DOUBLE UP TOP FOR MARQUIS AS HE DARTS IN FOR LEADERS

JOHN Marquis insists two wins over Portsmouth in one season stands as proof of Doncaster’s promotion credentials, after Rovers maintained their lead at the League Two summit.

The 24-year-old struck twice at the Keepmoat Stadium on Thursday, opening the scoring with a header before Kai Naismith cancelled his effort out before half-time.

Tommy Rowe’s stinger put the hosts back ahead before the hour mark, and Marquis – who celebrated his first goal with a dart-throwing celebration – made three points certain on 71 minutes with a 12-yard volley.

“We try not to look at the table too much, but anyone who beats Portsmouth twice is going to be up there,” said the striker, who is now on 13 goals.

“A bit of a gap has opened up but we’re not

going to rest. We want to go up in style. We haven’t lost at home all season and want that to continue.

“I’m a big fan of darts and my mum plays in a team. She’s quite good, and was playing darts with all her friends in London, getting there early to watch our game.

“I said if I scored, I would get to the oche and throw a few! I can’t beat my mum, she is far too good for me. I’m just an idiot when I celebrate.”

It was not all good news for Doncaster boss Darren Ferguson however, who saw keeper Marko Marosi carried off on a stretcher four minutes from time after a heroic performance.

The 23-year-old Slovakian denied Matthew Clarke from point-blank range in the first half, before just getting his fingertips to Milan Lalkovic’s header, but was injured in a goalmouth scramble.

And Pompey boss Paul Cook lamented his side conceding the first goal once again, as his players left themselves with a mountain to climb. Cook said: “It’s an Achilles heel. “What we can’t do is give them the first goal, that’s the reality of the situation.

“There has been Luton away, Plymouth away, and other games when we have conceded goals early on.

“We have that within us and it’s unfortunate. What we are is naive.

“We make mistakes in possession, we just don’t manage to do the right thing at the right time on occasions.

“And if you give it away in the middle third against a team who just want to break on you then you are in trouble.”