A dry but overcast afternoon, with no wind although this morning had been extremely windy, greeted our visitors for today's Championship match.

The Rovers met top of the the Premier League Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday and now meet Cardiff City, who sit on top of the Championship table. Therefore the Rovers can expect a tough battle this afternoon against the in-form Welsh team. Rovers made several changes from Wednesday, Sullivan returned in goal, Shackell, Spicer and Coppinger also came in. Rovers defended the South Stand end in the first half.

Cardiff, in their usual strip of blue shirts and white shorts, set the ball rolling. The early minutes were spent by by both teams sounding each other out. In the fourth minute the Rovers won the first corner of the match. Although it was cleared the ball eventually reached Woods, who skewed his shot well wide of goal from 25yards. Five minutes later and Cardiff made a substitution, Etuhu coming on for Bothroyd, who appeared to have broken down. On 10minutes a good build-up by Stock and Coppinger gave Coppinger a chance of a shot with his left foot but he scuffed it wide. In the 13thminute, another great build-up down the Rovers right brought another corner to the home team. Woods floated the kick into the middle where LOCKWOOD met it with a header into the net from close range. Four minutes later and it was two-nil to the Rovers. Following some good pressure from the Rovers, Woods skewed a shot from distance that went out to the left byline where Spicer kept it in. He pulled the ball back to Stock who fired in a shot from 25yards. It hit HAYTER as he was making his way back from goal. He controlled it, turned and rifled in a low shot just inside the far post. The confidence just oozed from the Rovers and they kept the visitors on the back foot. Woods fired high over from 30yards as the Rovers battled to stay on top. Gradually, however, the Welsh team fought their way into the game. End-to-end play ensued, with Cardiff winning their first corner just past the half hour and then a good tackle from Shackell stopped the visitors from going one-on-one with Sullivan. The Rovers had their fair share of play to the break but Cardiff were on the attack as the referee blew for half-time.

Half Time - Doncaster Rovers 2 Cardiff City 0

Although the Rovers kicked the second half off it was Cardiff that put on the pressure in the early minutes, with successive corners coming five minutes in. Both were well defended. Two minutes later and good play on the Rovers left by Oster and Coppinger led to Woods receiving the ball and a stinging left footer from 20yards sent Marshall diving to his left to push the ball out for a corner. This was swung across the face of goal, wit the onrushing Stock just failing to get on the end of it. Back came Cardiff but Woods broke out of defence, went over the half line and tried to catch the goalkeeper out but Marshall was equal to it and saved easily. Matthews then followed up a Cardiff attack and from 25yards shot across goal and well out the other side. At the other end Coppinger got on the end of a move but put wide from the edge of the penalty area. On the hour, Shackell passed back to Sullivan, who intended to give it back to Shackell but only succeeded in giving it to Chopra. Taking it on a couple of paces he tried to lob Sullivan but put it straight into his hands. Woods then put a long pass from the left to Chambers on the right. He then made ground to take a return pass but hit his shot over the bar from 30yards. At the other end Whittingham brought a good save out of Sullivan, who tipped his shot away for a corner. Back and forth play went. On 81minutes the Rovers won successive corners on the right, the second of which Woods played short to Chambers, took a return ball and chipped a left foot shot from the angle of the penalty area for the far top corner but Marshall managed to tip it over the bar. The end-to-end play continued to the end, with the final action coming when a corner for Cardiff was headed wide from close range by Etuhu.

Result - Doncaster Rovers 2 Cardiff City 0

A good win for the Rovers against a very good team, who tried hard to get on the scoresheet but were foiled by a resolute defence.

Teams - ROVERS - Neil Sullivan; James Chambers, Adam Lockwood, Jason Shackell, Gareth Roberts; John Oster, John Spicer, Brian Stock, Martin Woods; James Coppinger, James Hayter,

Subs used - Sam Hird for Coppinger 84mins; Mark Wilson for Spicer 87mins; Lewis Guy for Oster 89mins;

Subs not used - Paul Heffernan, Quinton Fortune, Dean Shiels, Ben Smith gk

Cardiff City - David Marshall; Adam Matthews, Tony Capaldi, Mark Hudson, Anthony Gerrard; Gavin Rae, Jay Bothroyd, Michael Chopra, Joe Ledley, Chris Burke, Peter Whittingham

Subs used - Kelvin Etuhu for Jay Bothroyd 9mins; Soloman Taiwo for Whittingham 72mins; Josh McGennis for Burke 84mins;

Subs not used - Gabor Gypes, Steve McPhail, Paul Quinn, Peter Enkleman gk

Caution - Chopra