Sheffield Wednesday turned in their most impressive pre-season performance at the Keepmoat Stadium, despite going down 1-0 after James Coppinger's late first half strike.
Wednesday created numerous chances and controlled the game for large parts, with Clinton Morrison, making his first appearance for the Owls, twice coming close following an appearance off the bench.
Manager Alan Irvine shuffled the pack for the Owls' final warm-up ahead of the new season, with Darren Purse, Jon Otsemobor and Marcus Tudgay the only survivors in the starting XI following the midweek defeat at Barnsley.
There was also a start for Paul Heffernan, who lined up against the club he previously spent five years at before jumping ship to Hillsborough this summer, whilst Morrison was deemed fit enough for a place on the bench.
The game started in a pretty frantic manner, with ex-Blades striker Billy Sharp coming in for a hostile reception from vocal Wednesday following. But Sharp almost silenced the travelling Wednesdayites with a rasping drive from 25 yards, but was denied by Richard O'Donnell.
Wednesday replied instantly, and after neat link-up play down the right flank involving Otsemobor and Heffernan, Marcus Tudgay's shot on the turn zipped wide of Neil Sullivan's right post.
Heffernan himself then went close, rising to meet Gary Teale's cross from the left, only to see his glancing header sail wide of the goal, as Wednesday began to take control of the game.
Jermaine Johnson was next to go close for the Owls, received a pass from Tudgay before cutting in from the right side, only to miss-hit his left-foot shot wide.
But all Wednesday's good work was nearly undone in the 16th minute, when a defensive mix-up gifted the ball to Sharp, who raced down on goal, only for skipper Purse to come to the rescue with a fine challenge.
Having soaked up a ten-minute spell of Doncaster pressing, Wednesday again created another guilt-edge chance. Persistent play down the flank from Teale won a corner, which Darren Potter swung onto the head of Lewis Buxton, who was unlucky to see his downward header cannon back off the turf and narrowly over the crossbar.
Wednesday were dealt a blow in the 28th minute when Tudgay clashed heads with Wayne Thomas, forcing him down the tunnel clutching a towel to his face, and was replaced by Neil Mellor.
Doncaster pressed forward without really threatening, until minutes before the interval. Coppinger wriggled his way through the Wednesday defence, before trying his luck from an acute angel, beating O'Donnell low at his near post.
Doncaster manager Sean O'Driscoll rang the changes at the break, introducing seven new players, but it was Wednesday who looked the more likely scorers. Heffernan saw a shot deflect wide, whilst Johnson's marauding run into the Doncaster area ended with fine save from substitute goalkeeper Gary Woods.
Woods again had to react quickly to beat out Mellor's close range effort, as Wednesday looked to seize the initiative.
Heffernan was replaced to a standing ovation from the home fans, and in his place on came Morrison for his first Wednesday appearance.
And Morrison almost found the back of the net with first touch from a corner. Purse rose highest, and Morrison eventually turned the ball goalwards, only for his effort to be scrambled off the line by a Rovers defender.
Wednesday continued to pile on the pressure in front of their travelling supporters. Mellor raced away down the right channel, before firing a low cross into the path of the onrushing Morrison who could only bundle the ball inches wide of the post.
George Friend fired over after a jinking run in the final five minutes, and Mellor thought he had found an equaliser in the final seconds of the game, only to be denied by an offside flag.
The referee called time on an entertaining affair, as all attention now turns to Wednesday's opening game of the new season against Dagenham and Redbridge.
Doncaster Rovers: Sullivan (G. Woods 46), J. O'Connor, Thomas (Fiarhurst 82), Dumbuya (Lockwood 46), Martis (Hird 46), Stock (Friend 46), M. Woods (Payne 46 (Clarke 88)), Gillett (Brooker 46), Coppinger (Brady 64), Hayter (Smith 64), Sharp (Shiels 46).
Unused substitutes: Clarke.
Owls: O'Donnell (Jameson 46), Otsemobor, Purse, Buxton, Spurr (Jones 64), Johnson (Palmer 65), Coke, Potter (O' Connor 54), Teale (Sedgwick 54), Heffernan (Morrison 62), Tudgay (Mellor 29).
Unused substitutes: Hinds, Boden.
Attendance: 5,942 (2,184 away)
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