Graham Attenborough's side were hoping to record back-to-back victories for the first time since May at Brumby Hall.

But chasing a modest 147 for victory the visitors crumbled to 126 all out - leaving the Town Fields club languishing in the bottom half of the ECB Yorkshire Premier League.

Persistent rain on Friday meant 40 overs were lost from the match as each innings was reduced to 35 overs a side. And when play finally got underway the hosts, who were put into bat, quickly adopted a slow and sensible approach against Town's all seam attack.

Rob Day (28), Carl Taylor (26) and opener Rob Dewey (22) were the main contributors as Appleby scored at a rate of approximately four runs per over to post 146 for 8.

Pakistan paceman Kashif Raza, whose regular new ball partner Attenborough was prevented from bowling because of injury, was the pick for Town, finishing with figures of 5-57 from 18 overs.

In reply the visitors were on the back foot from the outset as Taylor quickly removed opening pair Amit Kundra and Chris Cusack.

When run machine Andrew Parkin-Coates was caught and bowled by all-rounder Naveed Sayeed for 19, it was left to youngster Luke Townsend to steady the ship.

Townsend played superbly for his 48 but as wickets continued to fall around him Town's hopes of victory faded before they were eventually dismissed for 126 with three overs remaining.

Doncaster have now dropped to ninth in the Yorkshire League standings - their lowest position of the season.

However, only eight points separate them from Hull in fourth spot.

Town face a fixture double this weekend as second-placed Scarborough visit Town Fields on Saturday before Attenborough's men travel to Sheffield Collegiate the next day.

Both games start at midday.

* Town qualified for Finals Day in the inaugural South Yorkshire Twenty20 Cup by beating hosts Sheffield United on Monday night.

Chris Cusack top scored with 27 as the visitors posted 140 for 8 before United could only reach 127 for 9.

Dominic McGough and James Redfern each took two wickets, while Kashif Raza bowled his first three overs for just four runs to stem United's chase.

Town will join Treeton, Rotherham Town and either Sheffield Collegiate or Elsecar in Finals Day at Bawtry Road on Sunday 27 July.