DONCASTER Rovers could well be playing in the Championship next season but, after a gruelling 90 minutes at the Keepmoat Stadium last night, Lee Peacock admitted it was as though they were already in a different league.

If it was a boxing match the result would have been awarded to the high-flying hosts well before the final whistle as they prodded and probed a hard-working Town with such a domination of possession that the visitors were at times, literally chasing shadows.

Billy Paynter, Peacock and Andy Nicholas will all look back at late missed chances and reflect on what might have been but no-one was fooled into thinking Doncaster's three points were anything but deserved.

Sean McDaid's first goal of the season broke the deadlock on 40 minutes and when Brian Stock coolly converted a 67th-minute penalty, with Hasney Aljofree dismissed for a professional foul on Mark McCammon in the area, it was party time in Yorkshire.

Ironically, Town improved once they were a man down and should have pulled a goal back but, taking until the 53rd minute for their first shot, Peacock knows there can be little complaint.

He said: "They have not created a lot of chances but they did have a lot of possession, and I mean a lot.

"We never got to grips with them and how they played.

"I feel sorry for JP McGovern in a way because he was screaming and shouting for the ball to feet, as were Easty and Timlin.

"They are fantastic footballers with the ball at their feet.

"But the only thing they are getting is crumbs or second balls and if we are going to have players like that we have to use them.

"We don't start playing for some reason until we are down to 10 men and then we play some alright stuff."

To be fair to Maurice Malpas' side, Doncaster rarely threatened Town's goal themselves with Peter Brezovan's only save of the game coming from Lewis Guy on 27 minutes.

But an otherwise solid Swindon defence switched off twice to hand Doncaster the points and leave Town with just three wins on their travels all season.

They improved once Billy Paynter was brought on for marked man Anthony McNamee but the hard luck story is becoming an all-too familiar tale for their travelling army.

Peacock said: "I just think it is about how we played offensively. Everything was defenders straight up to strikers. Balls getting launched in.

"They had two centre halves and a deep-lying midfielder and I am not that big.

"We come off a good result last weekend but we have just put ourselves back in the mess again.

"I don't think there was enough passion, commitment or anything like that.

"They were first to everything and to be honest I don't think we were in their league."