Bristol Rovers

Attendance: 6,743 (148)

Rovers extended their unbeaten run to five games after a 0-0 draw with Notts County at the Memorial Stadium.

Darrell Clarke made four changes to the side that won late on at Mansfield at the weekend recalling club skipper Mark McChrystal to the starting 11 at the expense of Tom Parkes with Jake Gosling, Billy Bodin and Ellis Harrison also coming into the line-up.

The home side started well with a succession of corners. The first was taken short to Stuart Sinclair who could only cross the ball into the hands of County captain Roy Carroll. Rovers second corner fell to the feet of Mark McChrystal who could only volley wide of the goal.

Rovers controlled the game for large spells in the first half with superb passing moves but failed to really test Roy Carroll. Efforts from Ellis Harrison and Lee Mansell were met by comfortable saves from Carroll.

Notts County failed to register a real effort either in the first period with the best effort of the half falling to Billy Bodin on the stroke of half time as a Jake Gosling corner fell to the winger who smashed an effort off the underside of the crossbar before County scrambled the ball clear.

Darrell Clarke opted to switch things around at the start of the second half replacing Ellis Harrison with Jermaine Easter who earlier in the day had the red card he received at Mansfield Town rescinded.

Rovers lacked the same intensity in the opening period of the second half until a strong tackle by Daniel Leadbitter on Thierry Audel won the ball in the Rovers half. A swift passing move later and Matty Taylor advanced onto goal after turning Alan Sheehan. Taylor continued into the penalty area before hitting his shot wide of the goal whilst under heavy pressure.

County didn't register anything of note until just after the hour mark as half time substitute Adam Campbell's cross fizzed along the six-yard box with Izale McLeod closest to it but the County front man couldn't add that final touch.

The home side began to click through the gears after the hour mark themselves as a nice passing move involving Easter, Bodin and eventually Leadbitter ended up with a cross into the box towards Matty Taylor who jumped slightly too early and saw the ball narrowly go over his head.

With 20 minutes remaining Darrell Clarke made his final two substitutions replacing Billy Bodin and Matty Taylor with Cristian Montano and Nathan Blissett.

Montano almost made an instant impact linking up with Jake Gosling before forcing a good save out of Roy Carroll before realising he was flagged offside.

Moments later Rovers centre-back Tom Lockyer went on an amazing run almost the entire length of the pitch before playing a neat pass into the feet of Jermaine Easter to turned well before firing narrowly over the bar.

Rovers continued to press in search of what seemed like it would be a decisive goal but efforts from Montano and Blissett were both blocked by the County rear guard.

Both sides didn't really offer much as the game closed out in a game that looked destined to be a draw. Up next for Rovers is the visit of Newport County to the Memorial Stadium on Saturday.

Rovers: Nicholls; Leadbitter, Lockyer, McChrystal (C), Brown; Gosling, Mansell, Sinclair, Bodin (Montano - 70); Taylor (Blissett - 70), Harrison (Easter - 46).

Unused Substitutes: Mildenhall (GK), Parkes, O. Clarke, Lines. 

County: Carroll (C), Smith, Thompson (Campbell - 46), Noble, Hewitt, Stead, Audel (Amevor - 70), Aborah, Edwards, McLeod, Sheenhan.

Unused Substitutes: Loach (GK), Barmby, Burke, Jenner, Swerts.