A potentially entertaining game between Rovers and Rochdale finished up goalless this afternoon, as the disappointing refereeing of match official Paul Taylor spoiled the occasion for the vast majority of the watching 7,575 fans.

It was his decision to yellow card Adam Barrett twice in the opening 45 minutes that led to the Pirates defender being sent off, unfairly denying Rovers of one of their key defensive players for the remainder of the contest.

But it wasn't just the dismissal of their captain that left Gasheads leaving the Memorial Stadium seething, it was also a whole range of inconsistent decisions and generally substandard officiating that took plenty away from both sides in what could have been a decent game of football.

As it happened though, both sets of players had to live with the characteristics of the man in charge, and generally speaking, did well to get on with trying to play football in the circumstances they found themselves in.

Rochdale started the first half brightly and a shot from Paul Connor sailed over the crossbar before a Daryl Burgess downward header was well held by Kevin Miller.

Rovers then came back with a Junior Agogo shot that was blocked inside the penalty area before Michael Simpkins tested Miller with a free-kick on the edge of the penalty area that was well curled around the wall.

Wayne Carlisle blasted over, and Dave Savage and Paul Tait combined well before the former hit a low shot that Matthew Gilks did well to get down and save.

Agogo volleyed over after excellent work by Tait down the left side, before the former Barnet front man was thwarted again as his low drive from the right ruffled the side netting.

Barrett's dismissal just moments before the half-time whistle for a nothing challenge on Leo Bertos saw Ray Graydon's men deprived of a central defender, and it needed some tactical changes during the break to reorganise the back line.

That meant Kevin Austin coming on to join Christian Edwards at the heart of defence, with Junior Agogo the man chosen to make way.

The second half started brightly for Rovers, although it was Rochdale who unleashed the first attempt with Sean McClare testing Miller from close range.

Tait fired over from the edge of the penalty box, before Daryl Burgess should have done better with a guided free-kick that went just past the post.

Carlisle became increasingly menacing as the game drew to a close, with Tait taking two touches from one of the Northern Irishman's crosses before twisting and firing narrowly wide.

A powerful Austin header from a Carlisle corner produced a simple stop for Gilks, and a ball back from the former Crystal Palace winger moments later found Savage who should have done better than skying his shot into the crowd.

Tait forced a fine one-handed save from a Lee Hodges corner, and in the final stages, Rob Quinn had a chance to fire home, but wasted the opportunity by blasting over the crossbar.

At the sound of the final whistle a chorus of boos greeted the match referee, although there was general applause for the performance of the team in the circumstances.

TEAM: Kevin Miller, Danny Boxall, Adam Barrett, Christian Edwards, Ijah Anderson, Kevin Street (Lee Hodges), Dave Savage, Rob Quinn, Wayne Carlisle (Graham Hyde), Paul Tait, Junior Agogo (Kevin Austin)