Giant-killers Doncaster ready for anyone

A striker (background) celebrates after scoring a goal. Doncaster boss Dave Penney has declared his giant-killing side ready to take on Arsenal or any other big guns left in the quarter-finals of the League Cup.

Doncaster boss Dave Penney has declared his giant-killing side ready to take on Arsenal or any other big guns left in the quarter-finals of the League Cup.

Currently ninth in League One, the third tier of English football, Donacaster have already accounted for Manchester City and Aston Villa in the competition, advancing to the last eight for the first time in three decades.

And after a stunning 3-0 triumph over beleaguered Villa on Tuesday night, the Yorkshire club can look forward to another big night.

"We are not bothered who we get in the next round," Penney declared. "We have had two big games already down here at Belle Vue and the crowd were fantastic.

"I am not bothered whether we get another big home match or whether this time we get a trip to a big team elsewhere."

Michael McIndoe, from the penalty spot, Paul Heffernan and Sean Thornton, with a late long-range effort, secured an astonishingly comfortable win for Doncaster against a full-strength Villa side.

The embarassing defeat has intensified the pressure on Villa boss David O'Leary, who was already the favourite to be the next Premiership manager to be sacked following Portsmouth's dismissal of Alain Perrin last week.

O'Leary admitted Doncaster had deserved their win.

"In the first half I felt there was nothing in the game. The second goal was crucial and they got it instead of us," he said. "It was a poor goal on our part but in the second half Doncaster overall were the better team."

On a freezing night in South Yorkshire, it appeared that some of Villa's big names simply did not have the stomach for a fight.

Penney added: "We had all the elements for us. It was frosty and cold and it made for a great atmosphere and it is fantastic for us to get into the last eight."

Doncaster were joined in the last eight of the competition by Arsenal, who beat Championship leaders Reading 3-0 at Highbury, and Birmingham, who had to go to penalties to overcome Millwall after a 2-2 draw.