Football: ROBBO JOY

ANDY ROBINSON'S late equaliser against his former club salvaged a point for Swansea after they had looked dead and buried.

His 88th-minute strike denied Huddersfield top spot after the Yorkshire side's 2-1 win over Nottingham Forest.

But the Swans' lead has now disappeared and only goal difference separates Kenny Jackett's team from the Terriers, who are snapping furiously at their heels.

Jackett, however, was delighted to salvage a point.

"At the end it felt like a point earned rather than two lost," he said.

"But I never thought it was over. We came on very strong in the second period with the substitutes doing well.

"We were obviously disappointed to concede two goals but we battled and we scrapped and kept going."

Rovers boss Brian Little was not too disconsolate at having to settle for a point against the leaders.

"We feel unlucky not to have got the extra points but perhaps they will feel they deserved a draw," he said.

In a whirlwind opening, Rovers' Mark Rankine was booked for a foul on Leon Britton before the home side went back on the attack and came close to opening the scoring. Wales international Gareth Roberts' fierce left-foot volley seemed to take a deflection before thumping off the underside of the bar, with the ball rebounding to safety.

Tranmere continued to heap the pressure on the Swans and it finally told in the 18th minute when they deservedly took the lead.

Good link play on the left wing saw the ball pushed back to right- back Simon Francis, who smashed the ball home via the post with Swansea's French keeper Willy Gueret well beaten.

It seemed that Rovers would be left to ponder their missed chances during the half-time break when Owain Tudur-Jones scored with a bullet header from a Kevin McLeod cross to equalise against the run of play.

But, within a minute, the hosts were back in front when Delroy Facey went one-on-one with Gueret before scoring with ease.

Tranmere should have extended their lead in the 52nd minute when Facey went round the keeper again, but this time he fired his close- range effort over.

And they were made to pay two minutes before the end when Adebayo Akinfenwa's shot was parried by John Achterberg and Robinson pounced to level the scores.

Swansea then almost stole the points when Adrian Forbes hit a post with virtually the last kick.

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