PAUL Dickov's 78th minute strike from the penalty spot was enough to earn Rovers their second away points in seven days, but they really should have come away with all three points.

Before today Rovers had gone 52 games without a referee pointing to the penalty spot for Rovers, but Mark Clattenburg had an easy decision to make when Dickov was taken down by Danny Mills in the area. The Scot picked himself up and finished with aplomb to cancel out Antoine Sibierski strike at the end of the first half.

Mark Hughes made just the one change to the side that drew 1-1 with Norwich City seven days earlier, with Jay Bothroyd serving the first of a three match suspension, in came Jonathan Stead for his first league start since Charlton at the end of September. Kevin Keegan stuck with the same eleven that earned a point at Old Trafford last Sunday.

The home side had the better of the opening minutes, with Shaun Wright-Phillips being the main focal point of all their best attacks. Within 30 seconds of the whistle the England international was fouled by McEveley in the corner, their free kick however came to nothing.

After just three minutes a deflected pass sees the ball with McManaman, he in turn finds Anelka, but his shot is weak and Friedel saved comfortably.

Slowly but surely Rovers started to get more into the game, on four minutes Andy Todd saw a headed effort go wide. Then excellent work by Dickov and Ferguson saw the ball released to Emerton, he crosses on the edge of the area Stead meets the ball with his head but puts his effort wide of David James' goal.

Emerton and Stead combined again after 14 minutes as the striker volleyed the cross at the back post, but his effort was well off target.

There was then a period of pressure from City, mainly through silly free kicks conceded on the edge of the area, the closest the home side came to scoring was when an Anelka effort got through the wall but Friedel punched the ball clear.

Just before half time came Rovers best chance of a goal, Paul Dickov found his strike partner Stead with an excellent cross-field pass, but whilst the young striker lifted the ball over the advancing James, the ball went high over the bar.

And they were left to rue that missed opportunity, for just as the first 45 were up, Wright-Phillips showed great pace to get past McEveley, his low cross was perfectly timed for the arrival of Antoine Sibierski and the Frenchman made no mistake from six yards out. It was harsh on  Rovers as neither side deserved to be level at half time.

Jonathan Stead picked up a knock at the end of the first half, so it was no surprise when he didn't reappear at the start of the second half. Matt Jansen coming on to replace.

But like last week against Norwich, Rovers reappeared in the second half with renewed vigour and purpose, with City's only outlet being the long ball over the top for Nicolas Anelka to chase. Time after time, the French international was rightly called off side.

The home side had just one meaningful effort on goal in the second half, and that came from full back Danny Mills, he combined well with Wright-Phillips before shooting from the edge of the area. Friedel got down to save at his near post but the ball squirmed under his body, thankfully the ball rolled wide of the far post.

Jansen had an excellent opportunity to get Rovers back on level terms when in space in the area, but his totally miscued his kick and the chance was gone.

Hughes threw on David Thompson for Tugay with twenty minutes to go for his first appearance in the League since the end of August, and the feisty midfielder immediately got involved in the thick of the action, getting a yellow card for a late challenge on Stephen Jordan. He then caused chaos in the City penalty area after his low cross from the right was spilled by James, unfortunately there wasn't a red shirt on hand to take advantage.

But on 77th minutes came the moment Rovers fans had been waiting 53 games for. The ball was slipped through to Dickov in the area, and as he set himself to shoot, his legs were taken from under him by Danny Mills. Referee Mark Clattenburg pointed to the spot, and showed Mills a straight red.

Dickov dusted himself down, and fired a low shot into the corner of the goal, James guessed correctly - diving to his left - but the shot was too accurate and Rovers were back on level terms.

There was only one team after the win from then on. Brett Emerton's cross from the right was almost turned into his own net by Wright-Phillips, James scrambling back to tip the ball over the bar, then with three minutes left James had to dive to his right to palm away David Thompson's thunderbolt from all of thirty yards. Another effort from Tommo a minute later went well wide.

On the stroke of full time Paul Dickov almost won it for Rovers, Lucas Neill's ball upfield was flicked on by Jansen, Dickov let fly on the volley but the ball went inches  wide of James' left hand post.

Overall Rovers will be delighted to make it three games unbeaten and indeed to pick up their second away point on their travels this season, but as they make the short journey back to Lancashire there'll be a little bit of regret that they didn't gain all three.

CITY: James, Mills, Distin, Dunne, Jordan, Sibierski, McManaman, Bosvelt, S. Wright-Phillips, Flood (sub Reyna 65 mins), Anelka. Subs: Waterrus, Fowler, Onuoha, B. Wright-Phillips.

ROVERS: Friedel, Neill, Todd, Johansson, McEveley, Reid, Tugay (sub Thompson 70 mins), Ferguson, Emerton, Stead (sub Jansen 46 mins), Dickov. Subs: Enckelman, Djorkaeff, Matteo.

Attendance: 45,504