League Two Doncaster beat Championship Hull on Penalties
Doncaster Rovers delivered a fourth upset of the FA Cup weekend as they knocked out Championship strugglers Hull City in a penalty shootout to reach the fourth round.
Rovers joined Wycombe, Plymouth and Exeter City in beating teams from higher divisions and put themselves into the hat for the next stage, edging a tense shootout 5-4 after the teams had finished locked at 1-1 after 90 minutes and extra time.
Despite two divisions and 33 places separating the two sides, it was Grant McCann's outfit who kept their nerve to win in sudden death, Harry Clifton firing home the winning penalty after Hull City failed to convert their fifth and sixth efforts.
Ruben Selles' Tigers might count themselves unlucky not to have wrapped the tie up long before the nerves from 12 yards delivered its gripping conclusion.
After Luke Molyneux's calm finish had given Doncaster the lead against the run of play early the first half, Gustavo Puerta had struck with 10 minutes of normal time to run to level matters.
Doncaster Rovers most recently reached the FA Cup fourth round in 2020-21
From his strike to the end of the 90, the luck continued in Doncaster's favour.
First, goalkeeper Teddy Sharman-Lowe escaped a red card for bringing down Abu Kamara outside the box as the Tigers' forward went round him, seeing only yellow despite appearing to be the last man.
Hull City full-back Lewie Coyle then ballooned a golden chance over the bar from seven yards out with the goal at his mercy with four minutes of normal time left.
As legs tired in extra time, Doncaster were quick to settle for the prospect of penalties with Hull dominating possession and Sharman-Lowe needed to pull of a superb save from Jones, getting a hand to a well-struck shot from 20 yards, with three minutes left.
In the shootout, Hull looked in control, scoring their first four with Doncaster missing their opener to trail 3-4.
But Mason Burstow sent their fifth sailing over the bar, Molyneux kept his nerve to level at 4-4 to sent it to sudden death.
As in normal time, Jones saw his effort saved by Sharman-Lowe before Harry Clifton sealed the visitors' first appearance in the fourth round since 2021.
Rovers had taken the lead against the run of play - on a lightning counter-attack, Joe Sbarra slid a perfect ball for Molyneux, with the winger skipping past Ryan Giles and burying a low left foot shot inside the far post.
Hull pulled themselves level with 10 minutes of normal time to go as Burstow hit a post and Puerta sidefooted home on the rebound.
It was three minutes later that Sharman-Lowe looked fortunate to stay on the pitch, bringing down Kamara as he rounded the Rovers keeper with the goal undefended and that luck continued for Doncaster when Coyle fired over from seven yards out with the goal gaping.
Hull dominated extra time but could not find a way through then nor, with a first fourth-round appearance in five years at stake, find a way through from the penalty spot.
Doncaster Rovers are currently seventh in the League Two table
Hull City manager Ruben Selles speaking to BBC Radio Humberside:
"We knew it was a difficult game from the very beginning, it's the FA Cup, we know what it is. We managed to minimise their possession but we conceded a goal which should not have happened - that put us on the back foot.
"We equalised and had the chance to win it in 90 minutes, we didn't, we went to extra-time and had a couple of chances, we didn't take them, we went to penalties, 4-3 ahead with the chance to finish it… we didn't.
"When you have that many opportunities to finish the game and you don't take them, you end up paying the price – that's what happened today. We need to be more ruthless."
Doncaster manager Grant McCann speaking to BBC Radio Sheffield:
"Hull are definitely improving under this new management team - we knew that. And we knew we would have to come here and be strong defensively. But I'm overjoyed for the boys because I know they put a shift in.
"We started brightly and then we scored a really good goal. It was disappointing the goal that we conceded but to reset ourselves and go again from extra time into the penalties, I was really pleased with that.
"I'm pleased we have won a penalty shootout as it feels like I have not won one for a while and I'm obviously delighted to get the job done.
"So we will see what the draw throws at us now. Half of me is thinking I would love to get to the fifth round maybe but the other side is thinking I would love a day out at Anfield or the Emirates or somewhere so let's see."
