Bristol Rovers 1 Bournemouth 1

Last updated : 02 December 2006 By Footymad Previewer
Bournemouth picked themselves up from a cruel penalty to earn a replay in an old-style FA Cup tie of blood, thunder and uncertainty against Bristol Rovers at the Memorial Stadium.

Richard Walker's spot-kick in added-on time had sent Rovers in with a half-time lead. Their League One opponents, without an away win this season, hit the post three times before they were finally saved by a brave, diving header, from James Hayter.

As Rovers stormed back they had a couple of strong penalty appeals turned down but the big talking point was the one they were given.

That Stephen Purches blocked a low cross from Rovers' Lewis Haldane was not in dispute. Whether he had the chance to get his hand out of the way was.

It was a controversial decision by Cheshire referee Anthony Taylor but he showed now sign of bending before Bournemouth's furious protests and Walker sent keeper Neil Moss the wrong way.

The swaying fortunes of this enthusiastic tie brought nine corners in the first 20 minutes - five of them to Rovers - but they were already indebted to their keeper Steve Phillips.

Inside the first 40 minutes he had flung himself across goal to divert a fierce free-kick from Shaun Copper. The kick, 25 yards out, had been given against Byron Anthony for throwing his arms around Steve Fletcher.

Two corners and a throw-in later, when Rovers finally cleared their lines, they promptly lost Walker for seven minutes while he had a cut head bandaged.

He returned to force his side's first corner, a short ball one, confidently collected by Moss when the cross came over.

Another corner brought Rovers their best scoring chance from open play, Craig Disley rising strongly at the far post with a downward header which struck Moss as he dived forward.

Rovers were showing all the confidence of their recent good run with Haldane breaking fast from deep positions on the left.

But, in quick succession, they had two escapes, first when Chelsea youngster Ryan Bertrand, curling a shot around Phillips, found the outside of the far post and then when Cooper planted a shot smack in the middle of the bar.

There was more, for early in the second half Bournemouth's Steve Foley, who had replaced Danny Hollands, put their third shot against the woodwork, while Phillips was kept busy fishing another of Cooper's shots out of the top corner.

The Cherries were throwing everything into their search for the equaliser and Rovers were at full stretch, but when they at last broke out, Sammy Igoe broke the visitors' monopoly of the goalposts by hitting an upright.