Joe Ironside was the hero for the visitors as his late penalty proved decisive as Doncaster beat Swindon 2-1 at the County Ground.

Defender Joseph Olowu opened the scoring in the tie as he headed home at the back post from a brilliant Luke Molyneux corner which put Rovers ahead.

Swindon then responded against the run of play to level the tie thanks to a cross from Longelo that found Harry Smith.

But it was not meant to be as the away side took all three points when a handball in the box gave Ironside the opportunity to stop up and score a penalty in stoppage time.

Mark Kennedy made one change from the side that beat Cheltenham, with Joel Cotterill taking the place of Nnamdi Ofoborh in midfield.

Multiple first-team members returned to the matchday squad as Aaron Drinan, Jack Bycroft and Kabongo Tshimanga came back into the team.

The most notable comeback, however, was Harry Smith who had not appeared since September after illness and suspension.

It was an open first 10 minutes with both teams having a fair share of half-chances. In the 13th minute, Swindon had their best chance of the game so far as Daniel Butterworth went short with a free-kick which opened up a shooting opportunity for Paul Glatzel, but his effort was blocked at the near post.

After many half-chances for both sides, Doncaster was the team who found themselves closest to the opener. In the 31st minute, A dangerous corner by the away side was an easy claim for Town goalkeeper Daniel Barden but the ball slipped out of hands mid-air which allowed Rovers defender Olowu to have an effort at goal but Joel McGregor dealt with the danger and cleared it off the line.

The Robins were trying their best to break the deadlock and they might have done on another day as George Cox’s looped ball found Gavin Kilkenny in good space at the back post. The midfielder then went down under pressure from an opposition defender but referee Craig Hicks waved off the penalty claims as the first half ended with no goals.

Town made two changes at the break replacing Cox and Glatzel with Smith and Rosaire Longelo as Kennedy looked to make his side suit the profile of the game more as they needed the presence up top.

Miguel Freckleton lost the ball in a dangerous area which almost caused trouble for the hosts but Will Wright helped diffuse a nervy situation with a great stop as Town were still trying to settle into the second half.

Barden had some work to do for the first time in the tie as Jordan Gibson shot at goal from 25 yards out but the Town keeper did well to get down low and push it away for a corner. But the pressure continued just a few minutes later as veteran striker Billy Sharp had a chance from a tight angle, but the Norwich loanee was equal to the shot and turned it away for another corner.

The following corner is where Doncaster found the breakthrough as a dangerous ball from winger Luke Molyneux found Olowu at the far post. The defender rose highest and turned the ball in from close range to open the scoring which dented Town’s chances in the game.

Swindon struggled to adapt to the second 45 and lost their fluidity and struggled in the buildup. The change in style thanks to the arrivals of Tshimanga and Smith did not work at the start in the ways Kennedy may have hoped

Doncaster had Swindon under pressure for large amounts of the second half but against the run of play, it was suddenly game on. Substitute Longelo fired a low cross into the box and goalkeeper Teddy Sharman-Lowe got a slight touch on it but Smith slid in and levelled the game with 75 minutes of the clock which left the away side frustrated with how they were not still in the lead.

The goal had changed the game massively and had injected life into the Robins and they used this momentum to take charge in the tie but could not make their mark and take a surprise lead.

As the game entered the final stages, Doncaster had settled and created a few chances in hope of stealing the three points at the County Ground. The arrival of wingback Jamie Sterry off the bench for the visitors was a mark of intent as they wanted to push on and keep their second place.

As the clock reached the 93rd minute, any hopes of the hosts ending the game with a point slimmed massively. Defender Freckleton was penalized for a handball offence and Rovers had an opportunity to win the game from the spot.

Joe Ironside was the man to step up for the South Yorkshire side and slammed the ball into the bottom left corner from 12 yards out and sent Barden the wrong way to take all the points for the away side to continue their fine form.

STFC Starting XI: Barden, Sobowale, Wright, Freckleton, Kilkenny, Cotterill, Clarke, Butterworth, Glatzel, Cox, McGregor

STFC Substitutes: Bycroft, Delaney, Ofoborh, Smith, Longelo, Tshimanga, Drinan

DRFC Starting XI: Sharman-Lowe, Olowu, McGrath, Bailey, Molyneux, Gibson, Broadbent, Clifton, Kelly, Sharp, Ironside

DRFC Substitutes: Lawlor, Sterry, Maxwell, Sbarra, Yeboah, Hurst, Close

Attendance: 6837 (449 Away)