Oxford United 1-1 Doncaster Rovers: Gary McSheffrey's side relegation to League Two

Doncaster were six points from safety when Gary McSheffrey was given the permanent manager's job

Doncaster Rovers' inevitable relegation to League Two was confirmed as they ended the season with a draw at Oxford United.

Rovers were 23rd in the table coming into their final game, three points from safety but with a substantially worse goal difference than their relegation rivals - meaning they were already realistically down.

Billy Bodin put the U's ahead with a rebound from close range, with the visitors levelling through Josh Martin midway through the second half.

Gary McSheffrey's Doncaster end the season 22nd on 38 points - only once have they recorded fewer points in the third tier of a Football League season - in 1987-88 when they earned 33 points.

Oxford, meanwhile, finish eighth in League One, having seen their play-off bid end in recent weeks.

Doncaster's five-season League One stay ends

Doncaster started the season badly with four points from their first nine league games, including a 6-0 drubbing at Ipswich, leaving them rock-bottom in League One.

That improved slightly to an overall 13 points from 19 league games in December but, with Rovers still six points from safety, the club sacked Richie Wellens as manager after only six months in charge.

McSheffrey was promoted from leading Rovers' under-18s side and guided the first team to some spirited results, including wins at play-off chasing sides MK Dons and Sunderland, which kept them in contention to stay up.

Doncaster at least lifted themselves off the bottom of the table - helped by Crewe's dreadful run of 15 defeats in 16 games - before they ultimately relegated the Alex by beating them three weeks before their own drop was ultimately sealed.

Rovers, who last went down - also from League One - in 2016, beat Burton 2-0 last Saturday, giving them a small source of hope, but with just 10 league wins all season relegation was ultimately out of their hands.

This season is the first since 2003-04 in which they have played without talismanic former midfielder James Coppinger following the 41-year-old's retirement in May 2021, after a club record of 695 games in all competitions.