kuipers
  • 04 Connolly
  • 07 Clarke
  • 11 Simpson
  • 15 Bulman
  • 22 Neilson
  • 10 Forte
Ref: Kettle
Att: 6,403

Match Stats

Shots

10 14

On target

2 4

Corners

5 2

Fouls

7 8

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +11:29

The referee blows his whistle to end the game.

90:00 +4:11 Full time

Full Time The match has reached full-time.

90:00 +3:28

Nicky Adams takes a shot. Gary Woods makes a save.

90:00 +1:36 Booking

Booking Sergio Torres is booked.

90:00 +0:47

Sergio Torres challenges James Coppinger unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by David Cotterill.

90:00 +0:26

David Cotterill decides to take a short corner.

89:00 Substitution

Substitution Dannie Bulman is brought on as a substitute for Nick Ajose.

89:00

Free kick awarded for a foul by David Hunt on David Cotterill.

89:00 Booking

Booking The referee shows David Hunt a yellow card.

86:58

Assist by Josh Simpson.

86:58 Goal scored

Goal - Nick Ajose - Doncaster 0 - 1 Crawley Nick Ajose grabs a goal from close range to the bottom right corner of the goal. Doncaster 0-1 Crawley Town.

86:10

Nick Ajose takes a shot. Blocked by Gary Woods.

83:14

Inswinging corner taken left-footed by Mat Sadler, Nick Ajose takes a shot. Clearance made by Rob Jones.

82:15

David Cotterill takes a shot.

79:38

Free kick awarded for a foul by Mat Sadler on Kyle Bennett. James Coppinger takes the free kick.

77:58

Free kick awarded for a foul by Kyle Bennett on Hope Akpan. David Hunt takes the direct free kick.

75:45

The ball is swung over by Martin Woods, Jamie McCombe has a header from close in and clears the crossbar.

73:49

Effort from the edge of the box by Josh Simpson goes wide of the left-hand post.

70:48

David Cotterill decides to take a short corner.

69:26

Unfair challenge on Martin Woods by Gary Alexander results in a free kick. Martin Woods restarts play with the free kick.

68:05 Substitution

Substitution Claude Davis leaves the field to be replaced by Josh Simpson.

64:30

Nicky Adams takes a inswinging corner from the left by-line to the near post, Kyle McFadzean has a headed effort from close in and clears the bar.

63:05 Substitution

Substitution James Coppinger comes on in place of Chris Brown.

61:12

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Sergio Torres by Chris Brown. The ball is swung over by Nicky Adams, Header from close range by Kyle McFadzean misses to the right of the target.

59:53

Nicky Adams crosses the ball, Gary Woods makes a comfortable save.

57:20

Kyle Bennett has an effort at goal from outside the penalty area missing to the wide left of the goal.

55:42

David Cotterill gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Mat Sadler. Paul Jones restarts play with the free kick.

54:58

Sergio Torres has shot on goal from just outside the penalty box which goes wide of the right-hand upright.

52:38

David Cotterill takes a shot. Paul Jones makes a save.

50:39

Jamie McCombe gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Nick Ajose. Strike on goal comes in from Nicky Adams from the free kick.

50:06

Shot by Kyle Bennett from a long way out goes over the target.

49:06

A cross is delivered by David Syers.

48:37

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on David Cotterill by Mat Sadler. Direct free kick taken by Gary Woods.

48:09

The ball is sent over by Sergio Torres, Tommy Spurr manages to make a clearance.

46:46

The offside flag is raised against Nick Ajose. Rob Jones restarts play with the free kick.

46:46

The official flags Nick Ajose offside. Rob Jones restarts play with the free kick.

45:32

Shot by David Hunt cleared the net.

45:01

The game restarts for the second half.

45:00 +1:05 Half time

Half Time The whistle is blown to end the first half.

45:00 +0:12

Effort on goal by Sergio Torres from just inside the box goes harmlessly over the target.

43:39

Close range header by Billy Paynter goes wide of the left-hand post.

42:55

The ball is swung over by Gary Alexander.

41:50

Shot by Nicky Adams from outside the box goes over the net.

38:09

Corner taken by David Cotterill, save by Paul Jones.

36:50

Martin Woods gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Shaun Cooper. Nicky Adams crosses the ball, Gary Alexander has a headed effort at goal from close in which goes wide of the left-hand upright.

36:11

Billy Paynter produces a right-footed shot from the edge of the box and misses to the right of the goal.

35:33

Kyle McFadzean has a headed effort at goal from close in which goes wide right of the goal.

30:55

Billy Paynter sends in a cross.

29:57

Nick Ajose fouled by Rob Jones, the ref awards a free kick. Nicky Adams crosses the ball in from the free kick, clearance by Gary Woods.

26:31

Corner taken right-footed by David Cotterill from the left by-line, clearance made by Paul Jones.

23:12

Unfair challenge on Billy Paynter by Kyle McFadzean results in a free kick. David Cotterill crosses the ball from the free kick right-footed from right channel.

23:12

Kyle McFadzean concedes a free kick for a foul on Billy Paynter. David Cotterill delivers the ball from the free kick right-footed from right channel.

20:47

David Cotterill delivers the ball.

19:12

The referee blows for offside. Paul Jones restarts play with the free kick.

17:24

Martin Woods has an effort at goal from just outside the box which goes wide of the left-hand post.

13:58

Foul by Kyle Bennett on Nicky Adams, free kick awarded. The free kick is swung in right-footed by Nicky Adams, Rob Jones manages to make a clearance.

13:06

Billy Paynter produces a volleyed left-footed shot from 6 yards. Paul Jones makes a save.

10:32

Nicky Adams challenges Kyle Bennett unfairly and gives away a free kick. David Cotterill restarts play with the free kick, Martin Woods takes the chance to get an effort at goal. Save made by Paul Jones.

0:43

Foul by Nicky Adams on Kyle Bennett, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Gary Woods.

8:39

Billy Paynter is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Paul Jones restarts play with the free kick.

0:43

Nicky Adams concedes a free kick for a foul on Kyle Bennett. Free kick taken by Gary Woods.

0:00

The ref blows the whistle to begin the match.

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