HALF-TIME: Doncaster Rovers 0 Burnley FC 1

The Millwall loan man struck in spectacular style as his rasping half-volley flew past Gary Woods at his near post in the 36th minute.

The Clarets had swept the ball about with confidence with only a desperate Sam Hird challenge on the edge of the box preventing Charlie Austin converting a 20-plus passing move midway through the half.

Struggling Rovers, who made nine changes from the 4-0 defeat to Leicester City, showed no urgency for a side scrapping for their lives at the wrong end of the Championship.

Instead they sat deep and invited Burnley forward as they retained possession, stroking the ball from left to right, with an air of nonchalence. Ross Wallace, acting as a makeshift left-back, almost gave the Clarets an early leading, his stinging drive from 30 yards flashing past the angle with Woods well beaten.

And almost instantly came a second opening with a familiar training ground corner routine almost paying dividends, though Danny Ings miscued following David Edgar's step over. Rovers had no zip, there was no electricity in their approach, and no invention as the Clarets soaked up the rare pressure.

James Hayter tried his luck from the edge of the box but his low effort was deflected wide of the far post. And from the resulting set-piece Chris Brown failed to stab Brian Stock's cross past a wall of lemon chrome shirts.

Edgar looked like breaking the deadlock in Burnley's next attack following good work between McQuoid and Dean Marney down the right but the defender failed to find the target from the latter's lofted cross to the back post.

It was going to take something special for the hosts to find a breakthrough, and that moment almost arrived courtesy of their Player of the Month Simon Gillett. The midfielder combined with Brown before forcing Lee Grant in to a sublime save from his low, stinging drive.

The Clarets continued to press without exertion and the goal finally arrived when the ball broke for McQuoid from Grant's long punt forward and he finished with expertise to register his first goal for the club.