Another Yorkshire 'derby' was the fare on offer tonight for the Doncaster football fans. The visitors from Bradford were level with the Rovers in the table, with both teams entertaining outside hopes of reaching the play-offs. To keep those hopes alive required a win tonight.

A fine, pleasant spring evening saw the Rovers take the field with three changes to the team, which drew at Blackpool last Saturday. Iain Turner, the on-loan keeper from Everton, was on duty in Italy with the Scottish Under 21 team, Andy Warrington replacing him. Gregg Blundell came in for Adriano Rigoglioso and Paul Green replaced Ricky Ravenhill.

The Rovers started brightly, attacking the Town end from the start. But it was the visitors who hit the jackpot in their first serious assault on the Rovers goal after 9 minutes. Windass, on the edge of the Rovers penalty area and with his back to goal, flicked the ball to the Bradford left for BRIDGE-WILKINSON to turn inside Mulligan and fire past the advancing Warrington into the net. Despite this setback, the Rovers immediately went on to the attack with a free kick on the right touchline but Roberts headed wide. However, Bradford were now in the game and hit back with a corner followed by a cross from the left by Bridge-Wilkinson for Windass to shoot over the bar from 15 yards. Then Cooke, for Bradford, hit a piledriver from 25 yards, which had Warrington flying to his left to push round the post for another corner to the visitors. Cooke, in the middle, put the ball wide. Conversely, Morrison was booked for diving on the edge of the Rovers penalty area. This good spell for the visitors lasted until the 20^th minute when Blundell got away down the left and put a good, low cross into the six yard box, which Green missed. The ball went to the right flank where McSporran fired back into the goalmouth, the ball hitting BOWER and bouncing off him into the net for an equalising goal for the Rovers. This spurred the home team to renewed efforts to add to their tally. Five minutes later, a brilliant run down the right by Blundell resulted in a good cross for the onrushing Coppinger but he was tackled as he met the ball on the volley and screwed it wide of goal. Bradford hit back over the next five minutes when Schumacher shot over and Crooks also put the ball over the bar from another attack. On 35 minutes Green fed the ball through for Roberts, who turned and, from 25 yards, lashed in a shot but Henderson was in the right place to make the save. Five minutes later, Green put Mulligan away down the right. The cross produced a good header from Roberts but Henderson again saved well. As the interval approached, Roberts chested down a cross from Ryan for Blundell to shoot from 25 yards but he was wide of goal. Then Coppinger, on the left, robbed Holloway of the ball, ran on but his thumping effort was deflected by a defender's boot for a corner. The last action of the first half came from the visitors, with a corner on their left but it was cleared and an entertaining first half was brought to a close by the referee.

The second half opened with the Rovers on the attack when Green intercepted the ball but put his shot from 25 yards wide. End to end football ensued as both sides went for a goal to keep their season alive. Windass, for Bradford, shot over from an angle on the right and Doolan hit a tremendous drive from 30 yards, which Henderson could only palm upwards, leaving his defenders to clear. On 61 minutes, McSporran raced past Tierney, on the Rovers right wing and crossed on the run as he neared the byline. The cross went behind for a goalkick but McSporran stayed on the floor as the linesman waved frantically for the Rovers physio to come and attend to him. The doctor was called and a stretcher and splints sent for before McSporran could be moved from the pitch. The hold up took fully five minutes but it was obviously a bad injury and he received a terrific ovation as he was carried off. He had played well up to that point showing great pace and proving to be a danger to the opposing defence. Guy replaced him on the field, taking up a position in the middle, with Blundell moving out to the right. Blundell immediately put over a good cross that Henderson came out to punch away but missed the ball and had to thank Wetherall for heading out for a corner and sparing his blushes. As the last 20 minutes came up the visitors began to put the pressure on the Rovers defence. Bridge-Wilkinson fired over from a free kick and, minutes later, got in a fierce drive from 25 yards, which was half stopped by Foster before going through for Warrington to save. But, on 84 minutes, Roberts fought for and won the ball to the right of goal before firing across the keeper only to see the ball hit the far post and come back into play. In the 90^th minute of normal time, Windass got to the right byline and hit a low centre across the face of goal. Schumacher failed to make contact in front of goal as the ball went out to the left. Crooks fired it back but it was blocked before Warrington got a hand to the ball to push it away as a Bradford player went for it. Again, the ball was hit for goal but Foster was on the line to clear. Six minutes was added on but the result stayed the same as the referee, who had handled a fierce combative match very well, blew for time.

After the match, both managers conceded that a draw had seen the end of either team getting to the play-offs. However, it had been an entertaining game for the spectators and was a fair result.

Rovers: - Andy Warrington: Dave Mulligan, Nick Fenton, Steve Foster, Tim Ryan; James Coppinger, Paul Green, John Doolan, Jermaine McSporran; Gregg Blundell, Neil Roberts.

Sub used - Lewis Guy for McSporran 65 mins; Ricky Ravenhill for Green 78 mins.

Subs not used - Mark Albrighton, Leo Fortune-West, Lee Cockerham gk.

Caution - Ryan.

Bradford City - Paul Henderson; Darren Holloway, David Wetherall, Mark Bower, Paul Tierney; Owen Morrison, Steven Schumacher, Lee Crooks, Marc Bridge-Wilkinson; Andrew Cooke, Dean Windass.

Subs used - Ben Muirhead for Morrison 75 mins.

Subs not used - Peter Atherton, Lewis Emanuel, Danny Forrest, Donovan Ricketts gk.

Cautions - Morrison, Bridge-Wilkinson, Tierney, Crooks,