Five-goal Doncaster ease past FC United of Manchester in FA Cup first round

Posted Sunday, November 08, 2020 by PA

Sky Bet League One Doncaster cruised into the FA Cup second round as they brushed aside Northern Premier League side FC United of Manchester 5-1.

Currently, 97 league places separate the two sides in the football pyramid, and it showed on Saturday evening.

Doncaster, with Andy Butler in charge due to manager Darren Moore’s enforced self-isolation, bossed the opening period at Broadhurst Park.

Fejiri Okenabirhie struck after 13 minutes, easily converting Brad Halliday’s low cross.

Halliday was again the provider eight minutes later as skipper Ben Whiteman fired past former Wigan goalkeeper Dan Lavercombe.

The part-timers then halved the deficit as Regan Linney confidently beat Louis Jones from 15 yards after pouncing on a slip by Rovers defender Reece James.

The visitors made it 3-1 after 33 minutes when Josh Sims cut in from the left before firing home from inside the box.

Shortly before the break Doncaster made it four when Whiteman chested the ball down for veteran James Coppinger, and he slotted past Lavercombe via a slight deflection.

Sims completed his brace to make it 5-1 five minutes after the restart as he drove in off the crossbar from 18 yards, again via a deflection.

Rovers substitute Cameron John headed against the crossbar with nine minutes to go, before Michael Fowler fired inches wide at the other end.