Doncaster Rovers 5–1 Chesterfield — Vertu Trophy Round of 32

Doncaster Rovers swept aside a much-changed Chesterfield side with a convincing 5–1 victory at the Eco-Power Stadium, booking their place in the last 16 of the Vertu Trophy and ending Chesterfield’s cup run for this season.

🔹 First-Half Blitz

The hosts set the tone early and had turned a tight game into a dominant display before the break. A long-range rocket from veteran striker Billy Sharp gave Doncaster the lead, and a deflected strike from Damola Ajayi doubled their advantage soon after. A close-range finish completed the first-half salvo — leaving Chesterfield with a mountain to climb at half-time.

🔹 Brief Chesterfield Reply… Then Doncaster Sealed It

Chesterfield offered a glimmer of hope early in the second half when Lee Bonis nodded a consolation goal after coming off the bench — his first touch of the game. But the visitors’ hopes were short-lived. Doncaster struck twice more: Sharp added a fourth before completing his hat-trick with a deflected finish to round off the scoring.

✅ What It Means

  • Doncaster Rovers progress comfortably to the Round of 16, with sharp finishing and ruthless attacking exploiting a weakened Chesterfield defence.

  • Chesterfield, missing several regulars and fielding a youthful, rotated side, will view the tie as a casualty of squad management — a result of prioritising other fixtures, but still a heavy defeat to stomach.

  • Manager Paul Cook described the night as tough but insisted there are positives to come, with some new names starting and reinforcements expected in the January window.