Rovers put five past Saunders' Crawley.
Crawley Town 0Doncaster Rovers 5
League One
Tuesday 10th February
Checkatrade.com Stadium
Attendance: 2,581 (217 Rovers)
Paul Dickov recorded his biggest win in charge of the club as Doncaster Rovers came back to haunt former manager Dean Saunders with a 5-0 thrashing of Crawley Town at the Checktrade.com Stadium.
Rovers dominated from start to finish, Nathan Tyson superbly crossed for Dean Furman inside 11 minutes, but the South Africa captain couldn't get the better of Lewis Price.
Tyson himself was next to test Price, he broke down the left before firing at goal, but he was denied by a great save from the Crawley stopper.
In the 30th minute, Tyson once again was denied by Price, with a swerving shot from long range the goalkeeper palmed before the Crawley defence cleared to safety.
Rovers eventually made the breakthrough seven minutes from the break, after being brought down midway through the Crawley half, Harry Forrester swung in a free kick and Mathis Pogba's clearence header fell to Andy BUTLER who stabbed home from six yards, his third goal in a Rovers shirt.
Half Time: Crawley Town 0-1 Doncaster Rovers
After the break Rovers carried on their relentless attacks on the Crawley defence and got their rewards, after a great passing move Kyle Bennett did superbly on the wing before teeing up Richie WELLENS for an easy tap in to double the lead.
TYSON finally got the better of Price in the 63rd minute, after beating the offside trap the striker went through one-on-one with the Crawley keeper, before lobbing the ball excuisitely into the back of the net.
Two minutes later things went from bad to worse for the home side when Joe Walsh was shown a straight red card. After initially fouling Wellens, Walsh then appeared to strike both Furman and Tyson before being given his marching orders by referee Lee Collins.
From the resulting foul Forrester was keen to get his name on the scoresheet and almost found the top corner, but for Price's intervention tipping the ball over the cross bar.
FORRESTER however was not to be denied, after a great team move with 28 passes in the build up, the impressive midfielder finished with some nifty footwork before smashing Rovers into a four goal lead.
Substitute Theo Robinson went close to adding to Rovers' tally shortly after his introduction, his long range effort going just inches over the crossbar.
Five minutes from time fellow substiute Curtis Main had a great opportunity to make it five, Forrester teed the marksman up but he was unable to get enough behind his poked effort as Price was able to easily gather.
However Dickov's side did get their fifth when in added time MAIN from the edge of the box sealed the win with a delightful curling effort into the bottom left corner, to give Rovers their biggest win of the season.
Full Time: Crawley Town 5-0 Doncaster Rovers
Team line ups-
Crawley: Price, Oyebanjo (Bawling 46), Ward, Walsh, Dickson, Elliott, Smith (Fowler 60), Edwards, Wordsworth, Pogba (Bradley 67), McLeod.
Subs not used: Dutton, Morgan, Tomlin, Young.
Cautions: Edwards 25, Wordsworth 61.
Sent Off: Walsh 65
Rovers: Bywater, Wabara, McCombe, Butler (c), Stevens (Evina 78), Wellens (Main 78), Keegan, Bennett, Forrester, Furman, Tyson (Robinson 74).
Subs not used: Marosi, Wakefield, Middleton, Whitehouse.
Cautions: Stevens 20, Tyson 65