A fine, mild evening faced tonight's teams in an important game for the Rovers in the League. Three successive goalless draws, two away and the last one at home, have plunged them down to 20th place, three points above the drop zone. Whilst they are playing well enough, it's goals that count and they have been in short supply in League games recently. The Rovers start with an unchanged team tonight, Gareth Roberts reporting fit after Saturday's injury scare. Back in the fold is Mark McCammon, returning, on the bench, after his international duties with Barbados. Bradford City are also unchanged after their win at Cheltenham on Saturday lifted them into fourth place in the table. The Rovers defended the Rossington end in the first half.

Bradford City set the ball rolling, Jermaine Johnson got down the right wing, shrugged off a couple of tackles before hitting a low shot across the Rovers goal. Budtz tipped it away but only to WINDASS, who had the easiest of tasks to tap in for the opening goal after just 40 seconds. The Rovers tried to hit back immediately but a shot by Heffernan was blocked. Jermaine Johnson, for Bradford, again caused problems on the Rovers left with a lightning run but his low cross across the face of goal found nobody and was cleared by Lockwood. It was end to end stuff, with both sides on all out attack. Stock and Guy had cracks at goal for the Rovers but put wide. The Rovers backline were keeping the Bantams attack at arms length from goal. On 19 minutes, Jermaine Johnson, on the Bradford right, hit a terrific left foot shot from the angle of the penalty area that took a big deflection for a corner. Four minutes later, the visitors went further ahead with another good goal. A high cross from the right touchline by Bridge-Wilkinson saw WINDASS get in front of his marker and hit a thumping header past Budtz for a second goal. The Rovers tried to hit back but the visitors were now bossing the show. However, after 26 minutes, Coppinger did well to get to the right byline, hit a cross to the far post area where Heffernan had found space but his shot was blocked and deflected out for a corner. The Rovers now gradually took charge of the game. Stock had a 30 yarder charged down on the half hour and then minutes later, Heffernan got to the left byline but his shot was put out at the near post for a corner. A corner to Bradford was an isolated incident in the Rovers half. The last ten minutes was all Rovers as they set up wave after wave of attacks on the visiting goal. On 42 minutes they got their reward when Heffernan crossed from the left, Coppinger's shot was blocked but GREEN, following up was first to the loose ball and rattled the back of the net from close range. The Rovers continued to push on looking for an equaliser but the final whistle brought relief to a very hard pressed Bradford defence. An exciting and entertaining first half augured well for the next period.

Bradford were first on the attack winning a corner in the first minute. It was cleared initially but the ball came back for Wetherall to head wide of the Rovers goal. The Rovers then took their turn, sustained it and were awarded a free kick on their left when Wetherall fouled Guy near the corner flag. McDaid took the kick, put it in the six-yard area for the oncoming GREEN to bullet a header into the net. Two minutes later, good work by Green got him to the edge of the visitors penalty area. He lost the ball, regained it and touched on to COPPINGER, who hit a rasper from the right angle of the area into the roof of the net to put the Rovers in front. It was all Rovers at this stage. Minutes later, Stock hit a 30 yard free kick from the left that was tipped over for a corner by Ricketts. Just past the hour, O'Connor got down the Rovers right, the cross was headed out by Wetherall but straight to Coppinger, who touched back to Stock for a 25 yard shot to be tipped out for a corner by a flying keeper, Ricketts. The corner was headed wide by Lockwood. On 66 minutes, Green got a great goal following a free kick but the referee ruled there had been a push. Bradford then came to the party, with Jermaine Johnson hitting a 25 yarder just wide of a post. On 78 minutes, good combination between Coppinger and Green set Green up for a rocket strike that had Ricketts flying through the air to tip away. Three minutes later, the linesman chalked off another goal for the Rovers when he deemed Forte to be offside. Bradford had fought their way back into the game and on 83 minutes equalised with a goal by BRIDGE-WILKINSON, tapping in at the post following a free kick, awarded for a foul by Lee on Windass for which Lee recieved a second caution and was thereby ordered off the field. Now with ten men, the Rovers hit back through Forte getting in a shot for Ricketts to save. Stock put wide from 30 yards and Forte also put wide after some good build up play.

A great match, good football and plenty of excitement for the fans. What more can one ask for?

Teams - ROVERS - Jan Budtz; James O'Connor, Adam Lockwood, Graeme Lee, Gareth Roberts; James Coppinger, Paul Green, Brian Stock, Sean McDaid; Lewis Guy, Paul Heffernan.

Subs used - Jonathan Forte for Guy 73 mins; Steve Roberts for Heffernan 85 mins; Jason Price for Coppinger 90 mins;

Subs not used - Mark McCammon, Ben Smith gk.

Cautions - Guy, Lee, McDaid, Lee,

Sent off - Lee 82 mins;

Bradford City - Donovan Ricketts; Nathan Doyle, David Wetherall, Mark Bower, Richard Edghill; Jermaine Johnson, Steven Schumacher, Marc Bridge-Wilkinson, Lee Holmes; Dean Windass, David Graham.

Subs used - Eddie Johnson for Graham 67 mins; Joe Colbeck for Holmes 80 mins; Ben Parker for Edghill 80 mins;

Subs not used -  Tom Penfold, Russell Howarth gk.

Cautions - Edghill, Schumacher,