O'Carroll produced an excellent finish on 32 minutes with a lef tfoot shot which flew into the bottom left hand corner of Ben Smith's goal.

It was the best moment of the night for the ex-Celtic man who produced some excellent touches throughout the evening and linked up well with Matty Blinkhorn in their first start together.

O'Carroll came close on two further occasions in the second half, volleying inches over from close range on 37 minutes and drilling another rasping drive just off target two minutes later.

The second half saw Doncaster make nine changes and step up the pace with James Coppinger and Northern Ireland international Stewart Elliott giving the visitors a sharper look but the Morecambe defence always looked strong.

Rovers' best opening came when James Hayter was presented with a chance but failed to turn the ball home from close range.

For Morecambe Curtis forced former Leeds keeper Neil Sullivan into a neat save low to his right before shooting inches wide from the edge of the area.

Matty Blinkhorn was presented with a golden chance on the hour but failed to connect with his 18-yard effort.

Boss Sammy McIlroy included trialist winger Simon Wiles in his line-up and he produced some good touches before being replaced by Wayne Curtis at half time. Fellow trialist Jonathan Smith, a former Wigan and Aberdeen player, was given 30 minutes to show what he could do.

MORECAMBE: Roche (Davies 77), Parrish, Adams, Carr (Drummond 63), Bentley, Artell, Wiles (Curtis 46), McLachlan (Hunter 63), O'Carroll, Blinkhorn (Smith 63), Wainwright (McCann 75).

DONCASTER: Smith, O'Connor, Boyce, Heffernan, Wilson, Woods, Wellens, Spicer, Hird, Fairhurst, Ameobi. Subs used: Sullivan Guy, Taylor, Hayter, Elliott, Coppinger, Nelthorpe, Hall, Clark, Penney.