ROVERS WAY OFF MARC!

Peterboro 0

Bristol Rovers 0

Bristol Rovers wasted a number of chances against a dour home side -to further dent their Division Two play-off hopes.

Despite rattling in 40 goals between them this season, neither Marcus Stewart nor Peter Beadle were ever at ease as Peterborough man- marked closely.

Rovers opened with a frantic attacking burst and, after Stewart had keeper Jon Sheffield at full-stretch, Greg Heald flung himself in the path of efforts from the two Rovers strikers.

Gregor Rioch, son of Arsenal boss Bruce, was recalled to the home defence and was well positioned to clear a dangerous Justin Channing corner early on.

For all their pressure, including five corners in quick succession, Rovers were almost caught out by a swift Posh break as Ken Charlery clipped the ball back for record signing Carl Griffiths to lift it well over the bar.

Rovers went through an indecisive attacking spell, with Beadle wasting a glorious opening when sending the ball yards above Sheffield's crossbar with the keeper hopelessly out of position.

Marcus Browning survived loud penalty appeals when the ball bounced off the hard surface against his outstretched arm.

Rovers had another escape as the second half opened. Hard-working home skipper Charlery set up Griffiths, who was superbly tackled by Andy Tillson when on the point of shooting from close in.

And with their creativity stifled, Rovers even failed to make the most of a gift when Michael Basham's back-pass never had sufficient momentum to reach Sheffield.

The Posh keeper stormed from his line and went full-stretch to finger- tip the ball away from the feet of Beadle.

Stewart, with 28 goals to his name, could have pinched the points in the dying minutes, but failed to get direction behind his shot - and it flashed across the goal.

Posh, having weathered the Rovers storm, sent on attacking subs Lee Power and Danny Carter in the closing stages.

Carter, the former Orient winger, saw a firm drive go just past a post.

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