Lincoln City travelled to the Eco-Power Stadium for the first round of the Carabao Cup, where goals from Charlie Kendall, Ted Bishop, and Anthony Scully saw them cruise through as victors with a comfortable 3-0 win.
Doncaster and the Imps had one thing in common going into this game; both were undefeated this season with Lincoln on two points and the Rovers on four.
The Imps had not beaten Doncaster in their eight earlier meetings, taking them back all the way to 2004, over 18 years ago.
Carabao Cup action gave Mark Kennedy a chance to experiment with his Lincoln side, handing out three debuts and making five changes from the side which drew 0-0 with Pompey last Saturday.
Kick-Off
Lincoln started the game brightly having joy attacking down the left-hand side. Sean Roughan, who returned from loan at Drogheda United at the start of the season, played an incisive ball into Ted Bishop. Bishop then cut it back to Charley Kendall to put the Imps ahead in the 12th minute. The fairy-tale start in his first competitive outing as an Imp.
Lincoln’s high pressing proved too much for the South Yorkshire side to manage as the Imps continued to win the ball high up into the home team’s half.
On the 18th minute, Ted Bishop went close with a right-foot shot which looked destined for the top right corner as it narrowly flew wide.
Doncaster was forced into an early change on the 33rd minute as Ro-Shaun Williams replaced Joseph Olowu because of an injury.
There were more injury concerns for the Lincoln side, as Adam Jackson was forced off on the 44th minute and replaced by Regan Poole. Jackson, who missed the majority of last season through injury, had his first start this season cut short.
Half-Time – Doncaster Rovers 0-1 Lincoln City
Lincoln started the second half energetically. On the 47th minute, Max Sanders broke down a Rovers attack and played a simple five-yard pass to Bishop. From his own half, Bishop got his head down and drove at the Rovers’ defence before burying it home to send the Imps supporters into raptures.
Doncaster fans had truly little to shout about and as Lee Tomlins’ left-footed shot on the 51st minute was straight at Carl Rushworth; it left the home fans more disgruntled.
Chris Maguire, who was said not to be part of Kennedys’ plans at Lincoln, looked set to score as Scully slotted him in. Maguire forced an impressive save from Jonathan Mitchell before Scully capitalised on the rebound to put Lincoln three goals ahead on the 61st minute.
Lincoln continued to dominate the game with more success down the left-hand side of the pitch. Roughan found Kendall with a great delivery into the box who marginally missed the target.
Doncaster, searching for a consolation goal, pushed Rushworth into making another fine save as he caught a distanced strike from Kyle Hurst.
The away end was booming with noise and led by no other than Lewis Montsma. The Dutch defender, who is injured for the foreseeable future, was seen in the away end leading chants to support his teammates.
Full-Time – Doncaster Rovers 0-3 Lincoln City
Lincoln ran out comfortable victors in the end booking their place in the 2nd round of the Carabao Cup where they will play Barrow away from home, on the week commencing 23rd of August.
It was a night for upsets in the Cup as all nine Championship teams that played lower-league opposition were knocked out of the competition.
Before Kennedy can look to Barrow his focus must switch back to the league as they host newly promoted side Forest Green Rovers and look to get their first league victory of the season.