A fine, warm autumnal afternoon was the offering for the team from Suffolk, Ipswich Town, our opponents today. Whilst the defeat at West Bromwich on Tuesday dropped the Rovers to 17th place, the Tractor Boys are second from the bottom with just three points, from three draws at home. They have lost all three away games and indeed have yet to register a win in the League. The Rovers made one change from Tuesday, Sam Hird coming in for Brian Stock, who picked up a knock in the West Brom game. James Coppinger and James Hayter are still out but Paul Heffernan returns, on the bench, with Fairhurst and Sharp retaining the strikers role. The Rovers were set to defend the South Stand end for the first half.

The Rovers started the ball rolling but the visitors were the first to attack, with Walters getting in a cross from the right byline, which Lockwood headed away. Ipswich made the early running without causing any problems but it was six and a half minutes before Wright touched the ball. That came when Roberts, on the Rovers left, crossed the ball, which took a deflection and was heading for the far top corner when he caught it. Fairly even midfield play ensued before Shackell, over the halfway line and in the opposition half, put in a cross to the middle of the penalty area where FAIRHURST, Bruce and Wright went up for it. The keeper spilled the ball and the Rovers striker, with his back to goal, flicked the bouncing ball into the empty net after 13 minutes. The visitors tried to hit back and forced a corner, which led to Walters putting the ball into the Rovers net but he was clearly offside, as signalled by the assistant. Two minutes later and a cross from the Ipswich left was headed wide of the far post by Counago. The visitors were shading the possession stakes and on 28minutes Rosenior got in a cross from the right that was headed out of defence to Quinn, who hit a powerful volley that Sullivan collected at the second attempt. Straight to the other end and Oster hit a rasping drive from 20yards that Wright, diving to his right, beat out for a corner. On the half hour, Sharp received on the Rovers right deep in the Ipswich half and crossed for Fairhurst to head back to Woods. His fierce drive from 25yards was blocked by Bruce at great personal risk to his anatomy. The play surged back and forth and on 36minutes Walters, looking suspiciously offside, received a long ball halfway in the Rovers half on the right, took it on but fired hurriedly wide much to the derision of the Rovers fans. Further pressure from Ipswich brought a corner on their left, which Smith met with a glancing header that went the wrong side of the post. The visitors had shown some good football and had certainly had the better of the play but went in at half time a goal down.

Half time - Doncaster Rovers 1 Ipswich Town 0         

A fine, warm autumnal afternoon was the offering for the team from Suffolk, Ipswich Town, our opponents today. Whilst the defeat at West Bromwich on Tuesday dropped the Rovers to 17th place, the Tractor Boys are second from the bottom with just three points, from three draws at home. They have lost all three away games and indeed have yet to register a win in the League. The Rovers made one change from Tuesday, Sam Hird coming in for Brian Stock, who picked up a knock in the West Brom game. James Coppinger and James Hayter are still out but Paul Heffernan returns, on the bench, with Fairhurst and Sharp retaining the strikers role. The Rovers were set to defend the South Stand end for the first half.

The Rovers started the ball rolling but the visitors were the first to attack, with Walters getting in a cross from the right byline, which Lockwood headed away. Ipswich made the early running without causing any problems but it was six and a half minutes before Wright touched the ball. That came when Roberts, on the Rovers left, crossed the ball, which took a deflection and was heading for the far top corner when he caught it. Fairly even midfield play ensued before Shackell, over the halfway line and in the opposition half, put in a cross to the middle of the penalty area where FAIRHURST, Bruce and Wright went up for it. The keeper spilled the ball and the Rovers striker, with his back to goal, flicked the bouncing ball into the empty net after 13 minutes. The visitors tried to hit back and forced a corner, which led to Walters putting the ball into the Rovers net but he was clearly offside, as signalled by the assistant. Two minutes later and a cross from the Ipswich left was headed wide of the far post by Counago. The visitors were shading the possession stakes and on 28minutes Rosenior got in a cross from the right that was headed out of defence to Quinn, who hit a powerful volley that Sullivan collected at the second attempt. Straight to the other end and Oster hit a rasping drive from 20yards that Wright, diving to his right, beat out for a corner. On the half hour, Sharp received on the Rovers right deep in the Ipswich half and crossed for Fairhurst to head back to Woods. His fierce drive from 25yards was blocked by Bruce at great personal risk to his anatomy. The play surged back and forth and on 36minutes Walters, looking suspiciously offside, received a long ball halfway in the Rovers half on the right, took it on but fired hurriedly wide much to the derision of the Rovers fans. Further pressure from Ipswich brought a corner on their left, which Smith met with a glancing header that went the wrong side of the post. The visitors had shown some good football and had certainly had the better of the play but went in at half time a goal down.

Half Time - Doncaster Rovers 1 Ipswich Town 0

Ipswich got the second half underway and made tracks for the Rovers goal but were repulsed, with the Rovers setting up their own attacks that brought a corner in the 49th minute. This brought some pressure on the Ipswich defence ending with Sharp heading wide at the near post to a cross from the left. It was then Ipswich's turn to win a couple of corners in as many minutes, from the second of which Quinn fired well over from 20yards. Just before the hour Ipswich made a couple of substitutions that was to pay off shortly after. However, in the 64th minute, Leadbitter chipped over the Rovers defensive line into the penalty area for the onrushing Bruce, who failed to make contact leaving Sullivan to collect the ball. Two minutes later another Ipswich attack produced a series of headers in the Rovers penalty area that eventually dropped at the feet of COLBACK on the edge of the penalty area. His low drive through the crowd nestled just inside the post and the back of the net. The Rovers response was to force a couple of corners over the next few minutes, from the second of which Shackell headed over. In the 73rd minute another corner to the Rovers, taken by Oster on the right, was pulled back to WOODS, thirty yards out. His shot went like a missile that was only stopped by the net. The Rovers then introduced their first substitutions but after 77 minutes the visitors were level when, from a free kick on the left touchline PRISKIN rose above everybody to level the score at two goals apiece. Ipswich roared in again and in the next minute took the lead. Colback had cut in from the right but Sullivan blocked his shot at the post at the expense of a corner. This was headed against the bar by Priskin, rebounded into play and a shot came in that was blocked before MARTIN managed to stab in from close range. Back came the Rovers and in the 84th minute Woods, on the right just over the halfway line swung a long pass to the left for FORTUNE. He steadied himself and hit a right foot shot from 30yards into the far top corner of the net. Immediately Ipswich drove to the right byline where Peters crossed to the far post for Priskin to get in a header from point blank range but Sullivan was covering the post and blocked the ball. At the other end Heffernan put over the bar from 15yards whilst under challenge. Pushing on the Rovers stormed to the attack. Sharp had a shot from the right of the area saved by Wright but Ipswich battled back to win a corner. Four minutes of added time was played in which the crowd roared on the Rovers but the only noteworthy effort came when Shiels fed Heffernan on the left but Wright was there to save his shot.

Full Time - Doncaster Rovers 3 Ipswich Town 3

The Rovers had hung on grimly to their one goal lead until halfway through the second half. In an amazing 18minutes five goals were scored to provide rich entertainment for the fans but only a point apiece to the two teams.

Teams - ROVERS - Neil Sullivan; James Chambers, Adam Lockwood, Sam Hird, Jason Shackell, Gareth Roberts; John Spicer, John Oster, Martin Woods; Waide Fairhurst, Billy Sharp

Subs used - Dean Shiels for Fairhurst 74mins; Quinton Fortune for Hird 74mins; Paul Heffernan for Spicer 82mins;

Subs not used - James O'Connor, Mark Wilson, Byron Webster, Ben Smith gk

Ipswich Town - Richard Wright; Liam Rosenior,Alex Bruce, Tommy Smith, Damien Delaney, Carlos Edwards, Grant Leadbitter, Alan Quinn, Lee Martin, Pablo Counago, Jon Walters

Subs used - Jamie Peters for Edwards 58mins; Jack Colback for Quinn 58mins; Tamas Priskin for Walters 68mins;

Subs not used - Jon Stead, Pim Balkestein, Liam Trotter, Arran Lee-Barrett gk