The Mariners’ three-match winning run came to an end as they were beaten by Doncaster Rovers at Blundell Park.
The visitors made a fast start in front of the live Sky television cameras, with Jordan Gibson opening the scoring and Luke Molyneux making it 2-0 after just 10 minutes.
Town found chances hard to come by on what was a difficult return to home turf following excellent victories on the road at Gillingham and Carlisle, and the South Yorkshire side went on to grab a third goal before the break as Gibson scored his second of the game.
And after the home side’s task was made tougher when Harvey Rodgers was sent off for two yellow cards in quick succession, Doncaster saw out the second half to collect the points.
The Town starting XI was unchanged for the lunchtime kick-off following the midweek success, with goalkeeper Jackson Smith making his home debut after joining on loan from Barnsley prior to the trip to Gillingham.
Lewis Cass, Rodgers, Cameron McJannet and Denver Hume formed the defence in front of Smith, with George McEachran, Evan Khouri and Kieran Green in midfield as Jason Svanthorsson and Luca Barrington started either side of striker Danny Rose.
Justin Obikwu was named in the matchday squad for the first time since rejoining the club on loan from Coventry City on transfer deadline day as he was handed a place on the bench. Seb Auton, Matty Carson, Rekeil Pyke, Callum Ainley, Tyrell Warren and Cameron Gardner were also listed as substitutes.
Harry Clifton made his first return to Blundell Park after leaving the Mariners for Doncaster in the summer, while veteran striker Billy Sharp was aiming to provide the main goal threat for Grant McCann’s Rovers.
The visitors made a dream start to the game as they took the lead within two minutes. Molyneux played a superb ball through the middle for Gibson and after he rounded Smith, the midfielder was denied at first by a superb block from Rodgers but made no mistake at the second attempt.
Sharp missed the target at the far post as the away side came forward again, before Town’s first attack of note saw Barrington find Rose with a cross from the left and his improvised flick beat keeper Teddy Sharman-Lowe but dropped just over the bar.
Doncaster were on top in the early stages though and they doubled their advantage with 10 minutes on the clock. Jamie Sterry beat Barrington on the away right and squared for Molyneux to side-foot into the net from close range.
The visitors had the ball in the net again when Clifton turned and fired home from 12 yards but this time, the referee’s whistle had already blown for a Town free kick after a foul in the build-up.
Svanthorsson sent a 20-yard effort over the bar at the other end as Town looked for a way back into the game, before a Molyneux free kick from just inside the home half led to an offside decision.
A Hume free kick was cleared, before the left-back received the first yellow card of the afternoon for a foul on Molyneux. Patrick Kelly’s free kick was headed away at the far post by Cass.
Barrington won a corner on the left on 27 minutes and it eventually led to another one, this time on the right. This time, Cass headed over the bar after Hume’s delivery was missed by Sharman-Lowe.
Rodgers got back to clear after Molyneux beat McJannet on the Doncaster right, then another chance came for the visitors as a cross from the left was turned back across goal by Sharp but Clifton was unable to convert the opportunity.
Hume won a corner at the end of a promising Mariners attack on 33 minutes but they were unable to turn the flag-kick into a chance in front of goal.
Green did well to get a cross in from the right soon afterwards as Town continued to come into the contest, although the ball went over Sterry’s head and out for a throw-in.
The away side looked to have another opening when a ball into the box from Molyneux was headed back across goal at the far post but the offside flag went up.
Town’s luck was not to last much longer though, as Doncaster made it 3-0 two minutes before the break. McEachran lost the ball in midfield and Clifton burst forward before playing it out to Sharp on the right. His centre broke for Gibson, who beat Smith with a great strike into the left corner of the net.
And the situation was to get worse for the hosts as they were reduced to 10 men soon after the goal, with Rodgers shown two yellow cards in quick succession by the referee.
Seven added minutes were played at the end of the first half and with no further opportunities coming for either side, the Mariners remained three goals behind at the interval.
SECOND HALF
Warren, Gardner and Carson replaced Hume, Svanthorsson and Green before the restart but Doncaster were on the attack straight away and McJannet had to slide the ball behind for an early corner, which was cleared.
Town won a corner at the other end on 53 minutes but it was dealt with, then another opportunity came four minutes later as the ball was played through for Gardner but he was denied by the onrushing Sharman-Lowe.
Molyneux fired over the bar from 25 yards after Khouri went down and while the midfielder was receiving treatment, Pyke replaced Rose in the Mariners’ fourth change. Khouri was passed fit to continue.
A Carson free kick from the right was cleared, before former Town midfielder Josh Emmanuel replaced Sterry and Jack Senior came on for Brandon Fleming as Doncaster boss McCann looked to his bench on 68 minutes.
Kelly shot straight at Smith after a quick build-up down the away right, before Town went close on a number of occasions in quick succession amid a goalmouth scramble, only for the offside flag to go up.
The tempo had dropped since half-time, with Doncaster content to sit on their lead and Town struggling to find a way back into the game as the clock ticked down.
Sharp and Kelly made way for Joe Ironside and Ben Close in another double-substitution for Doncaster and Ephraim Yeboah followed them onto the pitch when he replaced Molyneux on 81 minutes.
Obikwu was introduced in place of Barrington soon afterwards and after the game moved into four minutes of stoppage time, Clifton let fly from distance but a deflection took his strike away from goal.
That proved to be the last action of a disappointing afternoon for the Mariners, who are next in action when they host Lincoln City in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy on Tuesday.
Town: Smith, Cass, Rodgers, McJannet, Hume (Warren, 46), McEachran, Khouri, Green (Carson, 46), Svanthorsson (Gardner, 46), Rose (Pyke, 61), Barrington (Obikwu, 82)
Subs not used: Auton, Ainley
Attendance: 7,693
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