Veteran striker Billy Sharp broke Kettering Town hearts with two goals as Doncaster Rovers came from behind to secure an extra-time win in the FA Cup second round.
The Poppies, top of the Southern League Premier Central, defied the 69-place gap to their League Two opponents to lead through Isiah Noel-Williams until the 75th minute.
Former Sheffield United marksman Sharp, 38, equalised to take the tie into an additional half hour and then fired in the winner as the non-league side, who beat League One neighbours Northampton Town in the last round, wilted.
Victory puts Rovers in Monday’s draw for the third round, reaching that stage for the first time in three years.
Doncaster lost their last meeting with non-league opposition, to King’s Lynn in 2022, and a run of three successive draws has reined in their promotion bid in League Two.
That run looked like getting worse as Kettering, led by ex-Newcastle man Nile Ranger – matchwinner at Sixfields in the last round – showed all the confidence that comes from their run of eight wins in their last nine games.
The Poppies, who had also seen off Farsley Celtic from a tier above them in the pyramid during their run to the second round, survived an early penalty appeal as goalkeeper Jason Alexander just got enough of the ball before taking out Luke Molyneux.
Doncaster centre-back Tom Anderson, dominant in both boxes throughout, also bounced a header off the top of the bar and Rovers leading scorer Molyneux forced a fine save from Alexander, but the home side went ahead on the half-hour mark.
