Doncaster produced a clinical display as three first-half goals earned them victory over local rivals Scunthorpe.
The game kicked off 55 minutes late because of an ambulance breaking down, but Rovers got off to a flier as Billy Sharp netted from Brian Stock's corner.
James Coppinger's cross was then poked in by James Hayter at the back post before Joe Murphy saved from Hayter.
Joseph Mills turned in a John Oster cross to wrap it up, while Doncaster's Sam Hird was sent off late on.
Hird went for an early bath after picking up a second yellow card for a clumsy lunge on Matt Godden, but by that time the game was already won.
With one of the Keepmoat Stadium's ambulances breaking down en route to the ground and having to be replaced, it was 1555 GMT when the game eventually got under way and it swung from end to end in the early stages.
Scunthorpe's Jonathan Forte wasted the first real chance, drilling his shot at the legs of goalkeeper Neil Sullivan after Michael O'Connor's free-kick caused confusion in the Doncaster area.
Shelton Martis went off injured but Doncaster soon stepped up a gear and former Iron striker Sharp scored against his old club to make it 1-0, though Chris Dagnall thought he should have had a penalty for the visitors shortly after.
Scunthorpe were dealt another blow when Coppinger's cross evaded Sharp only for Hayter to steer it home and the game was all over in first-half stoppage time when Mills netted his first senior goal.
The second half was a much less lively affair, with Rovers substitute David Healy going closest to adding to the scoreline when he sent a Mills cross wide.
Iron sub Godden produced a decent 45-minute performance, but there was little for the travelling fans to cheer.
Live text and stats
Saturday, 1 January 2011
Npower Championship
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Time
Doncaster
3-0
Scunthorpe
FT
(HT 3-0)
Sharp 26
Hayter 38
Mills 45+2
Doncaster
01 Sullivan
02 O'Connor yellow card
04 Martis (Lockwood 17)
20 Mills
21 Hird two yellow cards, red card
08 Stock (Shiels 63)
15 Wilson
16 Oster
26 Coppinger
10 Sharp
12 Hayter (Healy 80)
Substitutes
33 Woods,
11 Lockwood,
25 Guedes,
18 Gillett,
22 Shiels,
19 Healy,
29 Fairhurst
Scunthorpe
01 Murphy yellow card
06 Byrne yellow card
15 Mirfin
21 Nolan
02 Wright
04 Togwell
07 Woolford
08 O'Connor (Wright 62)
18 Collins yellow card
09 Dagnall (Thompson 73)
14 Forte (Godden 46)
Substitutes
13 Slocombe,
12 Raynes,
28 McClenahan,
11 Thompson,
16 Wright,
24 Godden,
32 Cowan Hall
Ref: TierneyAtt: 9,447
DONCASTER
SCUNTHORPE
Possession
Doncaster56%
Scunthorpe44%
Attempts on target
Doncaster6
Scunthorpe1
Attempts off target
Doncaster3
Scunthorpe2
Corners
Doncaster4
Scunthorpe5
Fouls
Doncaster8
Scunthorpe20
Final Result
Full Time
90:00+3:29 The referee ends the match.
90:00+3:10 The referee blows for offside against Eddie Nolan.
90:00+0:55 The offside flag is raised against Matt Godden. Neil Sullivan takes the free kick.
89:04 Billy Sharp challenges Cliff Byrne unfairly and gives away a free kick. Josh Wright takes a outswinging corner. Andrew Wright delivers the ball from the free kick right-footed from right wing, clearance made by James O'Connor.
88:38 Dean Shiels takes a shot. Save by Joe Murphy.
84:42 Sam Hird gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Josh Wright. Josh Wright delivers the ball from the free kick right-footed from left channel, clearance by James O'Connor.
84:42 Sent off Sam Hird is shown a red card for second bookable offence.
83:55 Free kick awarded for a foul by Josh Wright on John Oster. Free kick crossed by John Oster, clearance by Eddie Nolan.
82:19 James Coppinger fouled by Michael Collins, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Dean Shiels.
82:19 Booking Michael Collins is given a yellow card.
81:11 A cross is delivered by Joseph Mills, Effort from deep inside the area by David Healy misses to the left of the goal.
80:52 Garry Thompson gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Mark Wilson. Mark Wilson takes the direct free kick.
79:53 Substitution David Healy is brought on as a substitute for James Hayter.
78:52 Corner taken short by Dean Shiels.
78:03 James O'Connor fouled by Josh Wright, the ref awards a free kick. Joseph Mills takes the free kick.
77:23 Unfair challenge on James Coppinger by Martyn Woolford results in a free kick. Free kick taken by John Oster.
75:13 Billy Sharp fouled by David Mirfin, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick crossed right-footed by Dean Shiels from right wing, David Mirfin makes a clearance.
72:27 Unfair challenge on Mark Wilson by Chris Dagnall results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Neil Sullivan.
72:27 Substitution Garry Thompson on for Chris Dagnall.
70:39 Corner from the right by-line taken by Josh Wright, clearance by Sam Hird.
68:37 Martyn Woolford gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on James Coppinger. Free kick taken by John Oster.
67:47 James Coppinger produces a cross.
64:23 Corner taken by Josh Wright from the right by-line to the near post, The ball is delivered by Martyn Woolford.
62:11 Substitution Dean Shiels on for Brian Stock.
61:02 Matt Godden produces a right-footed shot from the edge of the box and misses to the left of the target.
61:02 Substitution Josh Wright on for Michael O'Connor.
58:11 Free kick awarded for a foul by Michael O'Connor on Joseph Mills. Free kick taken by Joseph Mills.
54:05 Booking Cliff Byrne is cautioned.
52:18 Chris Dagnall is caught offside. Indirect free kick taken by Neil Sullivan.
50:24 James O'Connor produces a cross.
49:24 A cross is delivered by James Coppinger, David Mirfin manages to make a clearance. Corner taken right-footed by John Oster, Andrew Wright manages to make a clearance.
46:52 Foul by Matt Godden on Joseph Mills, free kick awarded. Joseph Mills restarts play with the free kick.
45:01 The game restarts for the second half.
45:01 Substitution Jonathan Forte leaves the field to be replaced by Matt Godden.
Half Time
45:00+3:20 The referee blows for half time.
45:00+1:22 The assist for the goal came from John Oster.
45:00+1:22 GOAL - Joseph Mills:Doncaster 3 - 0 Scunthorpe Joseph Mills gets on the score sheet with a goal from close range to the bottom right corner of the goal. Doncaster 3-0 Scunthorpe.
45:00+0:39 The ball is delivered by John Oster.
45:00+0:28 The ball is delivered by Joseph Mills, clearance by Cliff Byrne.
44:08 Foul by Andrew Wright on James Hayter, free kick awarded. Brian Stock takes the free kick.
40:21 Free kick awarded for a foul by David Mirfin on Billy Sharp. James Coppinger takes the free kick, Header from close range by James Hayter misses to the right of the target.
37:01 The assist for the goal came from James Coppinger.
37:01 GOAL - James Hayter:Doncaster 2 - 0 Scunthorpe James Hayter finds the back of the net with a goal from close in to the top left corner of the goal. Doncaster 2-0 Scunthorpe.
36:07 James O'Connor challenges Eddie Nolan unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Michael O'Connor.
36:07 Booking Booking for James O'Connor for unsporting behaviour.
34:59 Michael Collins gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Joseph Mills. Brian Stock delivers the ball from the free kick right-footed from left channel, clearance made by Michael Collins.
33:32 James Coppinger challenges Eddie Nolan unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Michael O'Connor.
32:09 Unfair challenge on Jonathan Forte by Sam Hird results in a free kick. Free kick crossed right-footed by Michael O'Connor from left channel, clearance made by John Oster.
32:09 Booking Sam Hird is booked.
29:48 James Hayter has an effort at goal from outside the penalty area which goes wide right of the goal.
28:52 Jonathan Forte is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Indirect free kick taken by Sam Hird.
26:50 Corner taken by Michael O'Connor from the right by-line played to the near post, James Hayter makes a clearance. Shot from just outside the box by David Mirfin goes over the bar. Foul by Cliff Byrne on Billy Sharp, free kick awarded. Joseph Mills delivers the ball, Adam Lockwood takes a shot. Save by Joe Murphy.
25:51 Booking Booking for Joe Murphy.
25:02 Corner taken right-footed by Brian Stock, Brian Stock provided the assist for the goal.
25:02 GOAL - Billy Sharp:Doncaster 1 - 0 Scunthorpe Billy Sharp finds the back of the net with a headed goal from close in. Doncaster 1-0 Scunthorpe.
23:34 Foul by Jonathan Forte on Adam Lockwood, free kick awarded. Free kick taken by Neil Sullivan.
22:28 The ball is swung over by Billy Sharp.
18:52 Unfair challenge on Cliff Byrne by Sam Hird results in a free kick. Joe Murphy restarts play with the free kick.
18:10 Free kick awarded for a foul by Martyn Woolford on James Coppinger. Brian Stock crosses the ball in from the free kick, Cliff Byrne makes a clearance.
17:55 James Hayter delivers the ball, Cliff Byrne makes a clearance.
17:07 Cliff Byrne gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Billy Sharp. Joseph Mills delivers the ball from the free kick left-footed from left channel.
16:24 Substitution Adam Lockwood on for Shelton Martis.
13:08 Corner taken right-footed by Michael O'Connor from the right by-line, The ball is delivered by Martyn Woolford, clearance made by John Oster.
12:15 Andrew Wright challenges James Hayter unfairly and gives away a free kick. The ball is swung over by Brian Stock, James O'Connor takes a shot. Save made by Joe Murphy.
10:58 Corner taken by Brian Stock played to the near post.
10:34 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Brian Stock by Chris Dagnall. Shelton Martis takes the direct free kick.
8:14 Brian Stock gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Chris Dagnall. A cross is delivered by Michael O'Connor, Jonathan Forte takes a shot. Save made by Neil Sullivan.
4:59 Free kick awarded for a foul by James Coppinger on Michael O'Connor. Free kick taken by Andrew Wright.
0:10 Chris Dagnall concedes a free kick for a foul on Shelton Martis. Free kick taken by Shelton Martis.
0:00 The ref blows the whistle to start the match.
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