A calm, warm day greeted the Rovers at Whaddon Road in what could have possibly become the biggest day in the Club's history. A win against relegation threatened Cheltenham Town would be enough to lift Sean O'Driscoll's side to The Championship - the first time that Doncaster Rovers would have been in the second tier of English football since the 1957/58 season.
The Rovers manager named an unchanged side from the 2-0 win against Luton Town at the Keepmoat a week ago. However, the full Doncaster Rovers squad - minus Sean McDaid, who recently had surgery on a dislocated knee - was present at this fellow racing town for what promised to be a special occasion.
Cheltenham Town - relegated should they fail to get a result against the Rovers and in-form Bournemouth win against Carlisle - turned out in their new home strip of all red shirts, red shorts and red socks, with Doncaster Rovers playing in their change strip of blue and white hoops, blue shorts and blue socks.
Cheltenham came out of the dressing room like a team needing to play for their lives and created the first chance of the game, when Steven Gillespie found himself on the end of a half-clearance by Matthew Mills. However, good work from Mills to recover led to the Manchester City loanee putting off Gillespie, who blasted a half-shot well over Neil Sullivan's bar.
The Rovers looked calmer on the ball, however slowing down the tempo led to the battling Robins often winning possession back from the away side in the early stages of the contest.
The Rovers won the first corner of the game, with former Rovers loanee Alan Wright putting the ball out - however the first corner saw the second free-kick of the game, with referee Lee Mason whistling for handball against James Coppinger.
Cheltenham started off playing well on the counter attack. The Rovers lost the ball on the edge of the Robins' penalty area after good work by James O'Connor on the right - with a superb through ball played towards the direction of Paul Connor. Only the pace of Sam Hird and the calm of Neil Sullivan led to the chance for Cheltenham fizzling out.
12 minutes in and the Rovers could have opened the scoring. The Rovers won a corner, which was played in well by the fit and healthy Brian Stock. The set-piece was met by Paul Green - celebrating the end of his tenth season at Doncaster Rovers - whose header floated just wide of Shane Higgs' far post.
Rovers started to get more of the ball after the 15 minute mark, however chances were lacking as Cheltenham once again broke away, with Gillespie scuffing an attempt just shy of 20 minutes.
The Robins had a great chance to score on the 20th minute, when good work from Scott Brown in the centre led to the midfielder feeding the ball over to the right hand side. Ashley Vincent then crossed a tremendous ball into Paul Connor, whose attempt from a free-header went over Sullivan's crossbar.
Cheltenham continued their good spell, with Steven Gillespie causing Matt Mills more problems when he held up the ball on the edge of the area and managed to get a shot off which was well taken by Neil Sullivan.
Cheltenham's pressure paid off on the 24th minute when powerful Paul Connor held the ball up inside the box and laid it into the path of GILLESPIE, who managed to get past Matthew Mills and hit a right-footed shot that trickled into the far side of Neil Sullivan's goal to open the scoring.
The goal brought more confidence for the home side, when Ashley Vincent and Jerry Gill linked up well on the right hand side to play a delicious ball into the box. Had it not been for Matt Mills heading the ball out of the corner - Rovers could have been paying the price. The subsequent corner saw Richard Keogh blast a shot wide of the net.
Brian Stock received the first booking of the game just after the half hour mark. The captain made a full bloodied attempt at claiming the ball off of Vincent, bundling the winger to the ground.
Sam Hird came desperately close to drawing the Rovers level from a corner by Stock, when the young centre half caused Higgs to make a tremendous save from point blank range. Hird latched onto Stock's low cross and smashed the ball goalwards to which Higgs parried off for another corner.
The following corner - again played in by Stock - was met by Gareth Taylor after poor defending by Cheltenham. The veteran striker tried to place a shot to Higgs' left - only for the ball to be cleared off the line by Jerry Gill.
Rovers were starting to get into the game more towards the end of the first half, however Cheltenham were still putting on a battling display and stopping the Rovers from playing to the best of their ability.
Mark McCammon was the next player to almost put the Rovers back into the game. A great long ball by Matt Mills was superbly judged by the big striker, who powered past his man only to poke an effort directly at Shane Higgs.
Rovers were creating the chances that were lacking over the first half towards the end of the 45. First - Brian Stock struck a fierce shot that blazed over the Robins bar; before a superb cross from James O'Connor was met by Gareth Taylor, whose header looped over the bar.
A single minute was added onto the end of the first half, which went by without another chance occurring.
Half Time: Cheltenham Town 1 Doncaster Rovers 0
Rovers came out unchanged in personnel in the second half, however James O'Connor slipped to centre-half, whilst Green switched to a right-wing back as Sean appeared to play a 3-2-3-2 formation.
The change paid off four minutes after the restart, when Coppinger played the ball across the box to Gareth Roberts whose shot on his left stung the gloves of Shane Higgs.
Rovers looked rejuvenated in the opening spells of the second half - as balls in from Gareth Roberts after short corners from Brian Stock. Shane Higgs denied a fierce header from Gareth Taylor who looked certain to score.
Rovers continued to press, with the new system succeeding in stretching Cheltenham Town. Wellens was the next player to try to level things up when he was passed the ball short from James Coppinger inside the box - however a touch too much and Wellens' effort was blasted over the crossbar.
Green tried his luck from 25 yards on the right hand side - his half-volley managing to beat everybody except the Cheltenham custodian - who was able to scoop the ball into his chest.
It was all Rovers for the first 15 of the second half, with Matthew Mills even drilling a delightful ball into the box, however no player was on the end of a splendid delivery.
Cheltenham made the first change of the afternoon on the 60th minute, with Andy Lindegaard replacing Scott Brown.
A minute later; Rovers made their first substitution of the game. Jason Price entered the fray as Gareth Taylor made way.
A spell of pressure from Rovers often came to nothing - before Mark McCammon rocketed a header goalwards from a Matt Mills cross, which whiskered wide on the 68th minute.
The game's third substitution came from Cheltenham, as Alex Russell was replaced by Craig Armstrong.
However, Rovers pressure inspired Sean O'Driscoll to make a double substitution, as Lewis Guy and Paul Heffernan replaced McCammon and Coppinger.
Rovers got back on level terms on the 76th minute. A superb cross from the left was met by the head of Jason Price, who knocked it down for Paul GREEN to lash a superb strike into the bottom corner of the net.
Rovers fans in jubilation, the performance was upped by the Rovers - who now looked to press for the winner that could promote them. Wellens came agonsisingly close as he received a ball from Paul Green - who looked to be pulled back - the midfielder's shot somehow staying out of the net.
Cheltenham were reduced to 10 men temporarily, as Steve Gillespie's afternoon came to an end after receiving a nasty knock - he was replaced by Adam Connolly.
However, before Connelly took to the pitch - Rovers should have scored again, as a turn and shot from Jason Price painfully hit the far post.
Paul Heffernan's first chance of the game was another effort that came close to scoring the winner. The Irishman nodded in from a cross from the right-hand side, which buzzed wide.
The Rovers then conceded the corner which was to ruin the afternoon. The corner was played in and ensuing the scrap CONNOR poked the ball past Sullivan - in what was their only attempt at the other end all second half.
Immediately at the other end - the Rovers kept fighting - as Paul Heffernan and Lewis Guy saw chances saved well by Higgs.
Into injury time and Paul Green pulled a tremendous save from Shane Higgs - as the 'keeper was forced to parry a searing shot over the cross bar. The rough with the smooth saw Paul Green limp off the pitch to receive treatment for the final seconds.
The Rovers work rate was unquestionable - tremendous fight shown by the away side continued throughout the remaining minutes of the game - however it was to be Cheltenham Town's afternoon as the win ensured they stay in League One. The Rovers undoubtedly the better team in the second half - Sean O'Driscoll's side found another 'keeper in tremendous form in the shape of Shane Higgs; one week after Dean Brill pulled off numerous saves in Rovers' game against Luton.
Disappointment for the Rovers - who miss out on automatic promotion to The Championship - it'll have to now be achieved through the Play-Offs, where the Rovers look set to face Southend United.
Rovers: Sullivan; O'Connor, Mills, Hird, G.Roberts; Green, Stock, Wellens; Coppinger, Taylor, McCammon
Subs: Lee, Heffernan (Coppinger; 75), Hayter, Guy (McCammon, 75), Price (Taylor, 61)
Cautions: Stock
Cheltenham: Higgs, Gill, Duff, Gillespie, Connor, Brown, Bird, Vincent, Keogh, Wright, Russell
Subs: P Brown, Connolly (Gillespie, 82), Lindegaard (S Brown, 60), Armstrong (Russell, 72), D'Agostino
Cautions: Vincent
