A fine, even sunny afternoon following rain and wind last night welcomed both teams for the first game of a new era for Doncaster Rovers in the new Keepmoat Stadium. The Rovers were unchanged from Saturday at Blackpool but Huddersfield make three changes. Out are Holdsworth, with an ankle injury, Young and Worthington. Abbott, Ahmed and Hardy were their replacements. Schofield is also out, injured. The Rovers defended the South Stand end in the first half.

The Rovers went straight on to the attack from the kick off, with Coppinger going down the right before feeding Heffernan. His blistering drive from the edge of the Town penalty area was tipped away by the keeper, Glennon for a corner to the Rovers. Huddersfield hit back a few minutes later when Abbott worked his goalwards but was shepherded wide by Roberts and Lee, eventually shooting into the side net. Then, with 8 minutes gone, a long clearance by keeper, Smith out of the Rovers defence was missed by McIntosh. McCAMMON latched on to the loose ball and from 20 yards slammed it into the net for the first goal at the new Stadium. The Terriers hit back with Collins and Taylor-Fletcher firing wide. At the other end Glennon made a fine double save to deny Heffernan and then Forte on the follow up. The rain had started now, coming down steadily. On 22 minutes, Collins was put through on the Rovers goal but Smith came out and narrowed the angle sufficiently to force him to slide the ball wide. Coppinger immediately went into action at the other end to blast in a 30 yarder that Glennon couldn't hold  but he got it at the second attempt. The match had now developed into a good end-to-end game, with both teams playing some good football on a well grassed, pristine pitch made slippery with the rain coming down. Half time came with the Rovers leading by a single goal.

The visitors set the second half in motion and visited the Rovers goal area but were repulsed. With two minutes of the half gone, Forte got the ball halfway into the Town half and slipped it through for HEFFERNAN to slam past the keeper as the Town defence appealed in vain for offside. The Town hit back with a raid into the Rovers territory to win a corner, which came to nothing. Then, after 51 minutes, Heffernan chested down a ball to FORTE on the Rovers left.  Forte took it on a few steps before blasting it into the far corner of the Town net for a third goal to the home team.  Back came Huddersfield but Abbott headed well wide from a left wing cross. On 58 minutes came a flashpoint in the match when Ahmed badly fouled McCammon. Immediately a majority of players joined in a fracas, with the eventual result being Ahmed shown a red card and then after a two minute discussion with his two assistants, the referee showed Abbott a red card then called the two captains, Lee and Booth, to him and read the riot act. With Huddersfield down to 9 men, the crowd urged the Rovers on to score more goals but the nearest they got was on 68 minutes when Heffernan and Wilson played a nice 1-2 that left Wilson firing just wide of the far post. The home team kept the pressure on but after 80 minutes, Gareth Roberts was sent off for a two footed tackle on Hardy. It was now 10 against 9. The Town thought they had a chance and fought back, with Young having a couple of cracks at goal, one just skimming the bar, the other wide. The match ran down to it's close without any further incidents of any kind leaving the Rovers winners by three clear goals. A good start to life at the Keepmoat Stadium.

Teams - ROVERS - Ben Smith; James O'Connor, Adam Lockwood, Graeme Lee, Gareth Roberts; James Coppinger, Paul Green, Mark Wilson, Jonathan Forte; Mark McCammon, Paul Heffernan.

Subs used - Sean Thornton for Lockwood 66 mins; Lewis Guy for Coppinger 75 mins; Bruce Dyer for Heffernan 75 mins;

Subs not used - Jason Price, Jan Budtz gk

Cautions - Heffernan,

Sent off - Gareth Roberts 80 mins;

Huddersfield Town - Matthew Glennon; Aaron Hardy, David Mirfin,Martyn McIntosh, Danny Adams; Adnan Ahmed, Gary Taylor-Fletcher, Michael Collins, Chris Brandon; Andy Booth, Pawel Abbott.

Subs used - Matthew Young for Brandon 58 mins; Luke Beckett for Booth 65 mins; Joe Skarz for Taylor-Fletcher 77 mins;

Subs not used - Jon McCombe, Simon Eastwood,

Sent Off - Ahmed 58 mins; Abbott 60 mins;