Rovers looked to put their humiliating display in the Fair Play Cup far behind them, when they returned to League 2 action on Saturday, when they hosted league leaders, Elephant & Castle, at the Heath.
The Whites welcomed back Ben Cole and Wayne Pottle to the squad, as they went in search of a win that would cut E&C's lead at the top to just 3 points.
The visitors started the match much better than their hosts which resulted in Rovers spending most of the opening period on the back foot, defending their goal, as they struggled to really get going in the match.
E&C made their eraly pressure count after 20 minutes, when hesitation in the Rover's defence and with keeper Scott Glacken, let the visitors striker sneak in between the two of them, to tap the ball home from close range.
The goal did seem to wake Rovers up a bit and slowly they began to come more and more into the match and managed to create one or two openings of their own. They were rewarded on the half hour mark when they drew level when Ben Cole superbly volleyed home an outswinging corner from Martin Coverdale, for a goal of the season contender.
The half finished with the 2 sides locked at 1-1 and with manager Paul Jeavons pleased with the way his side finished the half.
Once again Rovers were slower out of the blocks than their opponents and were very much under the cosh after the break. Rovers did survive one or two very close scares during this period, as they again struggled to get to grips with their visitors.
Despite all this it was Rovers who got their noses in front for the first time in the game when a long ball from Geoff Green, was briliantly brought down by Dave Clarke, who then fired past the keeper from just inside the visitor's area.
As the half continued E&C continued to pose the biggest threat but seemed to become more and more frustrated at being behind in the game and started to resort to one or two long range efforts when maybe there were better options available.
The visitors were unable to make any of their 2nd half possession count and it looked increasingly more likely, as the minutes ticked by, that Rovers would hold on for all 3 points in a game that they had been 2nd best in for large parts of the match.
Rovers should have know better though if they thought back to the 2 sides last meeting, when after dominating the away fixture against E&C and leading 2-0 with 5 minutes remaining, the whites were pegged back to 2-2 with the last kick of the game.
They say that it doesn't but lightning did indeed strike twice for Rovers, when a fantastic cross from deep out on the wing was powerfully headed home from close range to give the visitors the share of the points they more than deserved, again with the last kick of the match.
The point keeps both clubs where they were in the league table, leaving Rovers needing to put together a big winning run of results if they are going to achieve promotion to League 1.
Rovers are again in League 2 action next weekend, when they travel to the British Sugar ground in Bury, to play bottom club RF Saints.
Sponsored by Technical Waste Solutons Ltd.
