Maybe Rovers are destined to return to the Championship in a blaze of glory at Wembley.

Or maybe they will not make it at all.

Either way they were never going to win this match the way they started the game.

Rovers set a blistering pace in their previous match against Luton and could have been four or five goals up inside half an hour.

But they seemed to be in a trance and operating on auto pilot in the first half.

Rovers were either too nervous, or too laid back, and unless they get the balance right at Southend they can forget about Wembley - let alone the Championship.

There was barely a threat from Doncaster before Steve Gillespie fired Cheltenham in front in the 24th minute.

Gillespie had a bit of luck with his shot which went through the legs of Matt Mills and past the unsighted Neil Sullivan into the far bottom corner.

But before that he had turned James O'Connor inside out to give himself a sight of the target and he proved a thorn in Doncaster's side with his determination and positive play until he had to go off injured late in the game.

Cheltenham adopted a Christmas tree formation with the willing Paul Connor gamely ploughing a lone furrow up front with Gillespie and Ashley Vincent in support in wider and slightly deeper roles.

Most sides normally have problems fathoming out Rovers' structure and dealing with the movement of their fluid and interchangeable attack and midfield. But it was Sean O'Driscoll who had to do the worrying in this game and he changed tack in the second half playing with three at the back to combat the home side.

There were signs just before the interval that Rovers had finally woken from their slumbers with Sam Hird having a shot tipped away and Gareth Taylor having another effort cleared off the line.

But it seemed more a case of Cheltenham sitting back and inviting Rovers on rather than inspired play by O'Driscoll's men that brought about the second half transformation.

It was virtually one sided with Gareth Roberts and Matt Mills having goalbound efforts saved before Paul Green lashed home a downward header from Jason Price to level the scores after Hird had delivered a diagonal ball into the mix in the 75th minute.

With talismanic strikers Price and Paul Heffernan on as substitutes it appeared there could only be one outcome.

Heffernan had a shot well saved and Price hit the outside of the post after being picked out by Ritchie Wellens.

But, although they looked far more menacing, Rovers somehow did not appear entirely convincing and it was Cheltenham who scored again completely against the run of play.

Shane Duff played the ball back into the middle after a corner had only been partially cleared and panicky defending led to the hard grafting Connor sticking out his boot to divert the ball over the line from close range.

Heffernan had a tremendous header brilliantly saved and Green had another cracking effort tipped over the bar as Rovers commendably stuck to their task to the final whistle.

But it was just not to be and, unfortunately, that had been apparent from virtually the first five minutes of the game.

Team: Sullivan, O'Connor, Hird, Mills, Green, Wellens, Stock, G Roberts, Coppinger (Guy 74), McCammon (Heffernan 74), Taylor (Price 61). Unused subs: Lee, Hayter.
Ref: Lee Mason (Lancashire).
Att: 6,787.