Rovers gained a valuable point against Huddersfield Town in an entertaining game at the John Smith's Stadium.
Rovers were unchanged for their match at Huddersfield, whilst the home team made two changes, Calum Woods and Martin Paterson coming in.
Both sides made their intentions clear from the beginning, attack, attack, attack. After just 12 seconds Robinson had a crack at goal from 35 yards but put well wide. Then a free kick to the Town was headed goalwards at the far post by Gerrard but Turnbull saved.
On 5 minutes Cotterill had a go from 30yards and Smithies saved. In the 9th minute a cross from Cotterill on the Rovers right brought a good header from Brown that was going for the top corner of the goal before the keeper went flying to his left to palm the ball away. It came back in and was eventually put into the net but the assistant had his flag up.
A corner to the Town was headed over by the bar by Vaughan, Coppinger, on the Rovers left, curled a right foot shot from 25yards over the bar, Brown met a Rovers corner on the half volley that was blocked and from a rovers corner Wellens fired over from distance. All this came about in a space of four minutes.
Minutes later and a free kick to the Rovers was met by Jones but it skimmed off his head and wide.
In the 22nd minute a free kick to the Rovers brought two shots in the penalty area that were both blocked in desperation before it was skewed over the Huddersfield goal for a corner.
Three minutes later and Vaughan beat the offside (said the assistant) and went for goal down the home left. Jones made for him and his low shot was well saved by Turnbull, who parried it and collected to clear.
Then, a cross from Coppinger on the left was helped goalwards from the 18yard line but went over the bar. Past the half hour and following a scrimmage in the six yard box, with two Rovers defenders and Turnbull and Vaughan for the home team ended with Vaughan stabbing wide. A free kick by Cotterill in the 36th minute was going under the bar until Smithies tipped it over the bar. Brown headed over from the resultant corner.
Three minutes later and a poor back pass to Turnbull by Jones let Vaughan in but Turnbull closed him down, with Vaughan stabbing the ball wide. As time ran down to the break some brilliant football on the left from Coppinger and Wellens led to a shot being blocked.
A terrific game to watch, hard fought and feisty, a typical Yorkshire ‘derby’ game.
Half Time – Huddersfield Town 0 Doncaster Rovers 0
The home team made a change after the break, Stead coming on for Paterson. The second half opened with the Rovers on the attack, with the game starting at a furious pace. Rovers had the better of the early minutes and in the 52nd minute, following a corner, there was desperation in the town defence before they cleared out to Keegan, who fired wide from distance.
Two minutes later and Robinson beat the offside, Smithies came out and went down at his feet to block but Robinson regained possession but was tackled and eventually won a corner.
The home team now got into the game, with Stead having a go from 20yards and Turnbull saving. Wellens, at the other end then tried his luck from25yards and was just wide. On the hour Stead cut in from the right and gave to Clayton, who scooped over the bar from 12yards. Brilliant defensive work by the Rovers saved the day and paved the way for Cotterill, at the other end, to finish off a move with a shot that Smithies saved.
Vaughan then got on the end of a Town attack to shoot wide. In the 67th minute, Coppinger, on the Rovers left, passed inside to Keegan, who tried to curl the ball for the far top corner but it went wide.
Then Scannell slipped the ball through for Vaughan to go clear on goal but Turnbull came out and closed him down diverting his shot out for a corner. Minutes later and good work by Husband, on the Rovers left, gave Keegan a shot from distance but he put it high and wide.
In the 79th minute, Scannell on the home left, put a low ball into the middle for Vaughan to finish off but he missed it completely.
Coppinger then crossed from the Rovers left but Brown headed wide and Stead, for the Town, tried a chip shot from the edge of the penalty area but Turnbull saved comfortably.
In the 87th minute, Brown headed a cross by Cotterill from the Rovers right wide under challenge at the far post. Then good work by Vaughan, who put out to Ward just past the post on the left byline but he hit the ball against the face of the bar and it was eventually cleared.
It had been nip and tuck every bit of the way, a terrific game, a feisty game, with honours shared at the end.
Teams – Huddersfield Town – Alex Smithies; Joel Lynch, Peter Clarke ©, Anthony Gerrard; Calum Woods, Adam Clayton, Jonathan Hogg, Oliver Norwood, Adam Hammill; Martin Paterson, James Vaughan
Subs used – Jonathan Stead for Paterson 46 mins; Sean Scannell for Norwood 56 mins; Danny Ward for Hammill 82 mins;
Subs not used – Oscar Gobern, Jake Carroll, Daniel Carr, Ian Bennett gk
Cautions – Hammill 22 mins; Vaughan 44 mins;
ROVERS – Ross Turnbull; Reece Wabara, Bongani Khumalo, Rob Jones © James Husband; James Coppinger, Paul Keegan, Richie Wellens, David Cotterill; Theo Robinson, Chris Brown
Subs not used - Paul Quinn, Dean Furman, Mark Duffy, Billy Paynter, Luke McCullough, Kyle Bennett, Jon Maxted gk
Caution – Wellens 45 mins;