A cold but dry, windy afternoon at Brisbane Road was the fare for the delectation of the supporters of Leyton Orient and Doncaster Rovers. For the Rovers, three points were a vital necessity in their battle with Carlisle United for the second spot and automatic promotion. Of course Carlisle have the edge but they play another play-off candidate in Southend United this afternoon. For the home team their assault on the play-off positions has faded out after losing their last five matches. The Rovers made two changes from last Saturday's win over Swindon Town. Matt Mills returns from suspension to take over from Sam Hird and Richie Wellens comes in for last week's goalscorer, Sean McDaid.  The Orient make five changes from their last game at Oldham Athletic. Tamika Mkandawire is out with an injury, former Rovers players, JJ Melligan and Sean Thornton are dropped to the bench as are Aidan Palmer and Adam Boyd. The other Orient substitute, Loick Pires is a Youth team player. The Rovers, in blue and white hoops, attacked the North Stand end.

The home team kicked off but the Rovers were soon on the attack, winning the first corner of the game on 6 minutes. Two minutes later, Purches and Gray, for the home team, linked up on the right but Purches fired wide of the far post from the angle of the penalty area. Minutes later, a good run forward by Steve Roberts, out to Gareth Roberts on the Rovers left, who put across a low ball which Taylor missed but it ran to Coppinger, on the right, who fired wide of the far post. The Rovers followed this with an attack down the right where Green put in a good cross, which McCammon headed wide. Orient then went down to the other end through Purches, who got to the corner flag before crossing for Gray to head goalwards but it was deflected for a corner. They followed this with Oji firing in a low drive from fully 35 yards but Sullivan got down well to his right and pushed it away. It was then the Rovers turn, with a good build up down their left ending with Green shooting from just outside the penalty area but putting it wide of goal. On 20 minutes, Demetriou, for Orient, crossed from the right touchlinefor Barcham, at the far post, to head wide under challenge. Minutes later and a cross from Taylor on the Rovers left to Green, who touched it inside for Coppinger to volley from the edge of the area straight at the keeper. Past the half hour and a free kick from the Rovers left by Gareth Robertswas met at the far post with a header by Taylor, easily saved by Morris, in the Orient goal. End to end play continued until the 41st minute when a corner from the Orient left to the far post was headed wide by Ibehre. Four minutes later, the Rovers failed to clear their lines, the ball was put back to Demetriou, on the Orient left and his right foot cross to the far post was met with a header by GRAY into the far corner of the Rovers net. The Rovers tried to hit back but could only force a corner, which came to nothing. The first half ended with the home team on the attack down their right, the ball reaching Barcham, who dribbled round the two Roberts' in the penalty the area before Mills stopped him at the expense of a corner but the referee then blew his whistle for the break.

Thew second half began with the Rovers on the attack down their right where Green put in a cross to the far post for Taylor to get in a good header that took a deflection for a corner. Then, with the Rovers pushing forward, they were caught in a two versus two situation, Mills and Steve Roberts against Gray and Barcham. The end product was a shot by Barcham deflected for a corner. Even play followed to the hour mark when Coppinger, on the left put over a good cross to the far post where McCAMMON collected and fired from an angle across the keeper into the far corner of the net. In the 64th minute, the Rovers won a corner on their right. Mills met it on the half volley 15 yards out, it hit a post came back to Wellens, whose drive was knocked at point blank range by Morris to McCammon, with Morris diving to his right to [parry the ball away. At the other end, Terry fired over from about 30 yards followed by Ibehre headeding wide at the far vpost to a cross from Daniels on the left. Straight down to the O's end where Stock had a 20 yarder saved. The Orient had the ball in the Rovers net following a corner but it was chalked off by the referee for a foul. After 74 minutes, a good build-up down the Rovers right ended with a Green rasper being blocked and his follow up cleared. The last fifteen minutes was end to end as the Rovers pushed for a winner but the Orient also wanted it to end their poor run and indeed had played well enough to belie their previous form. On 78 minutes Gray got the better of O'Connor on the Orient right and put a low cross into the middle where Daniels was all on his own 15 yards out but he miscued his shot, which actually went out for a throw in. McCammon had a half-chance five minutes from the end of normal time when a free kick on the Rovers right from Gareth Roberts dropped into the six yards box but he was under challenge and the ball went wide. It was a battle royal to the end, which came after four minutes of added-on time with the score remaining at one goal apiece.

Teams - Leyton Orient - Glenn Morris; Steve Purches, Charlie Daniels, Brian Saah, Adam Chambers, Wayne Gray, Andy Barcham, Sam Oji, Jabo Ibehre, Paul Terry, Jason Demetriou

Subs used - Adam Boyd for Barcham 77mins; Loick Pires for Gray 83mins;

Subs not used - JJ Melligan, Sean Thornton, , Aiden Palmer,

ROVERS - Neil Sullivan; James O'Connor, Matt Mills, Steve Roberts, Gareth Roberts; James Coppinger, Paul Green, Brian Stock, Richie Wellens; Gareth Taylor, Mark McCammon.

Subs used - Sean McDaid for Steve Roberts 61 mins; James Hayter for Wellens 75 mins; Jason Price for Taylor 75mins;

Subs not used - Lewis Guy, Paul Heffernan,

Cautions - G Roberts,