Mansfield Town 1-1 Bristol Rovers (League Two)

Rovers rallied and put in their finest performance of the season at Field Mill to draw 1-1 with Mansfield Town this afternoon. Lee Stevenson put the Stags in front before substitute Alefe Santos scored his first professional goal with a deflected strike 5 minutes from time and it was no less than Rovers deserved in a game they absolutely dominated.

Alefe Santos - Lifted from: zimbio.com

Playing in the purple and black stripes, John Ward's team started brightly on a rainy day up north and there were some early shots sent the way of goalkeeper Alan Marriott. Both Clarkson and Ryan Brunt swivelled to shoot straight down Marriott's throat while John-Joe O'Toole was driving the team forward from the middle of the park. It was an encouraging opening period of play and Mansfield were chasing shadows until 10 minutes in when they finally got hold of the ball a bit more in the centre of the park.

The ball began to stick at the feet of attacking journeyman Calvin Andrew and his pace were causing problems down the flanks. After a couple of wayward crosses it was Andrew who provided the assist for Stevenson to score. He made space out wide before playing the ball into the box for Stevenson to nod home for his first of the season. In truth he couldn't miss and there was a mini-inquest among the Rovers defence as to how he was afforded so much space but nobody had the answer. As always happens at the moment we found ourselves behind and had it all to do.

Happily Rovers continued to play with attacking intent and took the game to their hosts. Clarkson was lively and linked up very well with Brunt and it was the former who created a wonderful chance for full-back Michael Smith. Unfortunately Smudger dwelled on the ball and Marriott did well to deny him when, if we're being honest, he should have been picking the ball up out the net. Ollie Clarke, returning to make his first start of the season in place of Seanan Clucas who played for the Northern Ireland U21s yesterday, had a speculative effort saved before half-time and Rovers will have felt frustrated not to have been in front let alone not on level terms.

The second half flowed in the same vain as the first with Rovers on the front foot. Brunt and Clarkson had efforts that flew wide early on before Andy Bond, in what was likely to be his last Gas appearance,  teed up Clarke to fire inches past the post from 12 yards. With each wasted opportunity it felt like a case of 'typical Rovers' but the lads did not lose heart from their failure to equalise quickly. Mansfield's Sam Clucas was a threat for the home side and had claims for a penalty when Tom Lockyer stopped him running through on goal but they were frivolous as it was terrific defending from the young man.

The game was exciting for the neutral but a nightmare from a Rovers perspective because for all our good play we just couldn't score. Substitute Eliot Richards was denied by Marriott after beating two defenders and fellow sub Santos saw a cross well gathered by Marriott at the feet of a hopeful Brunt. Was it ever going to go in?

Thankfully all our huffing and puffing paid dividends 5 minutes from time. It was to be a magical moment for teenager Santos who picked up a short, quickly-taken corner, before drifting into the box and seeing a low strike deflect off Keiran Murtagh and hit the back of the net. Regardless of whether it was an own goal Santos ran away in delight and was piled on by almost every single one of his team-mates. It felt like it could have been the moment Rovers turned their season around and it was no less than the 400+ Gasheads deserved.

There was still time for us to go on and try to win the game but O'Toole saw a ferocious effort blocked by John Dempster when it was heading for the home goal. Mansfield began to push on in stoppage time and had a last minute free-kick 20 yards out but the effort was blocked by the wall and was cleared to safety. The referee then put whistle to mouth to bring an end to proceedings, securing Rovers their second consecutive away point.

It was incredibly frustrating not to win the game given how many chances we created but it's imperative we look at how well we performed and take it into next weekend's game with Wycombe Wanderers. It was a sterling performance away from home and warranted so much more - if we play like that more often we will have no problem scoring goals and winning games. Huge credit to young Pat Keary who played superbly on his debut alongside Tom Parkes and to Alefe Santos on his first career goal.

Onwards and upwards, Gas.