Following steady rain throughout the afternoon it was a wet Keepmoat Stadium that greeted Peterborough United on their first visit to the Rovers Stadium. The rain eased about an hour before the start of the game but it remained cold. The Rovers made one change from Saturday, James O'Connor coming in at right back, with James Chambers switching to the other flank. Peterborough had Doncaster-born Danny Rose, on loan from Spurs, in their line-up having preferred joining the "Posh" instead of the Rovers. The Rovers defended the North Stand end in the first half in front of the visiting supporters.

The Rovers kicked off but found themselves defending as the visitors won the first corner of the game in the third minute. Although this was cleared the Posh came back with Mackail-Smith getting in a good strike from 20yards that Sullivan, on the greasy turf, got down well and held. The Rovers then went to the other end and brought Lewis, the Peterborough keeper, into the game without causing him too much trouble. The visitors continued to have the better of the play over the next ten minutes before the Rovers finally got their game going. In the 17th minute, following a decent build-up Shiels got in a low shot from the edge of the penalty area that a diving Lewis failed to hold giving the waiting SHARP the chance to ram into the net. The Rovers were now well in the game and added another goal  five minutes later. A free kick to Peterborough on their right was cleared out of the Rovers defence to SHIELS on the Rovers left. He linked with Coppinger before rifling into the far bottom corner from the edge of the area. Pressing on, Gillett for the Rovers received from Coppinger on the right and chipped for the far post but put just wide. On the half hour, following a Rovers corner, coppinger shaped to strike but a great tackle from Zakuani saved thye day for the visitors. Then, against the run of play, after 32 minutes, Rowe got the better of O'Connor on the Peterborough left and crossed into the middle for the onrushing McLEAN to head powerfully past Sullivan from twelve yards. This out-of-the-blue strike gave the visitors the boost they needed and an even game ensued to the break, the only incident of note being a shout by Peterborough for a penalty in the 43rd minute. The referee, perfectly positioned, refused the request and played on.

Half-time - ROVERS 2 Peterborough United 1

The visitors made a double substitution at the start of the second half and went straight on to the attack from the kick off. But a quick break by the Rovers a minute later led to Shiels getting in a shot fro0m 25 yards that Lewis handled comfortably. The next minute produced a corner to Peterborough, which was cleared. End-to-end stuff.  Five minutes on and a Posh attack gave McLean a chance of a clear strike at goal from15 yards but he scuffed it and Sullivan easily saved. Coppinger then chased a ball into the left hand corner, cut in but shot high over with red and white shirts waiting in the middle. On 58 minutes, a poor back pass halfway on the left Peterborough touchline went to Sharp. He put inside to Coppinger, who had his back to goal but got in a shot on the turn that was blocked by Lewis. Hayter followed up but a defender blocked his effort and the ball was cleared. Even play followed over the next ten minutes before the Rovers forced a corner that came to nothing. But another Rovers corner a minute later was cleared off the goal-line by Day, with Shiels following up with a shot that skimmed past the far post. Continuing to push on Woods put a thirty yarder over the bar. In the 85th minute, a good move down the Rovers left brought a shot from Woods that was deflected for a corner on the left. Woods placed it to the near post where SHACKELL bulleted a header into the net. The Rovers controlled the game to the final whistle and ran out winners by three goals to one, the first time this season they have scored a threesome and won. They were well worth the win against a team that matched the Rovers at times with their passing game.

Full time - ROVERS 3 Peterborough United 1

Teams - DONCASTER ROVERS - Neil Sullivan; James O'Connor, Sam Hird, Jason Shackell, James Chambers; James Coppinger, Simon Gillett, Dean Shiels, Martin Woods; James Hayter, Billy Sharp

Subs used - John Oster for Coppinger 75mins; Lewis Guy for Hayter 75mins; John Spicer for Sharp 87mins;

Subs not used - Paul Heffernan, Mark Wilson, , Mustapha Dumbuya, Gary Woods gk

Peterborough United - Joe Lewis; Chris Whelpdale, Jamie Day, Craig Morgan, Gabriel Zakuani; Tommy Rowe, Toumani Diagouraga, Danny Rose, George Boyd; Aaron McLean, Craig Mackail-Smith

Subs used - Dean Keats for Rose 46mins; Lee Frecklington for Diagouraga 46mins; Charlie Lee for Boyd 70mins;

Subs not used - Russell Martin, Krystian Pearce, Shaun Batt, James McKeown gk