Doncaster got their promotion challenge back on track after losing their last two games with a victory over 10-man Kettering.

It took just nine minutes for Rovers to open the scoring. Jason Blunt's cross was met by Paul Barnes whose header flew past Ian Bowling in the Kettering goal.

The home side went on to dominate the first-half which became increasingly niggly, as Kettering's Victor Asombang and Gez Murphy and Doncaster's Ricky Ravenhill, Warren Peyton and Paul Barnes all entered the referee's notebook.

Murphy could have levelled the scores just after the half-hour but his header from a Scott Goodwin corner went over the bar from six yards out.

Doncaster doubled their lead just before half-time, Barnes volleying Justin Jackson's cross past Bowling.

Kettering's day got worse when Murphy was dismissed just after the hour mark for his second bookable offence, a foul on Blunt.

Barnes looked like claiming his hat-trick five minutes later but his header from six yards out was cleared by Craig Norman.

Kettering came closest to scoring through Michael Boyle-Chong, whose 25-yard effort was tipped round the post by Andy Warrington, while an injury-time effort was easily saved.

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Kettering: Bowling, Howarth, Haran, Norman, Matthews, Diuk, Boyle-Chong, Goodwin, Inman, Murphy, Asombang. Subs: Shutt, McKenzie, Dancy, Carson, Gourley.

Doncaster: Warrington, Marples, Foster, Ryan, Beech, Blunt, Green, Ravenhill, Peyton, Barnes, Jackson. Subs: Morley, Albrighton, Tierney, Nelson, Whitman.

Referee: M Williams (Hereford).