Joel Bagan scored a dramatic winning goal in the ninth minute of added time as Cardiff City edged out Doncaster Rovers in a chaotic and captivating seven-goal thriller to stay four points clear at the top of League One.

In a topsy-turvy first half which produced four goals, Doncaster opened the scoring through Owen Bailey's deflected strike before Omari Kellyman responded swiftly with an assured finish, also with the aid of a touch on its way in.

Cardiff led 10 minutes later thanks to Cian Ashford's determined run and low strike – bundled in despite losing his footing – but Rovers striker Brandon Hanlan fired into the bottom corner to make it 2-2 shortly before half-time.

League One top scorer Yousef Salech slid in to restore the home side's lead early in the second half and, after missing some glaring chances, Doncaster levelled again as an unmarked Harry Clifton punished yet more sloppy Bluebirds defending.

The visitors sensed a rare victory – just a second in 13 league fixtures – could have been theirs but they were dealt a sickening late blow when Ashford's low shot was pushed away by Doncaster goalkeeper Thimothee Lo-Tutala into the path of Bagan, who squeezed in a low finish at the near post to spark ecstatic celebrations at Cardiff City Stadium.

Having looked like they had allowed the game to spiral out of control, Cardiff were as relieved as they were jubilant to snatch a fifth successive win with virtually the final kick of a breathless game.

As for Doncaster, this was a cruel way to lose and drop down to 20th in the League One table, level on points with Plymouth Argyle in the highest of the relegation places.

Barry-Murphy had warned his Cardiff players they needed to overcome a "highly technical" Doncaster to extend their four-match winning run.

Grant McCann's side vindicated that pre-match praise with a fine start as they took the lead after 15 minutes.

Right winger Luke Molyneux created the goal skilfully, jinking past Joel Bagan and pulling the ball back for captain Bailey, whose low finish deflected past a wrongfooted Nathan Trott.

Lo-Tutala was similarly undone as Cardiff winger Isaak Davies did well to resist attempted fouls before passing to Kellyman, who controlled superbly and fired into the net via a deflection.

Chances flowed at both ends as the two teams attacked at will and left themselves open defensively.

Ashford put Cardiff ahead as he simply put his head down and ran, shrugged off would-be tacklers, ignored Davies in space and, off-balance, poked in despite a hand from Lo-Tutala.

If the hosts thought they would take control from that point, they quickly surrendered it as their former academy player Charlie Crew cut them open with a through ball for Hanlan, who rifled a powerful finish into the bottom far corner.

The second half was every bit as frantic, with Salech scoring five minutes after the interval as he slid in cleverly to convert Ryan Wintle's lofted deep diagonal pass.

But still Doncaster streamed forward, Hanlan wasting two good chances – firing wide and seeing a header brilliantly saved – before Clifton drifted away from David Turnbull to latch on to Bailey's nod-down from a free-kick and fire the Yorkshire side level.

Rovers looked capable of grabbing a late winner but instead it was Cardiff who had the final word as Ashford cut inside from the right, ran powerfully and shot low with his left foot.

Lo-Tutala could only palm his effort to Bagan, who threaded a low finish in at the near post to send the home crowd into raptures.