It was the hosts who got the game underway but City almost immediatly won the ball and launched an attack which resulted in a free kick being awarded. Keates took the free kick but Birch had wandered offside before heading it goalwards. The opening 10 minutes were incredibly slow as neither side could get a decent attacking move together, but City were the team in relative control and the only time Rovers really got the ball anywhere near the ball was when Shearer pumped the ball 110 yards upfield into the grateful arms of Marriott.

City did gain 2 quick succession corners after Elliott had headed behind Keates' effort but the 2nd corner was also wasted. The 14th minute saw not only a rare Bristol Rovers attack but a brilliant piece of acting by Agogo. The former Lincoln striker realised he wasn't going to get to Shearer's punt so acted like he'd be shot in the chest just inside the penalty area.

Birch was next to have a try for the Imps but he close range shot went out for a corner but yet again, the delivery was poor and Shearer caught the ball for the first time all game which brought sarcastic cheers from all sides of the ground.

Asamoah wasted a good oppurtunity after Keates had set him down the right. Instead of passing to one of the several players in the box, he decided to go towards goal on his own and his final shot didn't even slightly trouble Shearer as it dribbled wide.

The half was drawing to a close and with only 3 minutes of the half left, Rovers managed to have their first shot at goal but it was incredibly week adn was easily cleared by McCombe. The half drew to a close with Rovers have a laughable claim for a free kick on the edge of the box, turned down by referee, Trevor Parkes, Asamoah quickly went up the other end but he shot was easily saved by Shearer.

Heavy rain during half time continued into the second half and made play very difficult. A nervous moment for Rovers came just 30 seconds into the half when Asamoah had forced the corner. The ball was floated in, Robbie Ryan swung a leg at the ball but it looped back towards goal. Several players were keeping their eye on the ball to see what would happen next and Shearer jumped and touched the ball over the bar, he was more than lucky that the ball wasn't dreadfully wet at that point.

Rovers did start to threaten more than in the first half and Rovers almost took a rather undeserved lead from their first chance on target but Elliott's header smashed against the crossbar. Bristol were in control for a period but luckily, they were failing to create anything, it was the same old story of Paul Morgan keeping the star striker "in his back pocket".

Rovers then had a brilliant oppurtunity to take the lead. Confusion in the box saw Walker 1 on 1 with Marriott but the midfielder could only force his shot straight at Marriott and to say he should have done better, is a MASSIVE understatement.

Mayo suddenly burst towards the box and decided to have a shot that was heading goalwards but it took a slight deflection off of a Rovers defender, however, the deflection went undetected by the referee who awarded a free kick.

City's lack on concentration was evident minutes later as from a corner, the ball was passed to Keates who took a shot from the edge of the area and was parried by Shearer, if even just one City player had been paying attention to the ball, it would have been 1-0 because it landed right in front of the open goal but all City's players had assumed that Shearer had comfortably gathered the ball and turned away before he even saved it.

The game slowly went by as neither side could gain a decent chance due to the conditions and the game finished 0-0, City's 3rd draw in a row, 2nd 0-0 in a row and the 5th draw out of the 7th league games so far this season.

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