Championship side Doncaster played out a goalless stalemate at Cheltenham.
FA Cup stalemate ensues at Whaddon Road
Championship side Doncaster played out a goalless stalemate at Cheltenham in a rearranged FA Cup third-round tie.
Rovers were frustrated for long spells at Whaddon Road as both sides competed for a lucrative home tie against Aston Villa in the fourth round.
Doncaster's Paul Heffernan rattled a post for Sean O'Driscoll's side in the second half but it was not all one-way traffic, as goalkeeper Neil Sullivan twice came to the visitors' rescue as he saved from David Bird.
The game started in nervous fashion with both sides showing signs of rustiness in their first game of 2009.
The Whaddon Road crowd were forced to wait until the 15th minute for the first chance and it fell to the visitors as midfielder Martin Woods found Heffernan in space but his header from six yards out cleared the crossbar.
Early nerves
Rovers gradually began to exert their superiority but struggled to find the killer pass as Richie Wellens' effort from distance was comfortably gathered by Scott Brown five minutes later.
Martin Allen's Robins have developed a fighting spirit since he took over from Keith Downing last September and they defended the Rovers onslaught stoically.
But five minutes before the interval it was the home side who should have taken the lead.
Makeshift full-back Andy Lindegaard embarked on a rampaging run to the left byline and delivered an incisive cross for midfielder Bird but his close-range header was brilliantly blocked by veteran goalkeeper Sullivan.
Cheltenham had been forced to postpone the original tie at the beginning of January after the playing surface was deemed unplayable by match officials.
Doncaster regained their stride after the interval and seven minutes into the second period, Robins keeper Brown was forced to take evasive action to tip John Spicer's dipping effort over the bar.
Strugglers
Both sides are currently embroiled in relegation battles with Allen's hosts lying 22nd in League One while Rovers sit second bottom of the Championship.
However, Doncaster have given their chances of survival a boost in recent weeks - recording four wins and three draws in their last 10 league games.
And they continued to turn the screw at Whaddon Road with Brian Stock's wayward 30-yard effort scant reward for a period of possession at the beginning of the second half.
O'Driscoll's men then went agonisingly close to taking the lead in the 65th minute but Heffernan's drilled effort from the edge of the area cannoned back off the inside of the post and bobbled across the goalline to safety.
Rovers substitute Gareth Taylor blazed a shot from 30 yards over the bar while Wellens saw an effort blocked.
But again it was the home side who almost capitalised on Rovers' inability to finish as a fast counter-attack released Bird, but once again Sullivan proved his nemesis as the former Tottenham keeper smothered at his feet six yards out.
| Cheltenham Town |
Team Statistics |
Doncaster Rovers |
| 0 |
Goals |
0 |
| 0 |
1st Half Goals |
0 |
| 2 |
Shots on Target |
3 |
| 1 |
Shots off Target |
5 |
| 4 |
Blocked Shots |
4 |
| 4 |
Corners |
7 |
| 11 |
Fouls |
9 |
| 2 |
Offsides |
9 |
| 2 |
Yellow Cards |
0 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
|
