The budding partnership key to Doncaster Rovers' impressive win over Crawley Town

The deadly duo both scored for the second successive game as they set each other up to help Rovers secure a dominant 2-0 win at home to League Two's joint-leaders before kick-off.

A perfect response to Saturday's defeat at Barrow also saw Doncaster earn their third clean sheet of the season against a team who had scored at least three goals in each of their last six games.

Crawley came into the clash off the back of four straight wins and, unsurprisingly, looked full of confidence as they bossed the opening stages with their slick passing style.

Laurence Maguire almost opened the scoring from a ninth-minute corner but Louis Jones managed to tip his header over the bar.

That was as close as they came all night.

Faal saw his low shot from close range saved as Rovers grew into the contest before the striker blocked Ronan Darcy's goalbound effort at the other end following a corner.

Owen Bailey was the next player to come close and should have scored his first Doncaster goal when Tommy Rowe laid the ball back to him inside the box.

But his shot lacked power and Addai got down low to collect.

Just seconds later the hosts were ahead.

Ironside capitalised on Jay Williams' slip and ran clear before unselfishly squaring for an unmarked Faal to fire home with 27 minutes gone for his third Rovers goal.

Faal might have had his second just three minutes later when he met Luke Molyneux's free-kick, only for Addai to tip his header past the post.

Crawley produced little response before the break and it was the hosts who started brighter after the interval.

Ironside should have made it 2-0 when he met Tom Nixon's cross at the far post, but couldn't direct his header goalwards.

Owen Bailey then saw his dipping effort from 30 yards tipped over with Molyneux seeing a curling effort from the same distance cannon back off the crossbar as Doncaster kept their foot on the gas.

Nick Tsaroulla flashed a cross across the face of goal in a rare Crawley attack just shy of the hour mark.

Workhorse Ironside atoned for his earlier miss and capped another industrious display with his fourth Doncaster goal in the 62nd minute.

Ironside sent Addai the wrong way from the penalty spot after Faal was bundled over by Will Wright.

Faal, recalled to the starting XI in place of Louie Marsh after his goalscoring cameo at the weekend, then saw a half-volley from the edge of the area tipped away by Addai at full stretch.

The on-loan West Brom youngster was given a standing ovation when he left the field to be replaced by Louie Marsh in the eightieth minute and deservedly took home the man of the match award following the best display of his temporary stint in South Yorkshire yet.

Doncaster will take on another high-flying side with four straight wins in Stockport County on Saturday.

On this evidence, they have every chance of upsetting the script once again.

Rovers: Louis Jones, Tom Anderson, Joseph Olowu (Bobby Faulkner, 80), Luke Molyneux, Tommy Rowe, Tom Nixon (Tyler Roberts, 90), Owen Bailey, Joe Ironside, Zain Westbrooke, Ben Close (George Broadbent, 88), Mo Faal (Louie Marsh, 80)

Subs: Ian Lawlor, Deji Sotona, Jack Goodman

Crawley: Corey Addai, Liam Kelly (Aaron Henry, 46), Laurence Maguire, Klaidi Lolos, Ronan Darcy (Kellan Gordon, 72), Harry Forster (Rafiq Khaleel, 72), Travis Johnson, Nick Tsaroulla (Jack Roles, 62), Jay Williams, Adam Campbell (Kam Simon-Swyer 80), Will Wright

Subs: Luca Ashby-Hammond, Tobi Omole