McWilliams earns Rovers a point

ROE Rovers Reserves travelled to promotion hopefuls Tullyally Colts on Saturday knowing that anything less than a draw would not be good enough if they are to avoid relegation.

Rovers needed a result so they could go into their last game with a fighting chance.

Both teams started well with chances coming at either end in the early stages. Tullyally mis-hit a free kick from inside their own half with the ball going through the legs of two Rovers players as they swiped at fresh air. The ball landed at the feet of the Tullyally striker at the back post to knock in from an acute angle past the desperate attempts of the advancing keeper and defender.

Rovers responded well and had a couple of half chances before going into the break 1-0 down. Ten minutes after the restart Rovers equalised through midfielder Eoin McWilliams, thundering in a powerful header from ten yards after good work from his midfield partner Lee Guy.

The tempo of the game was rising now as both teams went all out to win the game with the clear cut chances falling for the away side.

Only a stunning save by the home keeper with his feet denied Mark Rafferty from giving Rovers the lead as he swivelled inside the box to fire a shot at goal. As the game went into injury time both sides had their hearts in their mouths as they both thought they had won.

Two minutes into injury time and the ball fell to Rafferty in space at the edge of the box after good build up play by O'Kane who was exceptional on the day, with only the keeper to beat Rafferty put the ball the wrong side of the post as Rovers nearly pulled of a shock result. This was to be Rovers fifth game in a row where they were to miss a late one on one chance and this could prove costly with one game left to save their season.

There was still time for Tullyally to go up the other end and almost snatch the winner only for heroics from both goal-keeper Gregory O'Brien and the solid Rovers defence to deny the home side.