Doncaster 0 Walsall 2 - Report and pictures

Jordan Cook gave the Saddlers a third minute lead and Anthony Forde hit the bar with a deflected effort.

Doncaster went close to levelling on several occasions and Uche Ikpeazu saw his drive tipped onto the post by visiting keeper Richard O'Donnell.

But Hiwula sealed it for the visitors when he headed home after coming on as a second half substitute.

It took the on loan Manchester City star just four minutes to find the net.

And that helped continue the Saddlers excellent run on the road in the league which sees them unbeaten in seven games, five of which have been victories.

It also saw them record the season double over Rovers and catapulted them past the hosts and into the top half of League One.

Hiwula had to be content with a place on the bench after Dean Smith handed Ashley Grimes his first start in almost four months.

In defence, James O'Connor replaced James Chambers after the latter failed to recover in time from the hamstring injury which forced him off early against Gillingham last week.

Doncaster boss Paul Dickov made reference in his programme notes to the fact his team have kept clean sheets in half the games former Saddlers skipper Andy Butler has started.

But any chance of another disappeared inside three minutes as Cook scored his fourth of the season, stealing in at the near post to flick home Anthony Forde's low corner.

Goals: Cook 3, Hiwula 70.

Doncaster: Bywater, Wabara, McCombe, Butler (c), Stevens, Keegan (Robinson 77), Furman (Bennett 46), Forrester, Wellens, Ikpeazu, Main (Tyson 46).

Substitutes not used: Marosi (GK), Evina, Middleton, Lund.

Walsall: O'Donnell, Purkiss, Downing, O'Connor, Taylor, Cain (Flanagan 90), A Chambers (c), Forde, Sawyers (Baxendale 88), Grimes (Hiwula 66), Cook.

Substitutes not used: MacGillivray (GK), Preston, Henry, Murphy.

Referee: Graham Scott (Oxfordshire)

Ikpeazu almost grabbed a quick leveller but saw his header from Harry Forrester's cross fall just the wrong side of the post.

Butler then went closer, with his header from Forrester's free-kick having to be tipped over the bar by O'Donnell.

And the visitors continued to live dangerously, as from the corner Butler again won the first header and Ben Purkiss had to nod Furman's effort off the line with O'Donnell beaten.

Having weathered the storm, the Saddlers continued to look godd going forward and almost had a second when Forde's drive took a deflection and crashed off the top of the bar.

Forrester saw a drive deflected just over while Grimes had a volley blocked as both teams continued to look dangerous in the final third.

Dickov showed his dissatisfaction with his side's first half performance by making a double switch at the break and introducing Nathan Tyson and Kyle Bennett.

But it was Ikpeazu who looked the most likely to level as he twice brought saves from O'Donnell after a bursting run into the box.

The keeper then had to save from Forrester before tipping an Ikpeazu drive onto the post as the striker briefly hit unplayable levels.

Tyson then burst into the box but was denied, first by Paul Downing's perfectly timed challenge and then by Ben Purkiss' block.

As Doncaster pushed forward, space was beginning to open up for the Saddlers on the counter and Forde was inches away from providing breathing room when he fired just wide from the edge of the box.

Smith then introduced Hiwula and he quickly found the net to increase the lead.

A nice move ended with Cook crossing from the right and the Manchester City striker directed his header from 12 yards out in off the post.

Doncaster's woes in front of goal continued as Richie Wellens saw his drive blocked by Tyson, while Ikpeazu could only shoot over from eight yards after turning in the box.

Forde almost put the result beyond doubt with ten minutes to go when he curled a free-kick inches wide. But it mattered not, as the Saddlers comfortably saw the game out.