Ten man Tranmere made it eight games unbeaten with a 1-1 draw against Bristol Rovers at the Memorial Stadium.

Antony Kay headed Tranmere ahead with quarter of an hour remaining, after the sending off of Steve Jennings had left Rovers a man down for more than half of the game.

However, the home side equalised soon after to send both sides home with a point, a result most Tranmere fans would probably have taken before the start of play.

Ronnie Moore opted for an unchanged starting eleven, with Calvin Zola recovering from injury to take the place of Mike Jones on the substitutes' bench.

Bristol Rovers enjoyed the better start, with David Pipe setting up Andy Williams on ten minutes but he wasted the opportunity. Williams had had the game's only other shot on five minutes, but his overhead kick was blocked by Antony Kay.

Tranmere's first effort on goal came on 11 minutes, with Jennison Myrie-Williams finding Ian Moore whose first time shot was saved by Steve Phillips. Soon after, Shane Sherriff flashed a header across goal.

Steve Jennings tried a long range shot on 19 minutes but his effort did little to worry Phillips in the home goal.

Despite Bristol Rovers having the majority of the possession in the first half hour, Danny Coyne was never tested and Tranmere began to come back into the game, with Chris Greenacre having a shot turned away.

Danny Coles headed at Coyne on 36 minutes, midway during a spell which saw Myrie-Williams, Kay and Paul McLaren all booked for Tranmere.

The half ended badly for Rovers, with Jennings shown a straight red card for a sliding challenge on Chris Lines. From the free kick that followed, Rickie Lambert shot narrowly wide as the sides went into half time level.

Jennings' dismissal led to John Mullin replacing Myrie-Williams at the start of the second half with Greenacre moving to the right side of midfield.

Despite the disadvantage in numbers, Tranmere had the better of the early stages of the second half. Sherriff saw a volley deflect into the arms of Phillips on 50 minutes and Greenacre shot over four minutes later.

At the other end Coyne had to save from Craig Disley on 55 minutes after the midfielder met David Pipe's cross inside the area.

McLaren and Kay did well to block shots from Stuart Campbell and Lambert respectively, while Lambert headed wide from 12 yards from a Campbell corner on 65 minutes.

Ian Moore was replaced by Calvin Zola with twenty minutes remaining, while the home side made a triple substitution, with Rickie Lambert leaving the action.

After Sherriff had missed with a header on 72 minutes, Tranmere took the lead two minutes later with a familiar combination linking once again. McLaren sent in a free kick with Kay heading the ball down into the net for his fifth goal of the season.

The home side levelled on 81 minutes. The ball was whipped in from the wing by Campbell, and Disley dived in to head past Coyne from close range.

There were few chances before the final whistle, the best being a curled shot from Greenacre which went wide of goal.

Referee: Kevin Friend

Yellow cards: Myrie-Williams (30), Kay (35), McLaren (37)

Red card: Jennings (44)