DONCASTER Rovers fared better in the Carling Cup than they have in League I so far this season.

But Town boss Peter Jackson believes victories in the former competition show tomorrow's visitors to the Galpharm can still pose a threat in the latter.

After a 1-0 win in a low-key first-round tie at Wrexham, Rovers toppled Manchester City on penalties at Belle Vue the same night Town went down fighting at Blackburn.

League I rivals Gillingham then fell 2-0 in round three to set up a showdown with Aston Villa, who were beaten 3-0 on a memorable evening.

Arsenal were the quarter-final visitors, and needed penalties to make it through after a 2-2 thriller.

In the League, inconsistency has been the key word for manager Dave Penney, who guided Donny back in the League via the Conference play-offs in 2003, then won promotion again the season after (when Town moved up through the play-offs).

A stack of injuries are at the root of the problem, and since Penney plunged into action during the January transfer window, things have improved.

Defender Graeme Lee, who played alongside Town striker David Graham at Sheffield Wednesday at the start of this season, and ex-Hull midfielder Jason Price have joined.

And in on loan have come Middlesbrough's England Under 21 defender David Wheater, Ipswich and Northern Ireland player Kevin Horlock and Rushden striker Alun Armstrong, an ex-Town man.

Tuesday's goalless home draw with Brentford, which was watched by Jackson, stretched Rovers' unbeaten run to five and put them ninth in the table.

Town (from): Senior, Mirfin, Smith, Clarke (N), McIntosh, Holdsworth, Adams, Taylor-Fletcher, Worthington, Brandon, Hudson, Ahmed, Schofield, Booth, Graham, Abbott, McAliskey, Rachubka.

Doncaster (from): Budtz, Marples, Lee, Wheater, Mulligan, McDaid, Price, Green, Horlock, Coppinger, Fortune-West, McCormack, Ravenhill, McIndoe, Roberts (N), Nielsen, Armstrong.

Referee: Andy D'Urso (Essex).