A cold, winter's evening down in the South-West was tonight's offering weather-wise with a strong wind blowing straight down the pitch from north to south. The pitch had a distinctly well worn look about it but it seemed to be able to take a stud without cutting up too much. The Rovers made one enforced change, with Paul Heffernan coming in for Jason Price, who came off with an injured ankle on Saturday. Sam Hird took a place on the bench. Bristol also won away from home on Saturday, at Millwall, by a single goal and occupy a place in mid-table having only lost once since defeat to Leeds United before Christmas. That one loss was last month at the Keepmoat Stadium. Their undefeated run includes winning their way through to the 6th Round of the F.A.Cup, where they meet West Bromwich Albion on Saturday. Tonight they also made one change, Lewis Haldane in for Chris Lines. Both teams turned out in their traditional colours, blue and white quartered shirts for Bristol Rovers and red and white hooped shirts for Doncaster Rovers. The Rovers of Bristol won the toss and set the Rovers of Doncaster to face the wind in front of the group of dedicated travelling fans.

Bristol were first to go on the attack and immediately won a corner, which looked like falling to Lambert on the edge of the 6 yards box but Lockwood got in a timely clearance in the first minute. The Rovers then mounted an attack down their left. The ball bounced over a Bristol defender for Coppinger to then slip it inside to HEFFERNAN, who volleyed in from 16 yards, with 2 minuteshowing on the clock. Minutes later, Lambert put wide from close range when a cross from the Bristol right found him at the far post. On 10 minutes, Steve Roberts won the ball in his own half, put down the line to Coppinger, who put Green away on the right. Cutting in he hit a blistering drive from an oblique angle that Phillips, in the Bristol goal, blocked at the post at the expense of a corner. Another corner followed but nothing came of them. Bristol had the better possession over the next fifteen minutes but apart from a corner, a 25 yards shot from Disley saved by Sullivan at the second attempt and another corner that was punched away by Sullivan under pressure and then blocking a follow-up shot and collecting at the second attempt there was very little reward for the homesters. As the final ten minutes of the half came up Haldane cut in from the left but put his shot across the face of goal and out the other side.  On 37 minutes, Campbell, the Bristol captain, was cautioned for a foul on Wellens. The free kick in the centre circle was won by Mills, fell to Steve Roberts but his rather tame shot was cleared off the line. Even midfield play followed until added-on time when Sullivan blocked a close range effort from Williams and Haldane following the resultant corner kick claimed a handball and was booked for dissent when the referee showed no interest.

The Rovers made a change at the start of the second half, with Mark Wilson replacing Steve Roberts. This necessitated Green going to right back and Mills into the middle. Bristol started brightly, with Disley firing over from 25 yards. Then the Rovers went down their right to Coppinger who blasted in a shot from an angle that Phillips palmed out, Heffernan had a shot blocked and then stock's effort was also blocked before Heffernan had another go only to be blocked again and cleared this time. Matters got rather heated as the second half went on, with the referee in constant action reaching for his top pocket. Very little football was played as it became a dogfight. As the last ten minutes came up Heffernan had a shot from the right deflected for a corner then Klein-Davies fired just over the bar from the right edge of the penalty area. A cross from Coppinger on the Rovers right was headed down by McCammon at the far post  but Phillips blocked with his legs. Five minutes of nailbiting added-on time had the Rovers defending in good order so that when the final whistle went the Rovers of Doncaster had taken another three points on the road.

Teams - Bristol Rovers - Steve Phillips; Aaron Lescott, Craig Hinton, Danny Coles, Joe Jacobson, Sammy Igoe, Stuart Campbell, Craig Disley, Lewis Haldane, Andy Williams, Rickie Lambert

Subs used - Sean Rigg for Williams 52mins; Josh Klein- Davies for Haldane 78mins;

Subs not used - Byron Anthony, Anthony Pulis, Mike Green gk

Cautions- Campbell, Haldane, Jacobson,

ROVERS - Neil Sullivan; Matt Mills, Steve Roberts, Adam Lockwood, Gareth Roberts; James Coppinger, Paul Green, Brian Stock, Richie Wellens; Mark McCammon, Paul Heffernan.

Subs used - Mark Wilson for Steve Roberts 46mins; Stuart Elliott for McCammon 84 mins; Gareth Taylor for Heffernan 89 mins;

Subs not used - Sean McDaid, Sam Hird,

Cautions - Green, Coppinger, Gareth Roberts,