Carlisle United were unable to make further ground on League Two’s top three as they lost 2-1 at Doncaster.
The Blues had gone looking for a third successive win after victories over Bradford City and Crewe.
But they were second best for most of the game and only scored three minutes from the end.
Carlisle stay fourth but there are now a clutch of eight clubs behind them four points or less in arrears.
Rovers are now in that group as they claimed a second home victory in three days following the exciting 4-3 win over Rochdale.
Doncaster got off to the perfect start with a goal on five minutes. James Maxwell profited from a poor touch by Joel Senior and crashed home a low shot from a narrow angle.
The hosts almost doubled their lead midway through the half but when Ben Close tried to to chip Carlisle goalkeeper Tomas Holy he saw it strike the bar.
Carlisle did not produce the energy and desire that manager Paul Simpson had asked for and their only shot in the first-half was from Owen Moxon which glanced the outside of the post.
The shot tally did increase in the second half to seven, with two on target – including the goal – but they never won a corner in the whole game and did not threaten the home side as much as they should.
Doncaster had a chance to double their lead early in the second-half but Kyle Hurst put a follow-up shot over the bar after Holy had parried his first effort.
It was Hurst who did find the target on 67 minutes as he drilled in a cross from George Miller inside the box.
Kristian Dennis did grab a goal back for Carlisle in the 87th minute but at that stage it was too little, too late.
