DONCASTER/MIDDLESBROUGH, Dec 21 (SW) - Both Arsenal and Blackburn Rovers advanced to the Carling Cup semi-finals on Wednesday with the former needing penalties to beat League One side Doncaster Rovers.

Doncaster Rovers - Arsenal 2-2 AET, 1-3 pens

The home side got off to a blistering start at Belle Vue against a significantly weaker Gunners team when Michael McIndoe took Paul Heffernan's pass and beat Manuel Almunia at a tough angle to send the 10,006 fans into a frenzy just four minutes in.

Robin van Persie was forced off with an injury on 33 minutes after a challenge from Stephen Roberts and it was Rovers who went to the interval ahead.

On 63 minutes, the dreams started to fade as Quincy Owusu-Abeyie found space in the area and his shot beat Jan Budtz only after taking a deflection off of Sean Thornton.

The match then went into extra-time and in the 104th minute, Belle Vue was again rocking as Paul Green took the ball off an error by Philippe Senderos and beat Almunia for a 2-1 lead.

Heartbreak again came though in the 120th minute as veteran midfielder Gilberto found his way onto Emmanuel Eboue's cross and he tucked it in for 2-2, sending the match to penalties.

After Neil Roberts hit the post for Rovers and then Heffernan and Green were saved, Arsenal took the shoot-out 3-1 to advance to the semi-finals where they travel to play Wigan.

Middlesbrough - Blackburn Rovers 0-1

Blackburn Rovers certainly wouldn't mind winning a trophy this season, and they took another step towards doing so, winning 1-0 at the Riverside over Middlesbrough and sending Mark Hughes' men into the semis.

It wasn't until the death that the match hit its climax and Paul Dickov's goal in the 90th minute gave Rovers the win.

After a headed clearance by Stuart Parnaby, striker Shefki Kuqi took a crack at goal, but the ball deflected to the far post where Dickov was on hand to smash home.

Rovers now move on and get a home match in the semi-finals against Manchester United.