After a frosty night the pitch had thawed out for this afternoon's game at Queen's Park Rangers. The Rovers were unchanged from their win at Hillsborough on Tuesday, with Gareth Roberts returning from injury and taking the missing place on the bench. The Rovers defended the School End on Bloemfontein Road, where their fans were seated.
The home team set the game in motion and won a corner after 30seconds but this was cleared. The Rangers made the early running getting in shots from German from 25yards that went out for a throw-in and Buzsaky who fired over the bar from a similar distance. In the 8th minute, the Rovers won their first corner but this led to the home team going on to the attack and also forcing a corner. A quick break from this by Oster broke down as O'Connor joined the attack. Five minutes later, a corner for the Rovers gave Stock a shot from 15yards that was deflected for another, which was followed by a third, which came out of defence to Stock, who volleyed high and wide from 20yards. In the 21st minute, a sweeping movement by the Rovers from left to right for O'Connor to hit a low cross that came out to Coppinger but his left foot effort from 25yards went wide. Then, in the 25th minute, Faurlin got away down the left, a low cross to the middle was met with a diving header by Simpson, which hit Sullivan in the chest and GERMAN stabbed in. On the half hour, Cook fired wide of the far post from 25yards in what was a fairly even game, with Sharp being pulled up a few times for offside. The Rovers battled to stay in the game but the home team were sharper on the ball, with the Rovers looking a shadow of the team from mid-week. As the 45th minute came up Stock played Oster in on the right. He got to the byline before pulling the ball back for Stock to shoot over from 15yards. Down to the other end and a corner to the home team brought a close range header from Buzsaky that Sullivan blocked. A further corner to the home team was cleared before the referee blew for the break.

Half time - Queens Park Rangers 1 Doncaster Rovers 0

The Rovers got the second half underway but it was the home team that had first sight of goal when Buzsaky hit a left foot drive from 25yards that was just wide. Two minutes later and a corner to Rangers brought a header from 6yards by German that just cleared the bar. Then, on 51 minutes, the Rovers attacked down their right, with Sharp getting to the byline before hitting a low cross to the middle for the onrushing HAYTER to slam into the back of the net for an equalising goal. Ten minutes of even play ensued before the home team "scored" following a free kick but with four players ruled offside the home cheers were cut short. However, the Rangers followed this up with successive corners that brought no reward. Minutes later a good build-up by the Rovers ended with Coppinger getting in a shot from just inside the area that was easily saved. The Rovers were having a fair share of the game but from being on the attack they were caught short at the back in the 76th minute, the offside flag didn't go up and SIMPSON went on to shoot past Sullivan and give the Rangers the lead. Substitutions came from both sides as the Rovers tried hard for the equaliser as time ran out but the only effort of note came in the 84th minute when, following a corner to the Rovers, Stock volleyed wide from 20yards. In added time Simpson, for the home team, got a good strike at goal but put it wide. Time ran out and Queens Park Rangers finished as winners by the odd goal in three.

Teams - Queens Park Rangers - Carl Ikeme; Peter Ramage, Damion Stewart, Akos Buzsaky, Kaspars Gorkss, Matthew Connolly, Lee Cook, Alejandro Faurlin, Matthew Hill, Jay Simpson, Antonio German

Subs used - Adel Taarabt for Ramage 77mins; Gary Borrowdale for Connolly 85mins; Rowan Vine for Antonio German 90+2mins

Subs not used - Nigel Quashie, Angelo Balanta, Joe Oastler, Radek Cerny gk

Doncaster Rovers - Neil Sullivan; James O'Connor, Elliott Ward, Sam Hird, James Chambers; James Coppinger, Brian Stock, Mark Wilson, John Oster; James Hayter, Billy Sharp

Subs used - Gareth Roberts for Wilson 83mins; Dean Shiels for Coppinger 83mins; Jordon Mutch for Stock 85mins;

Subs not used - Lewis Guy, John Spicer, Mustapha Dumbuya, Ben Smith gk