Doncaster brush aside struggling Carlisle to boost top-three bid

Doncaster powered to a 3-0 win over relegation-threatened Carlisle to keep their League Two automatic promotion hopes firmly in their own hands.

Goals from Owen Bailey, Jordan Gibson and Harry Clifton gave Rovers a deserved triumph and condemned Carlisle to a damaging defeat which leaves them nine points from safety with only seven games remaining.

Carlisle were arguably the better side in the early stages but Doncaster took the lead after 36 minutes when Bailey squeezed a shot under Gabriel Breeze following good work from Gibson.

Rovers took command in the second half with Gibson extending their lead in the 68th minute when he rolled the ball into the bottom corner after cutting inside against his former club.

Clifton put the game out of sight moments after coming off the bench in the 73rd minute when he met a pass from Bailey and sidefooted in.

The result sees Doncaster sit a point outside the automatic promotion places, with a game in hand over their rivals.