An overnight cover of snow soon dispersed and a sunny afternoon, although bitterly cold followed as the Rovers made their debut at the new Cardiff Stadium. For the Rovers. Jason Shackell and Martin Woods were still out but Brian Stock and Dean Shiels returned after injury. Cardiff City's captain, Joe Ledley, was missing and replaced by Chris Burke.

Mark Wilson, for the Rovers, got the game underway. In the second minute, they were awarded a free kick on the left edge of the Cardiff 18yard line when Shiels was brought down as he was about to burst through. Shiels took it and hit the wall, with more than a suggestion of handball but the referee wasn't interested. Minutes later, at the Rovers end, Whittingham hit a volley from 30yards well over the bar. In the ninth minute, the home team took the lead when a long ball from left midfield found CHOPRA in the clear on the right. He took the ball into the area before firing across the goal and just inside the far post, with the Rovers appealing for offside. Cardiff tried to press home their advantage over the next ten minutes but a combination of good defending and poor shooting stopped them adding to the score. Having weathered that Roberts, for the Rovers, put a ball down the line on the left for Shiels, who instantly lifted a cross to the middle for Sharp to head over. On 21 minutes, Chopra, in an offside position, was put away down the home right. Sullivan was out quickly to meet him and the shot with his legs. A corner followed to the home team but was cleared. Roberts, on the attack down the Rovers left passed inside to Stock, who fired over from 30yards. Continuing to press the Rovers won successive corners but nothing came of them. Back came the home team just before the half hour, with Chopra receiving on the right of goal and from close range shooting wildly wide, with the Rovers defenders claiming offside. The Rovers were well in the game at this time but Shiels appeal for a penalty when he was barged over as the ball ran out was not given any credence by the referee. A couple of minutes later and a good move down the Rovers left ended with Shiels firing into the side netting. At the other end Burke got the right byline before crossing to left side where McCormack headed wide. Two minutes before the break, Coppinger played a good ball to Sharp on the edge of the area but his shot was blocked for a corner to the Rovers.

Half time - Cardiff City 1 Doncaster Rovers 0

The Rovers began the second half in determined fashion. Two minutes in and a good build-up down their left led to Roberts giving inside to Coppinger, whose rising drive was brilliantly tipped over by Marshall. Continuing their good play they forced a corner in the 50^th minute, which was eventually cleared and set the home team on the attack. Continued pressure by the home team resulted in successive corners, the first of which was tipped out at the far post by Sullivan. As the hour mark came up, the Rovers were once again on the attack. Sharp received, passed to Coppinger, who gave it inside to Wilson. His shot from 25 yards was deflected for a corner that eventually came to Sharp but his effort was blocked. Having the better of the game at this stage, the Rovers got their reward on 65minutes when a good build-up led to Wilson feeding ROBERTS on the left at the angle of the penalty area. A fiercely struck low drive across the keeper saw it nestle in the far bottom corner of the net. Three minutes later and Oster and Chambers linked on the right. Chambers got to the byline before lashing a low cross into the middle for Shiels to get a crack at goal but it was blocked. Minutes later, Oster gave to Coppinger, whose overhead kick was saved by Marshall. Continuing to enjoy the better of the play, Shiels and Roberts combined for Shiels to fire high and wide. Gradually the home team got to grips with the game as it entered the last ten minutes. A couple of corners brought a header over the bar. From a free kick on the Cardiff left Bothroyd headed over the bar and as 90 minutes came up McCormack had a shot saved. Into added time and Cardiff gained a fortuitous corner that was headed down by a man in blue for BOTHROYD to sweep in from 2yards out. A bitter blow to the Rovers, whose second half performance had Cardiff chasing shadows for most the time and was well worth a point

Result - Cardiff City 2 Doncaster Rovers 1.

Teams - Cardiff City - David Marshall; Mark Kennedy, Anthony Gerrard, Gabor Gyepes, Adam Matthews; Peter Whittingham, Chris Burke, Gavin Rae, Ross McCormack; Michael Chopra, Jay Bothroyd

Subs used - Darcy Blake for Rae 66mins; Soloman Taiwo for Burke 76mins; Kevin McNaughton for K

Subs not used - Tony Capaldi, Paul Quinn, Warren Feeney, Peter Enckelman gk

Cautions - Taiwo,

DONCASTER ROVERS - Neil Sullivan; James Chambers, James O'Connor, Sam Hird, Gareth Roberts; John Oster, Brian Stock, Dean Shiels, Mark Wilson; James Coppinger, Billy Sharp

Subs used - James Hayter for Coppinger 84mins; Jordon Mutch for Oster 87 minutes; Byron Webster for Shiels 90+1mins;

Subs not used - Lewis Guy, John Spicer,Paul Heffernan, Ben Smith gk

Cautions - Shiels, Stock, Chambers.