Rovers produced the best football in the game in the first ten minutes but then Tottenham struck twice to reveal a massive gulf in finishing power.
Carlo Cudicini was easily Spurs' best player in the opening stages.
The Italian keeper produced an amazing reflex save to deny James Hayter in the second minute and was at full stretch again to tip a shot from John Oster round the post four minutes later.
Rovers had made a blistering start and looked by far the classier side but the Premier League leaders quickly showed that when it came to finishing they were on a different planet.
Doncaster's insistence on playing football from the back cost them dearly when Spurs snatched the lead totally against the run of play in the ninth minute.
Keeper Ben Smith but Adam Lockwood in trouble with a short pass and when the defender tried to play the ball square in front of the penalty box, Tom Huddlestone intercepted and calmly slotted home.
Rovers were deflated after their bright opening and Tottenham cashed in with a quality finish from Jamie O'Hara a couple of minutes later when he hammered the ball into the top corner after latching on to a cross from David Bentley.
Rovers recovered to produce more promise with Cudicini saving from Oster before Peter Crouch produced a stooping header to make it 3-0 following a 37th minute corner.
Bentley added the fourth in brilliant style from a difficult angle in the 53rd minute before Rovers finally got some reward for their endeavors.
Substitute Kevin-Prince Boateng handled in the area and Martin Woods crashed the ball home before Lewis Guy was unlucky to see a shot come back off the bar four minutes later.
Roman Pavlyuchenko slotted home Spurs' fifth goal in the 69th minute but Doncaster battled to the finish with substitute Byron Webster heading against the inside of the post in the last minute.