DONCASTER ROVERS 2009/10
Doncaster 0 Coventry 0
AUGUST 18: Coca-Cola Championship at the Keepmoat Stadium.
Doncaster 1 Preston 1
AUGUST 15: Coca-Cola Championship at the Keepmoat Stadium.
Notts County 0 Doncaster 1
AUGUST 11: Carling Cup first round at Meadow Lane.
Watford 1 Doncaster 1
AUGUST 8: Coca-Cola Championship at Vicarage Road.
LAST FIXTURE - DONCASTER ROVERS 0 COVENTRY CITY 0
Sullivan, Chambers, Lockwood, Shackell, Roberts (Hird 82), Coppinger, Oster (Heffernan 75), Stock, Martin Woods (Fortune 84), Shiels, Hayter.Subs Not Used: Smith, Guy, Wilson, Fairhurst.
Doncaster were held for the third Championship game in succession as Coventry held on for a point in an entertaining but goalless stalemate.
Sean O'Driscoll's side dominated the match from start to finish but were unable to create a clear goalscoring chance, despite their free-flowing and forward-minded football.
Captain Brian Stock went closest to breaking the deadlock for the home side with a first-half free-kick that was tipped against the post, but otherwise Coventry's young goalkeeper Keiren Westwood dealt comfortably with everything Doncaster did.
The stalemate means Chris Coleman's side remain unbeaten, having won their previous two league games, but the former Fulham boss will know his players will have to perform a lot better in the coming months if they are to maintain their challenge at the top end of the table.
The match started brightly with Coventry's Leon Best having the first effort on goal inside the first minute, with a shot that was dragged just wide.
From that point on, it was almost all one-way traffic as O'Driscoll's men pushed for their first win of the campaign.
The home fans thought Dean Shiels had earned a penalty after 20 minutes when he broke free from midfield and into Coventry's penalty area with a darting run.
Coventry captain Stephen Wright was the last man and coming from the left-back position he met the Northern Ireland international shoulder to shoulder, however referee Carl Boyeson saw it as a fair challenge rather than a foul.
The game continued to take place largely in the visitors' half and just five minutes from the interval Stock had his first dangerous effort at goal.
Shiels found himself in a tussle with two Coventry defenders 25 yards from goal. The referee blew his whistle for a free-kick and Stock stepped up, rasping his shot against Westwood's left-hand post via the tall goalkeeper's fingertips.
The theme of Doncaster domination continued into the second half.
James Hayter continued to work hard in attack but was supported well by the runs of Shiels and James Coppinger.
It was former Hibernian forward Shiels who was next to test Westwood.
He broke free down the right, cut inside and shot fiercely, however the goalkeeper was again up to the challenge and palmed the ball away.
Coventry's Michael McIndoe, who playing against his former club was booed all night, had a decent left-footed striker from a narrow angle with 20 minutes to go, shortly before Stock fired another fierce shot, although this time straight at the goalkeeper.
Coppinger was replaced by Quinton Fortune six minutes from time.
And, with stoppage-time showing on the scoreboard, it was Stock who had the game's final chance, blasting a shot from the edge of the area narrowly over the bar.