Rovers concede two late goals and have Chris Lane sent off in a frantic last few minutes at Lodge Road

Match report from Andy Harris

NB Tuesday night's game at AFC Totton postponed until Tuesday 16th March 7.45 pm KO

For the third successive match Rovers finished a game with only 10 men as Chris Lane was dismissed for a challenge on Yate defender, Scott Thomas in injury time at the end of a fiercely contested game.

The visitors began much the better and deservedly went ahead after just 5 minutes as Ollie Price’s clearance out of defence has headed out to Lane who advanced before firing home a fine left foot shot from just outside the area, low into the bottom corner.

Rovers almost doubled their lead in bizarre style on 14 minutes as Charlie Rich’s right wing corner was headed back across goal and just wide of the post by home skipper, Edd Vahid. The home side’s first chance came moments later as a through ball saw the impressive, Russ Church, race clear but Rovers’ keeper Kyle Phillips won the race and pushed the ball aside. The home side then had a good spell with Zayne Simpson shooting just wide and the Phillips making a great save to deny Mark Reynolds after he got on the end of a John McAlindon cross from the right.

Phillips also produced further saves, a simple one from a Church shot and a much better one from a header from Vahid following a Liam Fussell free kick after Price was booked for a foul.

Joe White playing in only his second game almost got a second for Rovers against his former club just before the interval as he latched onto a Rich pass that flicked off a defender’s head and although he beat keeper, Josh Demsey, to the ball his shot was blocked. Town were unlucky not to restore parity in injury time as Fussell’s free kick from the right saw Church get a firm header but again Phillips produced an excellent stop.

Rovers began the second period well but without threatening and it was their former player, Sam Duggan, on as a substitute, who almost got his side level 6 minutes after the break as his fine cross from the right picked out Church who headed straight at Phillips.

The visitors were denied a clear penalty on 65 minutes as Rich’s free kick from the right looked destined to find Alex Ball at the near post but he was clearly pushed from behind but the referee waived away the subsequent appeals.

Town were denied again on 69 minutes as a great move down the left saw Simpson cross enabling Reynolds to send in a fine header, which again saw Phillips produce a fine save. Rovers responded well and had a fine spell of pressure which eventually brought a second goal.

On 86 minutes Phillips cleared down field and Ben Lacey playing as a striker rather than his normal wide right position, flicked on a header that left White clear and although Dempsey produced a fine save White was able to collect the rebound and fire home his first goal in a Rovers’ shirt.

That should have wrapped the game up but having survived a scare when Church spurned a great chance, failing to connect when clean through, the same player latched onto a through ball in the 89th minute to calmly slot the ball home.

The drama continued as almost immediately from the restart Yate created a good move down the right and from the resultant cross substitute, Stuart Tovey was adjudged to have pushed an onrushing attacker and Reynolds made no mistake from the resultant penalty to earn his side a point that scarcely looked possible minutes earlier.

Team: Phillips, Ball, Rich, Waters (Tovey 73 mins), Price, Cousins, Jeffries, Lane, White, Cleverley (C), Lacey.
Subs not used: Burborough, Milsom, Redwood

Referee: D Eaton
Assts:  A Phillips, D Sallis

Attendance: 249

Star Man: Kyle Phillips (Rovers)