- by Tony Bluff at Deepdale

It was a perfect day to play football, not too hot, dry, with the pitch looking in fine fettle. The Rovers in their light blue shirts attacked the Town end in the first half.

The home team set the new season rolling but Lonergen was the first keeper to field the ball having to drop on the ball to shield it from a blue shirted attacker. The Rovers were having the best of the early minutes with a corner that was cleared and a free kick that came out to Gillett but his shot was saved. In the 12th minute the pressure paid off when a cross from the left by Coppinger was met at the far post by Sharp. His shot was blocked and came out to O'CONNOR, whose low shot from 20yards went across the keeper and into the far bottom corner of the net. Six minutes later and goal number 2 arrived when Friend crossed from the left for Sharp at the far post to see his shot spin up into the air off Lonergen into the middle of the goal where HAYTER was there to head into an empty net. The Rovers continued to have a great majority of the play, with the home team having only isolated forays into the Rovers last third of the pitch. Hayes put a header wide and Brown had a shot deflected by Martis over the bar as their only meaningful attempts at goal. The referee dealt swift and hard with some wild tackles, and as a consequence Preston led by three yellow cards to two at half time. The score that really mattered, however, was the Rovers going in leading by two superb goals having played some delightful possession football.

Half time - Preston North End 0 DONCASTER ROVERS 2

The Rovers got the second half underway but Preston, no doubt boosted by their half time team talk were the first to attack but were thwarted. The Rovers then won a corner minutes later that actually sent Preston on to the attack with Treacy down their left. He beat O'Connor before chipping over the bar from the edge of the area. At the other end Gillett had a 25yarder saved and Sharp, going down the inside left channel shot wide from 20yards. Successive corners for the Rovers followed but nothing came from them. In the 55th minute Stock put a great crossfield pass from the halfway line to O'Connor on the Rovers right. He put a through ball to Sharp on the edge of the area but his first-time shot was just wide. At the other end Hayes had a close range angled shot  saved by Sullivan with his legs. Minutes later and Treacy crossed from the left to the six-yard line where Hayes only had to steer the ball past Sullivan but missed it entirely. Past the hour and the home team continued to press, with Gray chasing down a ball to the right bylinebefore getting in a cross for Hayes at the near post but Sullivan blocked at the eaxpense of a corner then Brown headed wide a cross from the left. In the 73rd minute, Gillett swept a ball out to Sharp on the right. His cross was dipping under the bar before Lonergan tipped over mthe bar. Sullivan then beat out a shot from Brown following a left wing cross. On 78minutes came a blow for the Rovers when Gillett received a second yellow and was sent off. Despite this the Rovers went on the attack, with Shiels firing over from the left of the penalty box. Eight minutes from time and Sullivan was in action again coming out quickly to save at the feet of the advancing Davidson. The Rovers defended well as well as going on the occasional attack. King cut in from the right on 89minutes  but his close range effort was tame and Sullivan saved easily. Brown had two chances to score in the last minutes of the game. On 90minutes a cross from the right byline from King skimmed off his head at close range and went well wide then seconds before the end his close range header to a left wing cross from Treacy was saved on the goal-line by Sullivan.

A good game, with a splendid performance from the Rovers, the only disappointment being the loss of a player to suspension so early in the season.

Result - Preston North End 0 DONCASTER ROVERS 2

Teams - Preston North End - Andy Lonergen; David Gray, Craig Morgan, Matty James, Billy Jones, Callum Davidson; Danny Mayor, Keith Treacy, Darel Russell, Chris Brown, Paul Hayes

Subs used - Paul Coutts for Russell 54mins; Josh King for Hayes 70mins;

Subs not used - Adam Barton, Paul Parry, Andreas Arestidou, Conor McLaughlin, Bailey Wright

Cautions - Gray, Russell, Davidson, Brown,

Doncaster Rovers - Neil Sullivan; James O'Connor, Adam Lockwood, Shelton Martis, George Friend; James Coppinger, Brian Stock, Simon Gillett, Martin Woods; James Hayter, Billy Sharp

Subs used - Dean Shiels for Coppinger 72mins; Sam Hird for Sharp 90mins; Steve Brooker for Hayter 90+4mins;

Subs not used - Josh Payne,  Mustapha Dumbuya, Waide Fairhurst, Gary Woods gk

Cautions - Martis, Gillett, Stock, Gillett

Sent Off - Gillett 78mins;