This match was sponsored by:

A sunny afternoon, with a slight breeze, greeted the players for this afternoon's match against Derby County. The Rovers were unchanged from Tuesday, with just one change on the bench, Shelton Martis replacing John Spicer. Derby made two changes, one of which has been forced on them. In goal will be David Martin, signed on an emergency loan from Liverpool to cover for the injured Stephen Bywater and the suspended Saul Deeney. Bywater was injured in mid-week at Reading and Deeney, who replaced him in goal, was sent off. Steve Davis came in for Gilles Sunu. The Rovers defended the North Stand end in the first half.

The Rovers got the game on its way and after the initial skirmishes won the first corner after five minutes. Four minutes later, a free kick on the Rovers caused chaos in the Derby penalty area as Ward tried to get in a number of strikes on goal as the ball pinged back and forth off defenders. Eventually the Derby defence cleared. Another Rovers corner came to nothing but in the 14th minute, SHARP was brought down by Buxton in the penalty area, took the penalty kick himself and hit a thunderous drive past the keeper, Martin. A couple of minutes later and Coppinger had a go from 25yards but Martin saved it diving to his right. The Rovers were enjoying most of the possession but in the 24th minute Derby attacked down the right, with Green getting to the edge of the penalty area before shooting. His shot banged against the near post and bounced out to the left where Pearson got his shot on target but Sullivan saved comfortably. Just before the half hour Hayter drove wide from 30yards and then minutes later, Wilson hit a left footer wide from 25yards. As the last ten minutes came up the game took a more even turn, in midfield, with nothing of note on goal. Time ran down to the break, with the only real effort on goal coming in the last minute when a clearance by Sullivan was played on by Emmanuel-Thomas for Sharp to get in a shot, under challenge, from 15 yards, which Martin saved easily.

Half time - Doncaster Rovers 1 Derby County 0

Derby came out for the second half firing on all cylinders and immediately won a corner, which was cleared. They continued to spend time time in the Rovers half over the next ten minutes, with the only reward at the end of it being another corner which was cleared. In the 58th minute Hayter had a good chance for the Rovers when following a free kick he shot over over from 15 yards. Then, on the hour, Tonge, for Derby, hit a 30yard free kick high over the bar. Minutes later, the Rovers went on the attack and won a corner, which came out of defence to Wilson but his effort from 20yards was wide. Back came the Rovers and Sharp went down their left, squared inside to Emmanuel-Thomas but his shot was blocked. however it fell to Oster on the edge of the area but his low shot was just wide. Continuing to press, in the 69th minute, Coppinger, on the right, laid the ball back to Chambers, who played it through to EMMANUEL-THOMAS. He took it into the angle of the penalty area and unleashed a thunderous left foot drive into the far corner of the net. Gradually, Derby got over the stunning shock of the Rovers second goal and got back into the game. In the 75th minute they pulled a goal back through HULSE, who found space in the penalty area to shoot in. This success spurred the Rams on and they dominated the remaining minutes including six minutes of added time as they tried to find at least an equaliser. However, the Rovers defence was up to the mark and dogged defence won the day in the end.

Final Result - Doncaster Rovers 2 Derby County 1

Teams - ROVERS - Neil Sullivan; James Chambers, James O'Connor, Elliott Ward, Gareth Roberts; James Coppinger, Mark Wilson, John Oster, James Hayter; Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, Billy Sharp

Subs used - Shelton Martis for Emmanuel- Thomas 81mins; Martin Woods for Hayter 87mins; Jordon Mutch for Coppinger 90+2mins.

Subs not used - Lewis Guy, Sam Hird, Dean Shiels, Ben Smith gk

Caution - Hayter,

Derby County - David Martin; Nicky Hunt, Shaun Barker, Jake Buxton, James McEveley; Michael Tonge, Paul Green, Robbie Savage, Stephen Pearson; Rob Hulse, Steve Davis

Subs used - Gilles Sunu for Davis 46mins; David Martin for Savage 64mins; Chris Porter for Buxton 80mins;

Subs not used - Dean Leacock, , Dean Moxey, Russell Anderson, James Severn

Caution - Buxton,