Middlesbrough secure Carabao Cup progress with win at Doncaster

Middlesbrough progressed with little fuss in the Carabao Cup with a 3-1 win at Doncaster.

Goals from Kyle Joseph, Will Lankshear and Jeremy Sarmiento saw Kim Hellberg’s side advance and gain a measure of revenge on Rovers, who dumped them out of the same competition 12 months earlier with a sensational 4-0 win.

While Doncaster made a strong start, with Alfie May twice drawing two strong saves from Sol Brynn, who also denied the breaking Isaac Hutchinson, Boro’s quality took hold and they kept the hosts firmly at arm’s length.

Rovers’ debutant keeper Josh Clarke made fine stops from Morgan Whittaker and Sebastian Berhalter but could do nothing about Boro’s opener after 34 minutes when Joseph acrobatically volleyed in a Sarmiento chip for his first goal for the club.

Though the Championship side were firmly on top, they struggled to fashion clear cut opportunities until 78 minutes when substitute Lankshear fired in Whittaker’s pass to make it four goals from four games this term.

And the tie was firmly wrapped up when Sarmiento lofted the ball over Clarke from 20 yards after 87 minutes.

Hutchinson showed good control and finished well for a stoppage time consolation for Doncaster.