Manager Sean O'Driscoll said before the game the first aim would be to keep a clean sheet.

And his team battled hard to achieve their target with a vastly improved display despite being without injured midfield ace Ritchie Wellens.

O'Driscoll made two other changes to his side with Jason Price and Heffernan replacing Gareth Taylor and Mark McCammon in attack while Lewis Guy came in for Wellens in a reshuffled line up.

James Coppinger was given the difficult task of filling Wellens' boots in a more withdrawn and disciplined role.

And he came through with flying colours, never shirking a tackle, on a night that was not for the faint hearted and one where every player had to stand up and be counted.

The midfield battles were the fiercest and cultured playmaker Brian Stock underlined he has another, sometimes unnoticed, side to his game as he went toe to toe with the combative Nicky Bailey and Alan McCormack scrapping for every ball.

Both sides were full of determination and there was no quarter asked or given although the game was played in a good spirit throughout - which made the incident that led to Heffernan's dismissal all the more puzzling.

There was little to choose between the sides in a first half which swayed one way and then the other in terms of possession and territorial advantage.

Southend possibly shaded it although Doncaster looked that little bit slicker when they had the ball.

Chances were at a premium as both sides cancelled each other out but Matt Mills was only inches away from converting a free kick from Gareth Roberts and Neil Sullivan made a reflex save to keep out an angled effort from Simon Francis.

Doncaster stepped up the pace with a dominant spell after the interval and Price had the best chance of the match in the 65th minute after being put clean through by Stock but Darryl Flahavan was quickly off his line to block his goalbound effort with his legs.

Heffernan had worked hard on his return to the side and it was a big blow when he was shown the red card in the 87th minute.

He was involved in an altercation with left back Charlie Mulgrew off the ball and pushed his head towards him as he walked past.

It looked as if he had not made contact but it happened right in front of the referee who was left with no alternative but to order him off for violent conduct.

Rovers had one or two anxious moments after that and Adam Barrett just missed a similar chance to the one Mills had in the first half.

But they deservedly held out and now it's all to play for in the second leg at the Keepmoat tomorrow night.

Team: Sullivan, Green, Mills, Heffernan, O'Connor, Stock, Guy, (Hayter 80), Hird, Coppinger, (Taylor 90), Price (McCammon 88), G Roberts. Unused subs: Lee, Woods.
Ref: Paul Taylor (Herts).
Attendance: 9,109.