Doncaster Rovers gained revenge on Barnsley following last season's 4-1 defeat at Oakwell, by emerging from Saturday's South Yorkshire encounter with a 1-0 victory thanks to a stunner from James Coppinger, who returned to the starting eleven after recovering from a virus.

Following the game, Rovers boss Sean O'Driscoll admitted he felt that fatigue could start to take it's toll on his side - however he was left delighted with his team's performance.

"I always thought that this game could be a game too far for us," said Sean after the game on RoversPlayer.

"We said it in training all week, as late as Friday and training was a bit low-key. But we didn't want to end the month on a poor performance. We could take the result, whatever it is, but we wouldn't take a poor performance - and I thought that we were excellent in different ways."

"I thought that we were bright in the first half, in the second half the wind caused us a bit of a problem and Barnsley have come out a bit more fired up - a bit like in the Sheffield United game. But I thought that we defended well and had the bit of luck that we need. To restrict the home team to one chance; you've got to give us some credit for that."

Sean also paid tribute to the returning Coppinger, as well as the well-worked move that led to the midfielder's strike from the edge of the penalty area.

"It was a great corner and we have banged on about crossing the ball into the box or throwing the ball into the box just because every other club does it doesn't really suit us. We want to move the ball and we moved it really well. That created an opening and James pulled the trigger. You wanted him to pull the trigger and he did - and he celebrated it as well. He was disappointed to have missed the Newcastle game, being a former Newcastle boy, but he enjoyed his goal."