Cheltenham made a bright start and Mark Yates was unlucky to see a fierce left-foot drive soar narrowly over the crossbar in the opening minutes.
The newly promoted Yorkshire side then began to take control and took the lead after 11 minutes. Rovers’ highly-rated left-winger Michael McIndoe scored from the penalty spot after Bob Taylor had brought down JJ Melligan while trying to clear his lines following a Doncaster corner.
Cheltenham captain Yates then headed an equaliser against one of his former clubs after 19 minutes. The midfield enforcer nodded home Martin Devaney’s corner, but it was against the run of play and the Robins were not on level terms for very long.
Debutant Wilson was forced to clear off the line after Gregg Blundell had capitalised on some hesitant defending from Mike Duff and Shane Higgs. However, Wilson could do nothing to stop David Morley’s header flying into the back of the net after the big centre-half had reached a McIndoe free-kick before the stranded Higgs.
Grant McCann was denied by Rovers’ keeper Andy Warrington after good build up from Cheltenham, but Doncaster deserved their half-time lead.
Six minutes after the restart, Doncaster effectively killed the game off, as they went 3-1 up. A long ball over the top seemed to deceive Duff and Melligan, who was a loan target for John Ward earlier in the season, had time to bare down on Higgs, before finishing calmly to send the travelling fans at the Whaddon Road end wild.
McCann saw a well struck free-kick held by the sound Warrington an
and Wilson tried his luck from the half-way line, but his audacious effort drifted just wide.
Ward threw on Paul Brayson and Kayode Odejayi in an attempt to salvage something from the game, but Doncaster always looked comfortable and on this evidence should be in contention for automatic promotion come May.