Bristol Rovers 3-2 Doncaster Rovers (a.e.t)
Johnstone's Paint Trophy Final
Millennium Stadium 1 April 2007
Attendance 59,024

By Tony Leighton

An extra time winner by captain Graeme Lee gave Doncaster Rovers a dramatic Johnstone's Paint Trophy triumph in the first major final of the club's history.

The Coca-Cola League 1 team had made a great start with two early goals, but League 2 side Bristol Rovers battled back to draw level midway through the second half.

Lee's goal led to the captain himself lifting the Trophy at the end of a pulsating match which fittingly brought to a close the seven year run of Football League competition finals at the Millennium Stadium.

Bristol Rovers had not conceded a single goal in reaching the Final, but incredibly they went two down inside the first five minutes.

There were only 52 seconds on the clock when Donny took the lead through on-loan Sheffield United striker Jonathan Forte, who tapped the ball into an empty net after Paul Heffernan had taken advantage of a mix-up between goalkeeper Steve Phillips and left back Chris Carruthers to direct midfielder Jason Price's miscued long range shot into the six-yard box.

Goal number two was far more straightforward - on-loan Leeds United goalkeeper Neil Sullivan's huge clearance took just one bounce before Heffernan, racing clear of the defence, volleyed into the far corner of the net for his ninth goal of Doncaster's Trophy campaign and his 21st of the season.

The Pirates were reeling, but they quickly regained their composure and went close to pulling a goal back first through Richard Walker's header that flew over the bar then a long range Rickie Lambert shot that Sullivan kept out diving to his left.

Doncaster survived the pressure, however, and as the game developed into a tight tussle on-loan Preston midfielder Brian Stock almost stretched the lead with a 34th minute drive that went wide of the near post.

Stock then provided the cross for what should have been Donny's third goal 80 seconds into the second half, but Price headed wide from a good position.

That miss proved costly three minutes later, when left back Sean McDaid brought down Bristol midfielder Sammy Igoe eight yards from goal and striker Richard Walker stroked home the resultant penalty.

The League 2 team stepped up their game from that point and equalised in the 62nd minute, striker Lambert looping a short cross in from the bye-line for Igoe to drill a 12 yard shot just inside the near post.

The Pirates might have taken the lead in the 73rd minute but midfielder Craig Disley, after cleverly setting himself up with the chance, shot over the bar from 10 yards.

Lambert went closer four minutes later, hammering in a 25 yard free-kick which the diving Sullivan kept out one-handed. And within 60 seconds Sullivan had to tip a 30 drive from Igoe over the bar as Bristol pressed hard for a winner.

The game swung again towards the end of normal time, Heffernan sending an 80th minute volley wide then having a 20 yard drive saved well by Phillips a minute into stoppage time. The striker had his best chance to wrap up victory even deeper into stoppage time, but after breaking clear of the defence he pulled his angled shot wide of the far post.

The first half of extra time saw play switching quickly from end to end, Sullivan having to save midfielder Stuart Campbell's header then Phillips stopping a Paul Green shot before Bristol substitute Andy Sandell sent a close range effort wide.

The decisive moment arrived five minutes into the second period of extra time, when Donny substitute Sean Thornton floated over a corner and Lee rose to direct a downward header just inside the post.

Bristol fought manfully to draw level for a second time, but Donny stood firm to take the Trophy.

Bristol Rovers (4-4-2): Phillips; Lescott, Hinton, Elliott, Carruthers; Igoe (Sandell 100), Campbell, Disley, Haldane (Lines 106); Lambert, Walker (Nicholson 100).

Substitutes not used: Anthony, M. Green.

Doncaster Rovers(4-3-3): Sullivan; O'Connor, Lockwood, Lee, McDaid; Stock (Wilson 102), Coppinger, P. Green; Price (Thornton 60), Heffernan, Forte (Guy 88).

Substitutes not used: Roberts, Dyer.

Referee Mr G. Laws (Tyne & Wear)