Southampton survive Doncaster fightback to edge five-goal FA Cup thriller

Southampton survived a scare on their way to snapping a six-game winless run with a hard-fought 3-2 victory at equally out-of-form Doncaster in the FA Cup third round.

The sides’ first ever meeting in this competition offered Tonda Eckert’s stumbling Saints the ideal chance to get back to winning ways after their recent Sky Bet Championship problems.

Southampton seemed set to cruise through after Cameron Bragg, Cameron Archer and Kuryu Matsuki scored first-half goals against the side 23rd in League One, only for Doncaster to expose familiar frailties.

Grant McCann’s men, who also came into this without a win in six games, pulled back two goals through Matty Pearson and Jordan Gibson as visitors wobbled early in the second half.

However, debutant Daniel Peretz’s double save in stoppage time helped Southampton avoid embarrassment in their commemorative yellow and blue kits marking 50 years since the club’s sole FA Cup win.

Saints also wore black armbands in memory of Martin Chivers on Saturday, when another homegrown player opened the scoring as Bragg kept his cool after saved Matsuki’s deflected shot was saved.

Rovers’ lack of intensity saw them fall further behind midway through the opening period as Archer jumped to his feet after a tangle and smartly made himself space to get away a shot that looped home via a deflection.

Peretz stopped a fine Gibson free-kick and Matsuki extended the visitors’ lead by expertly heading home a Tom Fellows cross just before half-time, only for Doncaster to return from the break swinging.

Pearson capitalised on meek defending from a corner and Francis Okoronkwo struck agonisingly wide as Saints wobbled.

Doncaster deservedly scored in the 59th minute when Gibson superbly slammed home after some hotchpotch defending.

Lo-Tutala tipped away substitute Leo Scienza’s free-kick as Saints looked to settle growing nerves, which the introduction for former Southampton striker Billy Sharp only added to.

Doncaster pushed until the end and Darren Robinson lasered just over in stoppage time, which ended with a stupendous double save by new boy Peretz.