Coventry City 1 Doncaster Rovers 0
FEARS of relegation are still lingering after Rovers blew the chance to move closer to safety.
No team reaching a total of 53 points has been relegated from the Championship in the last ten years and victory against mid-table rivals Coventry would have pushed Doncaster to within a point of the golden target.
But a rare howler from veteran keeper Neil Sullivan condemned Rovers to a third successive defeat.
It means they remain on 49 points and within touching distance of clinching another season in the second tier of English football.
Rovers took time to settle into their normal fluid style of play as Coventry enjoyed the better of the opening exchanges and the home side grabbed what proved to be the winner in the 20th minute.
Sullivan charged out of his goal to meet a hopeful punt from the Coventry defence near his corner flag but crucially failed to find touch as he planted a poor clearance straight to David Bell.
The Coventry midfielder had plenty of work to do but brilliantly fired back into the empty net from 40 yards to the delight of the home fans.
Doncaster worked hard to find a way back into the match and enjoyed plenty of possession as the game switched from end to end.
But they were denied twice before the break by Coventry keeper Keiren Westwood, who repelled efforts from John Spicer and Richie Wellens.
Rovers' superb run in the New Year forced recent signing Dean Shiels to wait patiently for his chance but the former Hibernian forward impressed in his first start – frightening the Coventry backline with his pace.
And their reluctance to challenge him in the penalty area almost led to a Rovers equaliser early in the second half when Shiels waltzed into the danger zone before seeing his shot blocked by Westwood.
Doncaster threw plenty forward as they looked to salvage something from the game and even Sullivan ventured into the Coventry box for three injury time corners.
But the former Scotland keeper was unable to redeem himself as Rovers crashed to defeat on their first trip to the Ricoh Stadium.
Rovers: Sullivan, Chambers, Mills, Lockwood, Roberts (Hird 89), Spicer, Wilson (Fairhurst 84), Wellens, Woods, Shiels, Heffernan (Hayter 74). Subs (not used): O'Connor, Van Nieuwstadt, Hird.
Referee: Richard Beeby (Northamptonshire)
Attendance: 18,498.
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Weather for Doncaster
Sunday 05 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 2 C to 6 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: -0 C to 5 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North west
