Fleetwood Town vs Bristol Rovers. Sky Bet League One.
Highbury StadiumAttendance2,848.
Sunday 29 December 2019 18:55, UK
Fleetwood manager Joey Barton was sent off by referee Paul Marsden during an ill-tempered 0-0 draw against play-off chasing rivals Bristol Rovers.
Barton was red-carded in the 70th minute following protests after a Ched Evans goal was disallowed for offside after initially being allowed to stand.
Fleetwood ought to have struck in the second minute, but Paddy Madden fired wide from eight yards after he had met Evans' flick-on.
Rovers responded with midfielder Ed Upson seeing a well-hit angled strike superbly saved by Town keeper Alex Cairns.
Evans then fired in a piledriver from 25 yards, with Rovers keeper Anssi Jaakola saving well down low.
Ten minutes before half-time Evans - rising high to meet Lewie Coyle's cross - was thwarted by another smart stop from Jaakola.
Just before the hour mark Evans dived in but planted a free header wide from Kyle Dempsey's superb cross.
After the controversy following the Barton sending-off had calmed down, both sides hit the crossbar.
Evans saw a thumping strike pushed onto the woodwork by Jaakola, while Rovers substitute Tom Nichols' looping effort went close.
