Tonight sees the start of the Carling Cup competition, a competition that has seen the Rovers do well in over the last two seasons.  Old foes Lincoln City are our visitors and they have had a stranglehold over the Rovers in recent years when they have visited Doncaster and gone away with the win. However, it will be their first sight of the Keepmoat Stadium so things will no doubt change tonight. It has also rained steadily all day, not heavily but it will no doubt make the pitch somewhat greasy. The Rovers named an unchanged side from Saturday including the substitutes bench. Lincoln made changes, which was to be expected after a four-goal drubbing at home to Shrewsbury Town on Saturday in the first game of the season. Former Rovers player, John Schofield, now the Manager at Lincoln City is not the type to stand for that and what better way to gee his men up than to play a game a few days later against old rivals and in their new Stadium too. So a cracking local 'derby' is in prospect. As the kick off time approached the rain stopped and the late evening sun came out to flood the arena with it's brightness. The Rovers defended the South Stand end in the first half.

The Rovers set the ball rolling and Woods made good progress down the left before giving the ball to Hayter. His shot was blocked but the Rovers kept up the pressure for Roberts to put over a good cross to the far post for Coppinger to lob over the bar. The home team totally dominated the first five minutes but with no reward. Lincoln's first real excursion into the Rovers half after 6 minutes produced a free kick on their left. a good ball across the park to Brown on the right gave him the chance of a shot from 20 yards but Sullivan handled easily. At the other end the Rovers won a corner when Marriott tipped over a dropping cross from Coppinger. Then a good run down the Rovers right by Coppinger as he twisted and turned his way past Green but his final effort was held by Marriott in the visiting goal. As the first quarter hour came up Lincoln put a free kick into the six yard box causing Sullivan to punch away from the heads of a bunch of players. On 18 minutes Coppinger had the ball on the Rovers right, to Hayter and on to Wellens, whose bobbling shot from 20 yards was deflected for a corner, which was punched away by Marriott. Another good move three minutes later led to Hayter getting in a shot that was deflected for another corner. This was placed to the far post where Heffernan's effort was blocked and only desperate defending by the Lincoln defence kept the Rovers out. The breakthrough came on 23 minutes when O'Connor went on a terrific run down the Rovers right before hitting a low cross to the middle. Heffernan miscued the ball, which ran to HAYTER, who slid in to scoop the ball into the net for the opening goal. Continuing to attack Wellens had at least two cracks at goal saved by Marriott, Heffernan was also foiled by Marriott and Roberts also had a shot saved. Past the half hour and a great build-up of one-touch football led to a 1-2 between Coppinger and O'Connor but on the greasy pitch the ball ran away from O'Connor allowing the keeper to get there first and clear. N'Guessan, on the Lincoln right, then produced a good cross that Kerr headed wide. Ten minutes from the interval and Wilson had a cracking effort from thirty yards tipped over by Marriott. As the break came nearer another Rovers build-up on their left eventually reached Hayter in the middle about 25 yards out but he skewed his shot wide. Then Coppinger cut in from the right, Marriott spilled the ball and three defenders managed to take the ball off Hayter. The last action of the half had Amoo cross from the Lincoln right but N'Guessan headed wide from a good position. Good defensive work by the visiting defence had limited the Rovers to just one goal but with their total dominance in midfield Lincoln could expect another session of backs to the wall in the second half. 

The second half opened with Lincoln attacking from the kick off. Sweeping down the middle the ball fell for N'Guessan just inside the Rovers penalty area but under pressure from a defender he stabbed wide of the post. The status quo position was resumed two minutes into the half when Woods hammered a thirty yarder against the bar and Heffernan hitting the rebound over the bar from the edge of the penalty area. Then Coppinger, on the Rovers right, put inside to Heffernan but Marriott got down well at the foot of a post to his low shot  but couldn't hold the ball. He was saved by the linesman giving a foul. Minutes later Heffernan had a header tipped over the bar by Marriott. On 54 minutes a rare Lincoln attack brought them a corner but this was cleared. With 56 minutes showing on the Stadium scoreboard, Wellens put the ball out to Coppinger on the Rovers right. He pulled the ball back from the byline for WELLENS to fire into the far top corner from 15 yards for a second goal to the Rovers. Immediately after, Hayter had a header saved following a corner. In the 58th minute it became 3-0 when Hayter refused to give up when chasing a long ball into the left corner. He collected it and put back to Woods, whose high cross was dropped by Marriott when one of his own defenders jostled him. HEFFERNAN was on hand to roll in for the third goal. Lincoln tried to fight back and gained another corner after 69 minutes  but Brown headed it high and wide. Continuing to attack they won a free kick from 25 yards but Forrester put it it it well over the bar. Back came the Rovers to win a corner on their left, which Wellens met with a fierce volley that was deflected for another corner. On 74 minutes, Guy had the ball on the Rovers right, a neat backheel to McCAMMON, who took it on a few yards before rifling a left footer into the net. straight away the home team won a couple of corners but nothing accrued from them. With ten minutes to go, Hayter, following a quick break out of defence by Wilson, cut inside from the left but fired wide of the far post from 25 yards. In the 81st minute, FORRESTER, for the visitors, collected the ball halfway into the Rovers half, drifted round a couple of defenders and placed a precise shot into Sullivan's bottom left hand corner. This stung the Rovers and they poured attack after attack on to the Lincoln defence. Corners galore, Guy had a shot beaten out and Woods had a twenty yarder saved well by Marriott. The final whistle went on as comprehensive a win as anyone could wish for.

Some brilliant carpet football by the Rovers, complete domination of the midfield and good finishing put the Rovers in the next Round. 

Teams - ROVERS - Neil Sullivan; James O'Connor, Gordon Greer, Adam Lockwood, Gareth Roberts; James Coppinger, Richie Wellens, Mark Wilson, Martin Woods; James Hayter, Paul Heffernan.

Subs used - Lewis Guy for Coppinger 62 mins; Mark McCammon for Heffernan 67 mins; Sean McDaid for Roberts 71 mins;

Subs not used - Sam Hird, Ben Smith gk

Lincoln City - Alan Marriott; Paul Green, Ryan Amoo, Scott Kerr, Adie Moses, Nat Brown, Lee Frecklington, Danny N'Guessan, Steve Torpey, Jamie Forrester, Ben Wright.

Subs used - Owain Warlow for Wright 58 mins; Louis Dodd for Frecklington 66 mins; Mark Stallard for Torpey 66 mins;

Subs not used - Ayden Duffy, Phil Watt