After a wonderful summer day, the evening was warm and fine as the Rovers took the field at Meadow Lane for their first Round Carling League Cup-tie.

The Rovers made seven changes from Saturday's starting line-up at Watford. This will mean that virtually all the first team squad will have had a run out in the first two competitive games. In the County line-up was a former Rovers favourite, Ricky Ravenhill, with another ex Rover, Graeme Lee, on the bench. The Rovers attacked the Meadow Lane end in the 1st half.

Although the home team kicked off it was the Rovers who had the most of the first five minutes on the attack, which produced a couple of free kicks and a corner, none of which produced any tangible result. It was the seventh minute before the home team got into the Rovers half but minutes later they attacked down the left with Clapham, who put a low cross into the near post where the sliding Hawley scooped over the bar. Luke Rodgers then hit the bar when he lifted over Smith but was ruled offside by the linesman. Smith was in action again as he came out to punch away from Hawley. As the 16th minute came up the home team forced a corner but it was cleared. The Rovers had survived a sustained period of pressure and gradually got their own game going. A period of general midfield play followed before the 28th minute when Rodgers turned past the two Rovers central defenders and from 18yards forced Smith to dive to his left to save. Past the half hour and Woods got in the Rovers first real shot at goal but was well wide from 30yards. Minutes later and Shiels, on the right, also put wide from an angle. Play was fairlyeven at this time but on 38minutes Clapham, for the County, hit a left foot free kick from the right against the near post, hitting the diving Smith and bouncing away. Three minutes later and Rodgers was played in on goal from the left and shot across Smith but the keeper beat the ball away to Clapham, whose left foot drive hit the far post and rebounded into the welcoming arms of the grounded Smith. Both sides had played good football but the home team had possibly shaded the first 45minutes.

Half Time - Notts County 0 Doncaster Rovers 0

The home team got the second half under way but again it was the Rovers who went on the attack in the early minutes without making a lot of headway. However, in the 54th minute, the ball was played out of the Rovers defence to Wilson on the halfway line. He dummied the ball and then collected before putting out to Guy on the left. He passed inside first time to COPPINGER, who took the ball on a few steps before rifling into the bottom corner of the net from the edge of the penalty area. The Rovers had their tails up and Guy was played in down the right but his angled shot was saved by the keeper's legs at the expense of a corner. Continuing to have the better of the play the Rovers were now playing the football we have become accustomed to seeing. Past the hour and Coppinger from a tight angle on the right fired into keeper's arms at the near post. Minutes later another good build-up by the Rovers put Shiels in on the right but Hoult blocked his shot and a fellow defender cleared upfield for Hughes to run clear on goal but as Smith came out he fired wide of the far post. After 70 minutes a free kick to the Rovers on their left put Guy in but Hoult went down to his left to save. Then, after a bout of inter-passing Coppinger got through on goal but he screwed a left foot shot past the far post. Then in the 77th minute County won successive corners from the second of which a Hughes header at the far post brought a terrific save from Smith at the expense of another corner. The home team now tried to save the game and pushed forward but the Rovers were not going to relinquish this game and comfortably played out time.

Full Time - Notts County 0 Doncaster Rovers 1

Result -Teams - Notts County - Russell Hoult; Brendan Maloney, Mike Edwards, John Thompson, Matt Hamshaw, Ricky Ravenhill, Neal Bishop, Karl Hawley, Jamie Clapham, Stephen Hunt, Luke Rodgers
Subs used - Lee Hughes for Rodgers 55mins; Craig Westcarr for Hamshaw 64mins;
Subs not used - Graeme Lee, Sean Canham, Ben Fairclough, Delroy Facey, Kevin Pilkington gk
Caution - Edwards

ROVERS - Ben Smith; James O'Connor, Byron Webster, Adam Lockwood, Gareth Roberts; Lewis Guy, Mark Wilson, John Oster, Martin Woods; Dean Shiels, James Coppinger
Subs used - John Spicer for Shiels 71mins; James Hayter for Guy 80mins; James Chambers for Oster 88mins;
Subs not used - Paul Heffernan, Waide Fairhurst, Robbie Clark, Neil Sullivan gk