Doncaster 0 MK Dons 0: Injured Brown out for month as Rovers held in stalemate

But Rovers, who have picked up only one point in their last three games – their worst sequence of the season – remain second on goal differerence but will have to play a lot better to stay there.

Rovers made two enforced changes from Saturday’s 2-1 home defeat by Walsall after striker Chris Brown (knee) and defender Paul Keegan (dead leg) cried off.

The first chance of the game fell to the visitors on 13 minutes, striker Izale McLeod shooting wide from close range after Rovers’ goalkeeper Gary Woods had failed to hold on to a low 20-yarder by Daniel Powell.

McLeod shot wide of the far post with an angled effort from just inside the area on 24 minutes.

Woods saved well at the expense of a corner from McLeod on 37 minutes after he capitalised on a mistake by Jamie McCombe just inside the Doncaster half.

Full-back Jon Ostesmobor was high with a free header from a corner.

Rovers striker Billy Paynter shot high from eight yards out after the ball fell for him from a blocked shot on 44 minutes.

It was the best chance of the half by Rovers who had looked as flat as a pancake at times in the final third.

Both sides had half chances in the opening minutes of the second half but it was the visitors who looked the most likely to break the deadlock for long periods of the half.

McLeod wasted a late chance to win the game when shooting high from 20 yards following a good run. Paul Quinn then did well to deny Adam Chicksen.

“Brown faces at least a month on the sidelines,” said manager Brian Flynn after the game.

Doncaster Rovers: G Woods, Quinn, McCombe, Jones, Spurr, Cotterill, Griffin (Harper 46) M Woods, Husband, Coppinger, Paynter (Sinclair 70). Unused substitutes: Maxted, Martis, Bennett, Wakefield, Fowler.

MK Dons: Martin, Otesmobor, Mackenzie, Williams, Lewington, Powell, Harley, Porter, Bowditch, McLeod. Chadwick (Chiksen 75). Unused substitutes: Kouo-Doumbe, Smith, Flanagan, Baldock, Lines.

Referee: D Webb (Lancashire).

Bournemouth replaced Tranmere at the top of the League One table thanks to a Brett Pitman brace against Crewe.

The Cherries took advantage of Doncaster’s goalless draw against MK Dons by defeating Crewe 2-1 at the Alexandra Stadium.

Pitman scored a 59th-minute penalty and then sealed the win six minutes from time following Mathias Pogba’s equaliser.

Sixth-placed Brentford were 2-0 winners over Stevenage, Tom Adeyemi and Marcello Trotta scoring in either half, to hold off seventh-placed Yeovil.

The Glovers also won, 3-1 at home to Preston. Chris Beardsley gave the Lilywhites a 30th-minute lead but a late surge including strikes from James Hayter (73), Nathan Ralph (80) and Paddy Madden (90) saw Yeovil to victory.