A cool, fine evening welcomed our Welsh opponents, Swansea City, to the Keepmoat. Both sides suffered similar misfortunes on Saturday by having two men sent off, all of whom are suspended for tonights game. This coupled with injuries put a strain on both sides resources. The Rovers brought in James Hayter, recovered from injury, Dean Shiels and John Spicer. The Rovers defended the South Stand end in the first half.

A cagey first six minutes eventually brought a corner to the visitors, from which Beattie headed over the bar. Two minutes later Rangel was booked for a foul on Shiels and from the resulting free kick from Woods about thirty yards out, de Vries, in the Swansea goal could only push it out for a corner. Following that a run by Shiels, with a shot from 25yards, was only just wide. Swansea then went down their left for Gower to hit a low cross into the six yard box but Pindato couldn't connect in front of an open goal. Further midfield play over the next ten minutes eventually led to a corner to the Swans after a great cross to the middle by Butler was missed by all and put out by Lockwood. Tate met the corner with a header that hit the bar and bounced away. On 25 minutes, Pindato went down the Swansea right, pulled the ball back from the byline for Beattie to shoot from 15yards but Sullivan beat it out for a corner. The Swans were having the better of play over the next ten minutes but only had a series of corners to show for it. Following one corner, after 36minutes, the Rovers made a quick break down their right, with Spicer putting a high cross to the far post for Sharp to head down for Shiels to have a crack at goal but his shot was deflected for a corner. Mayhem ensued in the Swansea penalty area before the ball was cleared. Even play to half time left the teams going in with the score still goalless.

Half time - ROVERS 0 Swansea City 0

The Rovers set the second half going, Spicer received the ball from the kick off and dribbled his way through the Swans defence to get in a crack at goal from just inside the area but he was just the wrong side of a post. Most of the play in the first fifteen minutes was in the Swansea half but de Vries was not troubled. Neither was Sullivan when the Swans did get into the Rovers half. Just past the hour, Wilson, for the Rovers, tried his luck from 30yards but put over the bar. After 67minutes, the visitors won a free kick just outside the penalty area to the right of goal. Gower hit a low ball across the goal and out at the far post. The game was scrappy in the extreme at this stage and the crowd were getting fractious. Two minutes later and Woods gathered the ball just inside the Swans half on the Rovers right, took it on but fired wide of the near post from 16yards. On 75minutes, the Rovers were awarded a free kick from 20yards in a central position. De Vries had to go down at the foot of a post to save Woods kick but couldn't hold it. Hayter followed up but under challenge he put wide. Three minutes later, Pratley, just on the pitch for the Swans, won a race for the ball but fired high and wide from 25yards. The match, by now so scrappy it resembled a Sunday afternoon kickabout, meandered it's way to the final whistle, the only item of any interest being a good cross by Pratley from the Swansea left on 85 minutes that went begging at the far post when Butler couldn't get there.

Teams - ROVERS - Neil Sullivan; James Chambers, Adam Lockwood, Sam Hird, Gareth Roberts; John Spicer, Dean Shiels, Mark Wilson, Martin Woods; James Hayter, Billy Sharp

Subs used - Waide Fairhurst for Hayter 80mins; Paul Heffernan for Sharp 86mins; James O'Connor for Woods 90mins;

Subs not used - Lewis Guy, Byron Webster, Mustapha Dumbaya, Ben Smith gk

Swansea City - Dorus de Vries; Angel Rangel, Garry Monk, Alan Tate, Marcos Painter; Thomas Butler, Ashley Williams, Mark Gower, Ashley Richards; Gorka Pindato, Craig Beattie

Subs used - Darren Pratley for Beattie 62mins; Steven Dobbie for Pindato 75mins; Besian Idrizaj for Gower 87mins;

Subs not used -  David Cornell, Lee Trundle, Kerry Morgan 

Cautions - Rangel,