Cheltenham Town 0

Bristol Rovers 0

Rovers and Cheltenham Town played out a goalless draw at Whaddon Road this evening.

After an even, and entertaining, first half Rovers took control of proceedings after the break and enjoyed the majority of possession but they were unable to break down a well organised home defence, ably marshalled by former Rovers favourite Steve Elliott.

Paul Trollope's side looked impressive going forward, particularly in the second half, and there are many positives the manager will take from this performance.

There was an early chance for the home side when Frankie Artus played in David Bird and he found Wesley Thomas unmarked in the area but the striker fired wide with only Mike Green to beat.

Shortly afterwards Jeff Goulding hit a rasping thirty yard drive over the crossbar.

Rovers first real attack saw Will Hoskins beat his man before playing in Jeff Hughes out on the left and s he cut inside the midfielder unleashed a tremendous drive that was blocked by Martin riley at the expense of a corner.

Chris Lines then tried his luck from just outside the area, but his effort was high and wide of the target.

As play switched to the other end of the pitch, Danny Coles was penalised for bringing down Goulding but David Bird hit the resulting free kick over the bar.

A flowing move from Rovers on 25 minutes almost led to a goal. Wayne Brown found the overlapping run of Gary sawyer and the defender's first time cross was met by Hughes at the far post but his header drifted just wide of the upright.

Three minutes later the home side should have taken the lead after Josh Low picked out Goulding's run down the left. In a lot of space, the striker cut inside and elected to shoot but he hit a tame effort straight at Green and the chance was gone.

The home side were then denied a goal by Green after Frankie Artus had picked out Thomas with a pinpoint pass. The striker's first time shot looked destined for the back of the net but Green dived full stretch to his left to touch the ball behind for a corner.

After a lull in proceedings Low squandered a good chance for the home side, lifting the ball over the bar when well placed.

Low could have scored on the stroke of half time when he ran on to a delightful pass from Keith Lowe but, with only Green to beat, he hit his angled drive high over the bar.

An entertaining half ended goalless after both sides had chances to break the stalemate, the best of them falling to the home side.

Rovers made one change at the start of the second half, when Byron Anthony replaced Carl Regan.

The first opportunity of the second period fell to Cheltenham, but Lowe hit a left foot shot high over the bar and, at the other end a few moments later, a Lines free kick met the same fate.

Lines then appeared in his own area and his challenge was enough to force Danny Andrew to hit a hurried shot over the bar following Lowe's cross from the right.

Low then raced back into his own area to whip the ball away from Hughes as he was about to shoot, having taken squared pass from Hoskins in his stride.

James Tunnicliffe headed wide from a Wayne Brown free kick as Rovers stepped up a gear, and Hoskins went close just after the hour mark but hit his effort straight at keeper Scott Brown.

A fine piece of skill by Hughes saw him neat his marker and fire in a shot that was blocked by a home defender, but the Rovers midfielder was fouled as he shot and Lines curled the resulting free kick just over the bar.

In an increasingly rare home attack Green gathered safely from Goulding and the keeper then dealt comfortably with a long range effort from substitute Michael Pook.

Almost immediately he was called into action again and was alert enough to stop a piledriver from Low.

Brown tried a shot from some 25 yards out with 12 minutes remaining, but hit his effort high over the bar.

Four minutes later the deadlock was almost broken when Brown raced in at the far post and connected with Kuffour's cross, but Brown was quickly off his line to block the midfielder's headed effort.

Substitute Darryl Duffy then hit a shot straight at Brown and at the other end Josh Klein-davies hit an effort over the bar from Danny Andrew's cross.

There was one final chance for the home side but Green pulled off a fine save from the industrious Thomas, diving to his right to palm away the striker's firm shot.

Rovers: Mike Green, Carl Regan (Byron Anthony, 46), Danny Coles, James Tunnicliffe, Gary Sawyer, Chris Lines, Dominic Blizzard, Wayne Brown, Will Hoskins (Darryl Duffy, 78), Jo Kuffour, Jeff Hughes

Substitutes: Harry Pell, Charlie Clough, Lamar Powell, Ben Swallow, Eliot Richards, Darren Jefferies

Cheltenham Town: Scott Brown, Keith Lowe, Steve Elliott (Andy Gallinagh, 81), Martin Riley (Michael Pook, 58), Danny Andrew, JJ Melligan (Theo Lewis 62), David Bird, Frankie Artus, Josh Low (Brian Smikle, 73), Wesley Thomas, Jeff Goulding (Josh Klein-Davies, 73)

Substitutes: Daniel Lloyd-Weston, Marley Watlkins, Kyle Haynes, Jake Lee, Josh Emery

Attendance: 1,012

Rovers fans: 255

Referee: Mr SJ Bratt