Doncaster moved into the top half of the Championship table with a comfortable 2-1 win over Watford.
Rovers earn win with O'Driscoll at the helm
Doncaster moved into the top half of the Championship table with a comfortable 2-1 win over Watford at the Keepmoat Stadium.
With Rovers manager Sean O'Driscoll strongly linked with the job at Burnley this week, Doncaster proved what a bright future they could have under their current boss.
Dean Shiels opened the scoring for the home side four minutes after half-time before Gareth Roberts secured the three points.
Heidar Helguson converted a penalty in injury-time, but it was not enough for the Hornets as they slumped to defeat.
The win sees Rovers climb above Watford in the table and harbour realistic hopes of a play-off push in the second half of the season, while Watford were left to contemplate five league games without a win.
This was Doncaster's first match since Boxing Day and they were keen to ensure any cobwebs were blown away as they started the game quickly, creating several chances in the opening 10 minutes.
James Coppinger fired in a shot that deflected off Billy Sharp's knee and was well saved by Scott Loach, before Shiels dragged his shot wide from a good position.
Denied
Loach then produced a fine stretching save to deny Shiels and keep the scores level and again he was called into action to turn over Coppinger's cross-shot.
After all their first-half pressure and opportunities, Rovers will have been disappointed to go into the interval level.
But within four minutes of the restart, they finally took the lead their play had deserved.
A fine passing move culminated in Shiels passing the ball to Coppinger and the midfielder delightfully back-heeled the ball back into the path of Shiels, who curled home past Loach and into the bottom corner.
Watford tried to up the ante and Henri Lansbury brought Neil Sullivan into action for the first time in the game when the veteran stopper had to tip over a curling effort. Helguson could not connect properly with a header from the resulting corner.
Pressure
The Hornets were cranking up the pressure and Sullivan produced a fine save to deny substitute Will Hoskins by getting down well at the near post.
Whilst Watford were searching for a leveller, Doncaster's quick and incisive passing made them dangerous on the break and the Hornets were indebted to Loach for keeping them in the game.
The impressive Shiels broke quickly and got a shot away, which was superbly saved by the England Under-21 stopper and he again denied Sharp by grasping his snap-shot.
But Rovers put the game to bed soon after when they forced a corner, where Roberts was allowed to slam home with seven minutes remaining.
Watford did ensure that the hosts would have a nervy couple of minutes when Helguson dinked home from the penalty spot after Sam Hird had fouled Hoskins.
