Ched Evans was handed an early opportunity, stretching to reach Glen Little's low cross, but the former Manchester City striker miscued, firing wide from 12 yards.
Stephen Quinn tried his luck from long range but posed no problems for Neil Sullivan with the Keepmoat side quick to close down the United midfield.
Little, who kept his place in the side after helping United come back to grab a 3-3 draw against Ipswich in midweek set up Andrew Davies, but the centre-back, on loan from Stoke, headed over from close range.
Doncaster, who had drawn seven of their previous ten league games, snatched the lead in scrappy fashion on 45 minutes after Dean Shiels threaded the ball to James Hayter, whose shot from ten yards was half blocked by Kyle Walker as the ball bobbled past the stranded Mark Bunn.
Richard Cresswell, another Stoke loanee, was foiled by Sullivan in added time, the veteran keeper conjuring up a one-handed stop to deflect his low strike from Darius Henderson's precise cross.
United squandered a chance in the 58th minute after Little's cross from the right was cleared straight to Evans lurking 12 yards out whose left foot strike flashed across the face of the goal and wide of the far post.
The Sheffield side snatched the equaliser in the 65th minute, winger Little was given too much space as he crossed from the right, with Cresswell producing a brave diving header at the far post.
Doncaster escaped minutes later after failing to cut out another Little centre as Henderson raced in to crash his header against the woodwork with Sullivan helpless.
Sullivan produced another spectacular save deflecting Walker's shot over the top as United looked for, but failed to find, the winner.