Doncaster Rovers 0 - 0 Leyton Orient
Coca-Cola League One

A DOGGED display from Orient won them just their second away point of the season at Doncaster Rovers on Saturday.

In a game of low quality with few chances, the visitors' backline held firm and refused to let anything get past them on an afternoon that will surely start to rebuild their confidence on the road.

Wayne Corden had an effort cleared off the line and Jabo Ibehre missed when clean through, while Doncaster's Jason Price put wide with just Glyn Garner to beat at the death.

Neither side deserved all three points, but that won't bother Orient, who bounced back from conceding three poor goals in midweek by keeping a vital clean sheet in Yorkshire.

Orient were handed a pre-match boost when Adam Chambers and Alton Thelwell passed late fitness tests, but it was Doncaster who made the game's first chance, with Graeme Lee rising highest at the far post to meet Paul Green's corner with a header that was directed straight at Garner.

Eight minutes in Price made a late run in to the box to reach James O'Connor's low cross, but Chambers was able to put pressure on the Rovers man and he blazed over the bar.

The O's struggled to retain possession in the early stages, although they did put in a number of meaty challenges in midfield to prevent the hosts from taking control.

There wasn't much to set the pulses racing early on, and it wasn't until the 30th minute that Orient had a serious effort on goal.

Corden was the man with it, cutting in well from the left but failing to get enough power in his shot and home stopper Ben Smith made a comfortable save.

A quick O's break in the 40th minute involving Donny Barnard and Justin Miller ended with Gary Alexander shooting tamely at Smith, but this was a rare moment of excitement in a poor first half.

Corden, however, came within a whisker of breaking the deadlock on the stroke of half-time when he collected Matt Lockwood's corner at the far post.  After shifting the ball onto his right foot, he curled in an effort on goal that had Smith beaten but not Jonathan Forte, who was perfectly positioned to clear off the line.

Set pieces were proving the most likely route to goal and Price had a point blank header saved by Garner from a Rovers corner on 52 minutes.

Six minutes later Donny Barnard scooped a ball through to Jabo Ibehre to put the O's striker in the clear.  He seemed to take too long to get the shot away though, ending up rolling a weak effort wide of the goal when he should have done better.

Both defences,remained very much on top and there seemed little prospect of a goal as the contest entered its final half hour.

With 21 minutes left on the block Alton Thelwell's attempted clearance was charged down by Price to give Rovers their best chance of the game so far.  Forte took up the chase and pulled back from the by-line for sub Paul Heffernen. But the ball got stuck in the striker's feet and Orient escaped.

Adam Chambers and Sean Thornton were both booked for a spot of handbags and it was Orient who fashioned the next opportunity, when Alexander sent Connor clear eight minutes from the end with an exquisite flick.  Rovers' O'Connor tracked back briliantly, though, to deny the visitors' striker as he poised to shoot.

The O's had given their all in a dogged display of determination, but all their hard work was almost undone three minutes from time when Price bludgeoned a path through on the edge of the box.  A goal seemed certain, especially when the Doncaster man dinked the ball over the advancing Garner.  Thankfully for Orient, Price's cute effort rolled wide of the mark.

Steve Roberts sent a blistering drive from range just over the bar in stoppage time but Orient saw out time to gain a vital away point.

0	DONCASTER ROVERS	COCA COLA LEAGUE 1		LEYTON ORIENT	0
13	Ben SMITH	The Earth Stadium - 4/11/06		Glyn GARNER	1
2	James O'CONNOR	Ref: Mike Pike (Cumbria)		Donny BARNARD	2
3	Gareth ROBERTS	Att: 5,447 (430 away)		Matt LOCKWOOD	3
4	Steve ROBERTS			John MACKIE (C)	6
5	Graeme LEE (C)			Shane TUDOR	7
7	Lewis GUY			Gary ALEXANDER	9
11	Adam LOCKWOOD			Justin MILLER	15
17	Jonathan FORTE			Jabo IBEHRE	19
19	Brian STOCK			Wayne CORDEN	25
24	Paul GREEN			Adam CHAMBERS YC	26
27	Jason PRICE			Alton THELWELL	27
	SUBSTITUTES	Replaced (time)		SUBSTITUTES
8	Sean THORNTON YC	5 (HT)		Glenn MORRIS (GK)	12
9	Mark McCAMMON		19 (73)	Paul CONNOR	18
14	Paul HEFFERNAN	20 (68)		Derek DUNCAN	20
24	Rob PACEY			Brian SAAH	21
26	James COPPINGER	7 (68)		Jason DEMETRIOU	24