"We got caught with a wonder strike with two minutes of normal time to go and there's not a lot you can do about it apart from reacting in a positive manner, and hopefully we'll do that tonight," said Rovers' boss Sean O'Driscoll.
Rovers slumped to a fifth successive defeat against their Yorkshire rivals when going down 2-0 at the Riverside in August.
"I thought that we were the better team in between, but we struggled in the two 18-yard boxes," said O'Driscoll.
"We couldn't move (centre-backs) Robert Huth and David Wheater to their credit and Middlesbrough were bright in attack."
Although Wheater, who spent a spell on loan at Doncaster while still a teenager during Dave Penney's spell in charge, is still doing a sterling job in the Boro back-four, Huth has since moved on to Stoke City.
Manager Gareth Southgate has also left Teesside since the two clubs last met.
Boro replaced the relatively inexperienced former England international with seasoned campaigner Gordon Strachan.
The Scot has so far been unable to replicate the success he enjoyed at former club Celtic and has seen his new charges win just twice in 13 games.
But O'Driscoll is not one to be lured into a false sense of security. They are organised and hard to beat which, first and foremost, is a good foundation," he said.
"He (Strachan) has gone about it the right way. There is no point in thinking you can change things overnight.
"I think any team who have been in the Premier League a long time find it difficult following relegation.
"Teams who flirt with it and come back down are easily sorted. West Bromwich Albion don't find it a problem to come back from the Premier League."
Rovers were due to give centre-back Jason Shackell a late fitness test this morning.
The on-loan Wolves' defender was substituted early in the second half of Saturday's game with a recurrence of the groin injury which has dogged him on and off since early November.
"The back four have done exceptionally well and have looked a tight unit so if we can get him up and playing, then we will," said O'Driscoll. "But obviously not if it was going to do any long term damage to his health.
"But if the thing is not going to get any worse (by playing) we'll try and patch him up."
Rovers slumped to a fifth successive defeat against their Yorkshire rivals when going down 2-0 at the Riverside in August.
"I thought that we were the better team in between, but we struggled in the two 18-yard boxes," said O'Driscoll.
"We couldn't move (centre-backs) Robert Huth and David Wheater to their credit and Middlesbrough were bright in attack."
Although Wheater, who spent a spell on loan at Doncaster while still a teenager during Dave Penney's spell in charge, is still doing a sterling job in the Boro back-four, Huth has since moved on to Stoke City.
Manager Gareth Southgate has also left Teesside since the two clubs last met.
Boro replaced the relatively inexperienced former England international with seasoned campaigner Gordon Strachan.
The Scot has so far been unable to replicate the success he enjoyed at former club Celtic and has seen his new charges win just twice in 13 games.
But O'Driscoll is not one to be lured into a false sense of security. They are organised and hard to beat which, first and foremost, is a good foundation," he said.
"He (Strachan) has gone about it the right way. There is no point in thinking you can change things overnight.
"I think any team who have been in the Premier League a long time find it difficult following relegation.
"Teams who flirt with it and come back down are easily sorted. West Bromwich Albion don't find it a problem to come back from the Premier League."
Rovers were due to give centre-back Jason Shackell a late fitness test this morning.
The on-loan Wolves' defender was substituted early in the second half of Saturday's game with a recurrence of the groin injury which has dogged him on and off since early November.
"The back four have done exceptionally well and have looked a tight unit so if we can get him up and playing, then we will," said O'Driscoll. "But obviously not if it was going to do any long term damage to his health.
"But if the thing is not going to get any worse (by playing) we'll try and patch him up."