Chester 2-2 Rovers
Attendance: 2, 936 (479)Rovers let a two goal lead slip on the road as Chester rescued a draw at the Swansway Chester Stadium.
New signing Nathan Blissett and Tom Parkes put Rovers two goals to the good but Rhys Oates and Matty Hughes earned the home side a very hard fought point.
Darrell Clarke made three changes to the starting line-up that drew with Kidderminster last weekend, recalling Andy Monkhouse, Matty Taylor and handing Nathan Blissett his first start since signing on Thursday.
The opening 10 minutes at the Swansway Chester Stadium was fairly dull until Lyle Della-Verde crafted a brilliant opportunity for Matty Taylor who fired well wide on his return to one of his former clubs.
Rovers continued with a flurry of passing and crafted a chance for Stuart Sinclair on the edge of the Chester box but the midfielder could only fire narrowly wide of Jon Worsnop’s goal.
Lee Brown was given a great deal of space down the Rovers left and it was his cross that caused the most confusion of the first half as left back Gareth Roberts failed to clear but Worsnop collected before a Rovers player could latch onto it.
Last week’s Man of the Match Lyle Della-Verde caused Roberts further issues cutting in from the Rovers right.
The winger paced past two Chester players, layed the ball off to Andy Monkhouse who could only chip neatly into the keepers arms.
Matty Taylor had the best chance for Rovers in the first period as a Della-Verde free kick fell to him in the area and he fired wide of the goal.
Chester did manage to muster a late flurry and Ben Heneghan’s volley travelled at pace towards the Rovers goal but also flew past Mildenhall’s right hand post.
Rovers really came out with all guns blazing in the second half and it wasn’t long before all their pressure resulted in a goal.
Matty Taylor wriggled free in the Chester area and hammered a pass across the six-yard box and Nathan Blissett calmly turned the ball past Worsnop for his first Rovers goal.
Chester looked for an almost instant reply as Kingsley James’ low cross fell to substitute Sean McConville who lashed his shot into the side netting.
Neat interplay down the Rovers left resulted in Lee Brown’s cross went past the Chester six-yard box but no-one was there to turn the ball in.
Rovers did double their lead on the hour mark as Tom Parkes poked the ball home from close range after a bit of pin-ball in the Chester area from a Della –Verde free kick.
Lyle Della-Verde continued to cause the home side issues down the Rovers right as the Fulham loanee cut inside and thundered a shot at goal and forced a great reaction save from Worsnop.
With just over 20 minutes remaining Chester managed to pull a goal back through Rhys Oates.
Oates who opened his body and found the top corner of the goal with his shot having picked up Craig Mahon’s low cross into the Rovers penalty area.
Moments later the home side were level as Matty Hughes headed home from close range after Rovers failed to clear the danger.
Rovers looked a little shell-shocked after the second goal but found their feet eventually and created a slick passing move and managed to pick out Blissett but the Rovers new man could only scuff his shot.
Tom Parkes had a powerful header from a late Rovers corner but the centre back couldn’t double his goal tally for the day, as he couldn’t find the target.
Chester: Worsnop, Heneghan, Brown (C), Charnock, Roberts, James, Rooney, Mahon, Hughes (Hobson – 87), O’Keefe (McConville – 45), Oates (Touray – 88).
Unused Substitutes: Roberts, Kay.
Rovers: Mildenhall, Lockyer, McChrystal (C), Parkes, Brown, Monkhouse, Sinclair, Mansell, Della-Verde (Gosling – 66), Taylor (Harrison – 77), Blissett (Goldberg – 87).
Unused Substitutes: Clarke, Gosling, Balanta.