Carlisle United 1 Doncaster Rovers 2: Carlisle United are out of the FA Cup despite yet another Jon Mellish goal, thanks to Ben Whiteman's first-half Doncaster double.

The League One side struck the decisive blows before the break with captain Whiteman scoring twice in the space of eight minutes.

Mellish halved the deficit with 12 minutes to go with a close-range finish, but Chris Beech's side couldn't turn around the Second Round tie.

Mellish had earlier missed a good chance after a positive Blues start before Darren Moore's side got on top.

After Josh Sims had tested United with his pace early on from the Donny right, Omari Patrick responded with some promising breaks on the Blues right.

Gime Toure showed skill to create a shooting chance while, at the other end, Rhys Bennett did well to close down Fejiri Okenabirhie.

Joe Riley pulled a shot wide after good Carlisle pressing, and United then had their best chance moments later, when a long Joshua Kayode throw bounced and Mellish arrived onto it.

In front of goal, though, the midfielder sent his volley over the bar.

Carlisle were duly punished after Doncaster pressured United through Okenabirhie, who was denied by a Callum Guy challenge and then shot wide after a Tom Anderson pass.

Doncaster then attacked United down the right on 32 minutes, Southampton loanee Sims getting away from Nick Anderton and Carlisle failing to close down the opportunity on the edge of their box, as Whiteman drifted into space from the left and, when picked out, swept a shot past Paul Farman.

Reece James almost added a second before captain Whiteman struck again, beating Farman after ref Scott Oldham had played an advantage following a foul by Riley.

Sims was offside when he hit the bar before half-time with Kayode booked for diving as he argued for a penalty late in the half.

After the break, Sims continued to cause problems and after Patrick had tested Lumley with a shot for Carlisle and Riley had also gone close with a half-volley, the Doncaster dangerman cut in and drilled a shot inches wide.

In response, Toure shot at Lumley from a tight angle when fed by Patrick before Beech made a double change, introducing teenage midfielder Josh Dixon and Lewis Alessandra.

Mellish hooked a low shot wide after Anderton nodded a deep Guy free-kick back into the danger area, before further Carlisle set-piece pressure finally got them a way back.

First, Rhys Bennett's towering header was superbly saved by Lumley, but from the resulting Guy corner, Hayden's effort was parried by the keeper and Mellish pounced to convert the rebound.

United then almost grabbed a leveller when Mellish broke onto an Alessandra pass but Kayode couldn't head the cross on target.

Carlisle kept looking for a second but Gavin Reilly, who replaced sub Dixon in the last minute, found the angle too tight when Hayden got the ball across goal to him and Doncaster went into Monday night's Third Round draw.

United: Farman, Tanner, Anderton, Hayden, Bennett, Guy, Riley (Dixon 70, Reilly 90), Mellish, Toure (Alessandra 70), Patrick, Kayode. Not used: Dewhurst, Devine, Hunt, Furman.

Goal: Mellish 78.

Booked: Kayode.

Doncaster: Lumley, Halliday, James, Anderson, Wright, Whiteman, Okenabirhie, Smith, Amos (Lokilo 53), Richards (Gomes 63), Sims (John-Jules 75). Not used: Jones, Butler, Coppinger, Hasani.

Goals: Whiteman 32, 40.

Ref: Scott Oldham.