- by Tony Bluff

The Rovers made two changes from last Saturday's draw against Bristol City. James Coppinger replaced Dean Shiels and Wayne Thomas started in place of the injured Shelton Martis. The home team brought in Craig Bellamy, on loan from Manchester City, for his debut.
The sun came out on a warm, muggy afternoon as the Rovers got the game underway following a minute's applause in memory of Brian Clark, who died recently. The Rovers started well but it was the home team, in the shape of Bellamy, who in the first effort at goal after 4 minutes when he got to the left byline but put his cross over the bar. Continuing to enjoy good possession, Mason, for the Rovers, was next to get a strike on goal in the 8th minute and was just over from 20yards. A minute later he blasted in another shot that was blocked by a defender, came out to Stock who put wide from the edge of the area. This was followed by a good link-up on the Rovers right before Coppinger fed Sharp, whose 25yarder was tipped round a post by Marshall. Successive corners ensued before Coppinger fired into the side-net from the right byline. In the 13th minute, Bothroyd, for the home team, got to the left byline before crossing in front of the crossbar before going out for a goalkick. Two minutes and a defensive misunderstanding by the Rovers let in Chopra, who tried to chip Sullivan but the keeper got a fingertip to it at the cost of a corner. Whittingham then tried his luck from the left but put wide of the far post. The teams then swopped corners before Woods put high and wide from 25yards following a good Rovers build-up. On the half hour a great cross from the right by Coppinger was met with a header by Sharp at the far post but it was cleared. In the 36th minute good approach work by the Rovers broke down when W"hittingham intercepted the ball. Bellamy was put away on the home left, his low cross was deflected off Thomas to fall at the feet of BOTHROYD, who had time and space to place the ball past Sullivan. The Rovers tried to hit back but the home team were in the ascendancy as time ran down to the break. Burke, on the Cardiff right got into the penalty area before shooting for the far corner but Sullivan palmed the ball away the same Cardiff player hit a low cross from the right across the face of goal but it went begging. A good first half left the home crowd the happier at the break.

Half Time - Cardiff City 1 Doncaster Rovers 0

The home team set the second half in motion and put the Rovers under intense pressure in the first 15 minutes lifted only in the 54th minute when a curling cross from the right touchline by Coppinger looked as though it was going into the far top corner with Marshall nowhere near it but it landed on the top of bar and into play on the left. On the hour a corner to the Rovers brought no reward but in the 63rd minute the home side went further ahead. A cross from the right by Burke was perfect fot the unmarked BOTHROYD to head in from 12yards. Worse was to follow five minutes later when a Rovers attack broke down near the left corner flag in the Cardiff half. A long clearance from Naylor cleared Lockwood for BURKE to run on to it, take it on and comfortably beat Sullivan. Whilst the Rovers tried hard to get their game going they could only do that when they got the ball as Cardiff resorted to keep-ball for a spell. In the 76th minute, Bothroyd's strike from 20yards was beaten out by Sullivan and both players repeated the feat four minutes later. In the 84th minute, further disaster hit the Rovers when Lockwood brought down Bothroyd about 30yards out. BELLAMY took the free kick and beat Sullivan's despairing dive to plant it into the bottom corner. The whistle went and the rain began to fall. After a good first half the Rovers were second best in the second half.
Result - Cardiff City 4 Doncaster Rovers 0

Teams - Cardiff City - David Marshall; Adam Matthews, Mark Hudson, Gabor Gyepes, Kevin McNaughton; Peter Whittingham, Seyi Olofinjana, Daniel Drinkwater; Jay Bothroyd, Craig Bellamy, Michael Chopra

Subs used - Lee Naylor for McNaughton 20mins; Chris Burke for Chopra 33 mins; Jason Koumas for Bellamy 87mins;

Subs not used - Gavin Rae, Anthony Gerrard, , Ross McCormack, Tom Heaton gk

Caution - Bellamy

DONCASTER ROVERS - Neil Sullivan; James O'Connor, Adam Lockwood, Wayne Thomas, George Friend; James Coppinger, Ryan Mason, Brian Stock, Simon Gillett, Martin Woods; Billy Sharp

Sub used - Dean Shiels for Mason 61mins; Steve Brooker for Gillett 80mins; Mustapha Dumbuya for Friend 81mins;

Caution - Lockwood

Subs not used - Mark Wilson, Sam Hird, Waide Fairhurst, Gary Woods gk