DAVE Artell was beaming after League One's top scorers were restricted to paltry chances as Crewe secured a first League One success on the road.

After being on the back foot for much of the midweek trip to Sunderland, the Alex were well in contention throughout at the Keepmoat Stadium.

And after trading quickfire first-half goals Harry Pickering's curled free kick in the 70th-minute proved decisive.

Artell said: "We did not do ourselves justice against Sunderland on Tuesday night and good teams don't play badly two games in a row.

"Doncaster have got good attacking threats and are the division's top scorers, so it was pleasing that we limited to them to a few chances.

"They had more possession in the second half, but we were more dangerous in the final third when we got up there."

Charlie Kirk was slipped clear by Callum Ainley and finished clinically for the opening goal (26), only for Rovers' Southampton loanee Josh Sims to level immediately with a curling effort past Will Jaaskelainen (27).

Ainley was one of two changes from the side losing at the Stadium of Light on Tuesday night. The other, Tommy Lowery, who started in place of Luke Murphy, was denied by a goalline-block from Tom Anderson.

Anderson and Fejiri Okenabirhie had chances after the break for Darren Moore's side but Pickering's special free kick won it for Crewe.

It is arguably the best of their three league wins to date as Rovers had beaten fancied Portsmouth and Ipswich in their previous two outings.

Rovers boss Moore admitted: "We deserved something from it as I thought we had the better chances but our final touch let us down.

"Take nothing away from Crewe as they stayed in the game and it was a moment of brilliance that won them the game."

Doncaster: Bursik; Wright, Anderson, Halliday, James; Smith (Coppinger), Gomes (John), Whiteman; Taylor (Lokilo), Okenabirhie, Sims. Subs: Williams, Butler, Jones, Hasani

Crewe: Jaaskelainen, Nig, Beckles, Offord, Pickering; Wintle, Lowery (Murphy), Ainley (Finney); Powell (Dale), Mandron, Kirk. Subs: Richards, Johnson, Zanzala, Porter.