Walsall 0 Doncaster Rovers 0: Pontus Dahlberg is Rovers hero in penalty shootout

Rovers triumphed 4-3 on penalties despite missing three of their first four efforts as Dahlberg denied Emmanuel Osadebe, Jack Earring and Brendan Kiernan before Kyle Knoyle hit the winning kick.

Richie Wellens’s Rovers, roared on by travelling fans for the first time in more than 18 months, had been poor for much of the contest but came to life in the closing stages.

Walsall keeper Carl Rushworth made superb saves from Brendan Horton and Aidan Barlow in the final half-hour but Rovers progressed despite substitute AJ Greaves’s late red card.

Walsall fashioned their clearest chance early in the second half but Phillips shot wide with just Dahlberg to beat.

Doncaster almost won it, Aidan Barlow connecting with an overhead kick from Horton’s cross but a diving Rushworth brilliantly tipped it over.

Rovers had to play the final three minutes with 10 men after Greaves’s reckless lunge on Earing but went through as Ben Close, Barlow, Anderson and Knoyle all netted from the spot.

Walsall: Rushworth, Leak (Ward, 79), Taylor, Menayese, Mills, Osabede, Labadie (Kinsella, 56), Shade (Earring, 70), Phillips, Kiernan, Wilkinson. Unused substitutes: Rose, Monthe, Perry, Bates.

Doncaster: Dahlberg, Knoyle, Williams, Anderson, John (Horton, 61), Bostock (Greaves, 72), Close, Williams, Barlow, Gardner, Bogle (Cukur, 75). Unused substitutes: Jones, Blythe, Hasani.

Referee: J Busby (Oxfordshire).