Hayter puts Rovers in the Championship

Hayter took advantage of dismal marking to head in a 47th-minute corner and continue Rovers' remarkable ascent of the football pyramid.

Just five years ago the club were playing non-league football but Hayter's crucial strike was enough to cap a third promotion in five years and bring second-tier football to Doncaster for the first time since 1957.

Leeds - who started the season on -15 points for breaking Football League rules on insolvency - had large spells of possession but were indebted to their goalkeeper Casper Ankergren for keeping them in the game as Doncaster threatened every time they poured forward.

After Leeds full-back Bradley Johnson crashed a 25-yard shot over it was Rovers who caused panic in a bright start. Paul Green skipped inside a tame challenge from Jonathan Douglas on the right and pulled the ball back for Jason Price, but his shot was deflected behind by Paul Huntington.

Then from the resulting corner Richie Wellens wriggled into the area down the left but scooped his shot into the side-netting.

Rovers continued to dominate and captain Brian Stock lofted a delightful ball over the top where James Coppinger had beaten the offside trap, but Ankergren was quickly out to smother.

Sean O'Driscoll's side may have ended the first half slowly but started the second with a goal in the 47th minute. After Wellens had a shot deflected wide after a poor free-kick Rovers struck from the following corner.

Stock drifted the ball in from the right and Hayter was left with a completely free header on the penalty spot which he buried low into Ankergren's right-hand corner to silence the thousands of Leeds fans among the Doncaster supporters behind the goal.

Coppinger again broke through and looked certain to add a killer second but Leeds skipper Douglas made a superb last-ditch challenge. But Rovers clung on for a deserved victory and will play in the Championship next season alongside Swansea and Nottingham Forest.