Doncaster Rovers academy kids shine on big night as they seal long overdue FA Youth Cup win

As per the rules of this competition the academy sides are more often than not granted the rare opportunity to play at the men's home ground and to that end the Rovers fanbase did their best to oblige. The West stand housed a healthy crowd thanks to free entry for season ticket holders and reduced pricing for those without and amid a good and hearty atmosphere, the home youngsters took an early and deserved lead.

Charlie Pinder made the breakthrough when he tapped in from close range after Alex Pavan's pull-back following good play down the left flank. Pavan then almost found the net himself with a wicked, long-range attempt that was clumsily pushed over the bar by Radcliffe's back-pedalling goalkeeper Trenton Lisett. The stopper was powerless on 34 minutes though, as Ashton Swales curled in a beauty of a strike from the right-hand side of the box.

Paul Green's side picked up where they left off after the restart and had a golden chance to add a third when Harry Glaves was felled in the box - only for Pavan to see his penalty kept out by Lisett's low save down to his left. They weren't to be denied for long though as Aaron Cashmore bundled in from a corner on the hour mark to effectively kill the tie with still more than half-an-hour left.

Sub Kaylen Thompson poked home a fourth from close-range before Radcliffe pulled back one when Kiemi Chamberlain’s strike went through the hands of the under-worked Harry Gardham in the home goal. Dylan Halford then made the scoreline a bit more respectable for the visitors when he tucked away a penalty right at the death but the game was long over as a contest by then.

Rovers: Gardham, Glaves, Cashmore, Middleton, Murray, Musgrave-Dore, Swales, Pavan, Pawlak, Pinder, Hodgett

Substitutes: Thompson, McKie, Harpham, Underwood, Potts.

Not used: Fender, Rawbotham.