Rochdale advanced to the last sixteen of the Checkatrade Trophy with a penalty shootout victory over Doncaster Rovers.

Academy graduate Matty Gillam put Dale ahead from the spot just after the half hour mark when Andy Cannon was brought down in the area.

The visitors equalised in the 73^rd minute through Liam Mandeville to send the game to penalties.

The first nine were scored, but Josh Lillis saved Tommy Rowe’s effort to ensure Dale’s passage through to the next round.

Keith Hill made four changes to the side from the weekend’s 2-0 victory over Peterborough United.

Kgosi Ntlhe, Andy Cannon, Gillam and 16-year-old Academy player Daniel Adshead all came into the starting eleven.

Ntlhe had to be alert inside the first 20 seconds, when he cleared an effort off the line, before Bunney had to clear a low ball across goal from Alfie Beestin.

Mandeville had a shot saved as the visitors played some nice football early on, before Callum Camps sent Dale’s first effort just wide of the target from the edge of the area.

Adshead, on his fourth consecutive Checkatrade Trophy start, was impressing once again. The Dale Academy product showed a superb piece of skill to flick a ball over a sliding Doncaster defender, before having an effort deflected over the crossbar.

Matty Blair forced Lillis into his first save of the night with a near post effort that was beat around the near post.

Dale were awarded a golden opportunity to take the lead shortly after the half hour mark, when Andy Cannon was brought down inside the penalty area.

Gillam stepped up and coolly converted, allowing the goalkeeper to dive to one side before slotting the ball down the opposite side.

Calvin Andrew sent a header wide from Joe Bunney’s free-kick as Dale looked for a second before half-time, although Ntlhe had to be withdrawn due to a head injury three minutes before the break. He was replaced by Mark Kitching.

Camps forced Marko Marosi into a save at the beginning of the second-half with a superb effort which dipped at the final moment, as Dale started the second period on top.

Goalscorer Gillam was replaced by Jordan Williams shortly before the hour mark, but it was first substitute Kitching who headed a Bunney free-kick on to the roof of the net when he rose highest in the area.

Just two minutes later the visitors equalised, when Mandeville was played in behind the Dale defence and finished clinically beyond Lillis.

Bradden Inman replaced Ollie Rathbone for the final ten minutes, which saw both Cannon and Camps have efforts blocked from the edge of the area.

Dale were the side that looked more likely to take the win in 90 minutes, but couldn’t find a winner, as the game went to penalties.

The first nine penalties were scored, but the tenth would be crucial, when Lillis saved well to his right from Rowe’s spot-kick, sending Dale through to the last sixteen of the Checkatrade Trophy.