Cheltenham Town overcame the odds to claim a third FA Cup trip this season at Doncaster Rovers next Tuesday.

Once again they must travel north to attempt to progress, this time to round four where Premier League Aston Villa await the winners following a highly creditable draw against their Championship visitors this evening.

The Robins have already enjoyed successful trips to Oldham (in the first round replay) and Morecambe (round two) in this competition so far.

The home side matched Doncaster's quality of play with a gutsy and committed display to produce the best efforts of the first half courtesy of Andy Gallinagh and David Bird headers which raised the hope inside Whaddon Road that Martin Allen's depleted side could cause an upset after the interval.

Both sides went close to snatching the tie as the game drew to a tense finale, Doncaster hitting a post while the home side saw a late effort cleared off the line but they must do it all again at Rovers' Keepmoat Stadium next Tuesday 20 January (7.45pm) for the prize of hosting the seven-time winners four days later.

TEAM NEWS: Cheltenham Town boss Martin Allen was down to the bare bones for this one, utilising every available player in his preferred 4-3-3 formation, although Jonny Hayes and Lloyd Owusu provided added cover in defence, shadowing Doncaster's advanced full backs as they attacked which left Elvis Hammond to fend for himself up front.

Damian Spencer, Gavin Caines and Drissa Diallo (all knee injuries) were ruled out and Josh Low was cup tied having played for Forest Green Rovers in round two. Ashley Vincent was suspended while recent signings Chris Westwood and Lewis Montrose were ineligible.

Defensively, Andy Gallinagh and Lee Ridley were pressed into action at the heart of the back four, sandwiched by full backs Andy Lindegaard and Alan Wright. The midfield had a more familiar feel to it featuring David Bird, Alex Russell and Ian Westlake.

Meanwhile club captain John Finnigan and Shane Duff were included on a youthful looking bench which included transfer-listed Ben Gill as well as scholarship players Marley Watkins and Jack Durrant.

16th minute: Paul Hefferman headed wide the first effort of the evening after meeting a cross by Martin Woods from the left following a cagey opening to the game.

22: Ritchie Wellens forced the first save of the game from a tight angle after a patient Doncaster build-up. Brian Stock followed it up but fired well over from the edge of the box. Then Sam Hird created a half chance after some confusion inside Cheltenham's box, but the centre half should have done better with the loose ball.

27: Hammond is teed up by Bird for Cheltenham's first sight of goal 27 minutes in, but his slashed effort from 20 yards flies out of play for a throw-in. A couple of minutes of pressure follow by the home side but it eventually comes to nothing.

30: There's a close shave half an hour in when Gallinagh appeared to bundle over Hefferman inside the penalty area attempting to reach a ball over the top, but there are no real appeals by Doncaster and Cheltenham seemed to escape lightly. The striker the narrowly missed a menacing cross by James Coppinger a moment later, unmarked, onside and four yards from goal.

37: Route one chance created by Cheltenham eight minutes from the break after Owusu nodded-on Scott Brown's goal kick into the path of Hammond, but the striker's effort on the turn was deflected for a corner. Russell sent it in and Gallinagh headed it down on goal, but John Spicer, guarding the right post, cleared the danger for Doncaster.

41: Cheltenham go close again, this time David Bird heads Lindegaard's deep cross from the right on target, drawing a fine diving stop by Neil Sullivan under pressure from Owusu.

HALF TIME: 0-0

51: Coppinger fired one in the bowling green located behind the Carlsberg Stand housing the travelling contingent.

53: Spicer called Brown into a smart, one-handed parry with a rasper from 20 yards.

55 BOOKING: Lindegaard's cynical tug on Woods earns him the first yellow card of the evening. Wellens clips a clever ball onto the head of Sam Hird from the resulting free-kick, but although the centre half is denied by a superb save by Brown, the Assistant Referee ruled him offside.

58 SUBSTITUTION: Paul Connor is sent on in place of Hayes on the left of the attacking trio.

60: Brown did well to touch over a tricky-looking effort by Chambers, which takes a wicked deflection from the edge of the box and looked set to drop under the bar before the goalkeeper intervened. The subsequent corner came to nothing.

65: Cheltenham were fortunate to remain on level terms 25 minutes from time when Hefferman spun and dragged a shot against the right post, before the ball rolled across the goal line. It was as close as it gets from a Doncaster perspective.

71 SUBSTITUTION: Doncaster made their first move of the contest, replacing skipper Brian Stock with Gareth Taylor.

73 SUBSTITUTION: John Finnigan came on in place of the industrious Hammond 17 minutes from time. Cheltenham appear to go to a 4-2-3-1 shape, with the club captain and Russell operating behind Westlake, Bird and Connor supporting Owusu. The home side immediately step up a gear and spend the final 15 minutes laying seige to the Doncaster goal.

75: Owusu went down under pressure from several markers, but Bird pulled the free-kick wide of the left upright.

83: Brown produces another fantastic save to deny substitute Taylor with a firm header, but again the flag went up for offside.

85: Cheltenham go so close to snatching the tie five minutes from time after Wright delivered a beautiful ball from the left into the six yard area. Owusu rose to meet it, but it was cleared but only as far as Bird, who showed great trickery to fashion a shooting chance but Sullivan clawed it away ahead of Connor and Owusu before O'Connor carried it to safety.

87 SUBSTITUTION: Mark Wilson relieved Coppinger in an apparent defensive move for Doncaster.

90 BOOKING: Owusu went into the referee's book in the final minute for infringing Sullivan as he attempted to take a goal kick.

91 SUBSTITUTION: Adam Lockwood replaced Heffernan in injury time.

90+2: Cheltenham finished the game the stronger side and it is Bird who had the last chance of the game, heading Owusu's flick-on on target although Sullivan took it.

FULL TIME: 0-0

CHELTENHAM TOWN (4-3-3): Brown; Lindegaard, Gallinagh, Ridley, Wright (c); Bird, Russell, Westlake; Owusu, Hammond (Finnigan 73), Hayes (Connor 58). Subs not used: Duff, Gill, Puddy (Gk), Watkins, Durrant.

DONCASTER ROVERS (4-4-2): Sullivan; O'Connor, Mills, Hird, Chambers; Spicer, Wellens, Stock (c) (Taylor 71), Woods; Coppinger (Wilson 88), Hefferman (Lockwood 90). Subs not used: Roberts, Van Nieuwstadt, Guy, Lockwood, Smith (Gk).

REFEREE: ND Swarbrick (Lancashire)

ATTENDANCE: 4,417 (485 from Doncaster)

Report by Murry Toms