Almost unchanged from a fortnight ago, the only difference to the matchday squad was the addition of Grace Bates to the sub’s bench.

Looking to avenge November’s defeat down in the West Country it was the hosts who made the brighter start.

Indeed, only four minutes were on the clock when a flurry of dangerous Dan Rowe deliveries from set-pieces culminated in Dani Lane’s header rebounding off the crossbar and bouncing out, before eventually being cleared.

Not long afterwards, the Rebels were handed a golden opportunity to open their account from the spot. Latching on to a long ball and getting to it a split second ahead of visiting goalkeeper George Hunt, Sophie Humphrey was clipped just inside the box and, following treatment on her ankle, dusted herself off to assume penalty taking responsibilities.

Unfortunately, despite having the confidence to step up instead of regular taker Tierney Scott that decision backfired somewhat when ‘Soph’s’ weak effort was comfortably kept out by Hunt.

However, less than a quarter of an hour later all was forgiven, thanks to netminder Lauren Dolbear going long and neither Mils Belotti or Layah Douglas able to sufficiently deal with the bounce, allowing the predatory Humphrey to pounce and take advantage of the situation, then dispatching a stunning left-footed, dipping volley over a helpless Hunt for a well-deserved lead.

Five minutes further on, only the width of the woodwork prevented Becs Bell from making it two. The fleet-footed favourite seeing her attempt come back off the face of the (goal) frame, once Meg Curran had carved out the opening.

It had been a confident performance by the Reds so far, although Bristol’s attacks always carried a threat.

None more so than approaching the final ten of the first-half.

Douglas’ right wing cross forced Dolbear to come out sharply to deny Meg Jarvis, at the expense of a corner. The following flag-kick was cleared as far as Daisy Ackerman who fired narrowly over the top from distance.

Shortly before the break an errant Eleanor Keegan backpass went straight into the path of the grateful –  if not surprised – Ackerman but the brilliance of Dolbear saved the left-back’s bacon. Meaning goal number twenty-three would have to wait for another day.

The travellers made a triple swap early into the second period although it was Ackerman’s corner that was headed off the line by Lane less than two minutes after those fresh legs were introduced.

In all fairness, Rovers largely dominated the following forty and duly restored the equilibrium not long past the hour mark.

Curran took one for the team to stop a counter-attack in its tracks but Captain Rianne Bourne-Hallett, a scorer the last time these two side locked horns, did it again by catching Dolbear ever so slightly off her line to lob home the leveller from around forty yards out.

Despite enjoying the majority of possession though, clear-cut chances were proving hard to come by.

Midway through the half, Ackerman nearly doubled her team’s tally when the ball broke kindly to her out on the right flank and, while the attempt at goal may have been deemed ambitious, it didn’t miss by much.

Moments later, a similar shot by Scott missed the target too as the homesters fought their way back into the contest.

In spite of that little chink of light, (Laura) Barrett’s burst saw the tall central defender time her run nicely to get on the end of Bourne-Hallett’s corner, only for her header to go wide with twelve  minutes remaining.

The Skipper’s set-piece prowess then came to the fore for Rovers.

Even further out than last time, a deadly deadball delivery resulted in Bourne-Hallett getting the better of home number one Dolbear again. Lauren’s luck deserted her by way of a fruitless fumble, unable to prevent the Pirate’s midfield maestro’s near halfway hoof from dropping over her head and into the top corner.

Not that that was quite that; a ninety-second minute headed clearance off the goalline was needed to stop Scott levelling things up again and halting what had now become a four-game losing streak.

Another two weeks now sits between the Rebels and a final day trip to Berkshire to take on Maidenhead United, with hopes of backing up December’s 3-1 home win and ending the league season on a high.