Donny destroy Shimpers in semi

Doncaster: Celebrating Stock's opener

A stunning hat-trick from James Coppinger inspired Rovers to an emphatic semi-final second-leg victory at the Keepmoat Stadium.

Going into the encounter goalless after the first leg, the hosts flew out of the traps to all but put the tie beyond doubt with a 3-0 lead at the interval.

Rovers captain Brian Stock opened the scoring from the penalty spot after eight minutes while Southend skipper Adam Barrett put through his own net shortly after to put the home side firmly in control.

Coppinger contributed with a superb individual goal prior to the break, before adding an almost identical second at the other end seven minutes after the restart.

The midfielder then completed his treble with a sublime free-kick in the 79th minute.

Nicky Bailey registered a late consolation for Southend.

The result leaves Doncaster, who missed out on automatic promotion on the last day of the season, just one game away from a return to second-tier football for the first time since 1958.

It also means victory against Leeds a week on Sunday would seal a remarkable journey from non-league football to the Championship in the space of five years.

Rovers were boosted by the return of influential forward Richie Wellens for the crunch clash after he missed the first leg with a groin problem.

Meanwhile, joint top-scorer Lee Barnard figured for the Shrimpers after shaking off an ankle injury.

Doncaster boss Sean O'Driscoll stated before the encounter his side were "as ready as we'll ever be".

And backed by a boisterous home crowd they certainly enjoyed the better of the opening exchanges.

Nevertheless, it was James Walker who missed a glorious chance to hand the visitors a dream lead after only eight minutes.

Defender Simon Francis burst down the right and played an inch-perfect pass across the penalty area to the far post, but Walker could only cannon his effort against the crossbar from six yards out.

And Southend were made to pay for the glaring miss when Stock fired home the opener from the penalty spot just three minutes later.

Defender Peter Clarke was adjudged to have hauled down Jason Price in the area and Stock stepped up to coolly slot the spot kick straight down the middle.

The early breakthrough opened up the encounter and it was not long before Doncaster doubled their advantage.

James Hayter crossed to Paul Green at the far post and he headed back across the face of goal, where Barrett could only bundle the ball into his own net after a mix-up in the visitors' defence.

The hosts all but booked their place at Wembley six minutes before the interval when midfielder Coppinger danced his way past three challenges to fire a low shot past the despairing Darryl Flahavan and make it an emphatic 3-0 at the break.

The hosts did not waste any time after the restart and Coppinger again jigged his way around a static Southend defence to rifle in a fourth and leave the visiting fans stunned. Coppinger's third from a set-piece added a gloss to the scoreline before Bailey fired home a consolation late on.

The result crushed Southend's hopes of an immediate return to the Championship and left the majority of the 13,082 supporters inside the Keepmoat Stadium dreaming of Wembley glory.