Rotherham Vs Doncaster: Doncaster Rally to Win Yorkshire Derby Away
Doncaster put more daylight between themselves and relegation-threatened neighbours after a 2-1 away victory that showcased a late turnaround — rotherham vs doncaster delivered a dramatic second-half swing that deepens Rotherham’s immediate problems.
Rotherham Vs Doncaster: Key moments
The visitors came from behind to win. Rotherham were handed an almost immediate chance when Duncan Watmore broke clear and was tripped in the box; Sam Nombe converted the third-minute penalty to put the Millers ahead. A Rotherham free-kick from Josh Benson tested the Doncaster goalkeeper but was held at the follow-up.
Doncaster’s first real opening yielded the equaliser on 56 minutes. A pair of half-time substitutions combined when Glenn Middleton surged down the left and delivered a pinpoint cross that allowed Brandon Hanlan to smash home. The winner followed in the 68th minute after Luke Molyneux chased down and dispossessed goalkeeper Cameron Dawson outside his area, then fired into the empty net. Dawson later produced a low, last-ditch save to deny Neill Byrne a late third, but Doncaster had already sealed the result. Harry Gray was shown a yellow card during the match, and Jordan Gibson won a free kick in the defensive half for Doncaster.
rotherham vs doncaster match context
The result moved Doncaster eight points clear of Rotherham in the immediate relegation battle. The two clubs have a long-running home-versus-away pattern: Rotherham had won nine of their last 10 home league meetings with Doncaster since September 1985, conceding only three goals across those matches, and Doncaster had won the earlier league meeting this season 1-0.
Rotherham’s recent home form had shown a deterioration, with four defeats in six at home before this match; the club had not previously lost five in a seven-game home spell in the third tier since a run in 2007. Doncaster’s historical away record in Yorkshire derbies has been poor since December 2014, with only two wins in 20 league trips, but recent form ahead of this fixture had shown improvement.
Lineups, injuries and aftermath
Pre-match availability and recent selection trends informed both teams. Rotherham were expected to remain without Denzel Hall, Daniel Gore, Jordan Hugill and Joshua Kayode. Sam Nombe led the line for Rotherham, having scored six goals in 15 league appearances during a season disrupted by injury; 17-year-old loanee Harry Gray had been in the mix for selection. One defensive player, Hamish Douglas, was noted as potentially missing after being forced off earlier in the week, which could see Joe Rafferty rejoin a three-man back line with Jamal Baptiste and Zak Jules.
Doncaster’s recent run included multiple wins that had helped lift them clear of the drop zone before taking this trip. Their goalkeeper situation had seen a named shot-stopper remain in the treatment room ahead of the match, with selection choices unchanged from a midweek victory.
What the result means next
The immediate observable indicators are clear: Doncaster leave the stadium farther ahead in the relegation equation, while Rotherham remain in or near the drop zone and face growing pressure. Rotherham sit three points adrift of safety with at least one game in hand on the other teams in the bottom nine; if the point gap is not closed in upcoming fixtures, the club’s situation will be harder to reverse. Doncaster arrive at a modestly safer position, having converted recent positive form into a valuable derby victory that improves their buffer in the table.
Last updated 12: 21 PM ET on 21 February 2026.
