Scarborough continue to impress, but cannot turn reasonable performances into wins in order to begin their rise from the foot of the Conference.

They led twice at Belle Vue yesterday and yet poor defending let Doncaster back into the game with hosts Rovers going on to win 4-3.

Shaun Rennison scored the first goal after only three minutes, when Rovers' former York City goalkeeper Andy Warrington dropped an innocent-looking David Pounder cross.

Two minutes later, the pacy but wasteful Dene Shields completely missed the ball only four yards from goal, with Warrington stranded on the turf.

Two goals to the good then would have been an impressive start, but when Rennison handled an awkward bouncing ball, Doncaster's Jamie Paterson equalised from the spot.

Before half-time, Pounder and Shelds missed simple chances, but when Pounder's corner was headed passed his own goalkeeper by Dean Barrick, Scarborough were back in the lead just seven minutes after the break.

But Rovers, who had taken off the immensely tall but ineffectual Mark Sale and replaced him with the trickery of Tristram Whitman at half-time, attacked with gusto and reaped their reward.

Andy Watson raced away from some poor defending to beat Mark Smith with a crisp shot at his near post - although the 'keeper could not be blamed for failing to keep out the blockbuster from Gareth Owen which saw Doncaster take the lead for the first time.

When Whitman exposed Rennison with some fleet-footed trickery to add a fourth, it was all up for manager Russell Slade's side.

Jason Blunt scored a third with a neat effort, but once again Slade had seen his side create and miss a bagful of chances and what was indeed a cracker of a game did not result in the novelty of a Scarborough win.

"I am very disappointed about the goals we conceded, because we played the best football out there, but once again missed simple chances," said a crestfallen Slade.

"But we have got to believe we can get out of this situation and if we can continue to create chances and be more professional in defence, things will turn."

Doncaster Rovers: Warrington, Marples, Miller, Squires, Barrick, Kelly, Watson, Owen, Paterson (Price, 90), Campbell, Sale (Whitman, 46).

Scarborough: Smith, Dryden, Shepherd, Rennison, Blunt, Patterson (Baker, 80), Stoker, Jordan (Faure, 89), Pounder, Shields (Windross, 80), Rose.

Referee: E Evans (Manchester).

Attendance: 3,279.

Updated: 12:32 Thursday, December 27, 2001