The Sky Blues scored another late goal to secure a point in more stoppage time drama at the CBS ArenaViktor Gyokeres popped up with a 99th-minute equaliser to salvage a point for Coventry City in another breath-taking game to the death at the CBS Arena.
The Sky Blues got themselves ahead from a Callum O’Hare inspired own goal from defender Harry Pickering in a lively first half when Mark Robins’s men had chances to extend their lead against a lacklustre opposition.
But Tony Mowbray made two halftime changes, sending on Bradley Dack and Ben Brereton Diaz and looked a completely different proposition in the second half, with Dack scoring just 15 seconds into the restart.
And Rovers looked to have secured the three points eight minutes from time when centre-half Scott Wharton headed home from a corner, only for Gyokeres to head home from a Fankaty Dabo ball to the far post deep in stoppage time.
Rovers started on the front foot, getting at City early and looking to get shots off in and around the box which left them vulnerable to the counter attack, which Robins’s men were more than happy to do.
But the tide soon turned with Gus Hamer being set up by Matty Godden and having a powerful shot blocked before the latter was played clean through on goal where he appeared to be brought down by Jan Paul van Hecke in what looked like a stonewall penalty on first viewing.
City, however, deservedly got themselves in front minutes later in the eighth when Godden slipped Callum O’Hare through on goal and as the midfielder touched the ball to his right to go across the keeper, the ball struck covering defender Harry Pickering who inadvertently kicked it into his own net to give Coventry the lead.
Robins, meanwhile, was spoken to by the referee, clearly still not happy about the penalty decision, and his assistant Adi Viveash was booked.
Simon Moore was called upon to make his first save in the 18th minute but it was a comfortable stop to deny big centre-forward Sam Gallagher who attempted to side foot his first time shot into the net.
Coventry continued to probe in the final third and went agonisingly close to doubling their lead when Hamer hit a wonderful curling shot that beat the keeper but thumped the far post, while the visiting crowd began to turn, singing, “Mowbray, sort it out...”
The Brazilian had another chance minutes later when he sent in a free-kick from the edge of the box which was denied by a decent save from Thomas Kaminski before the half fell a little flat to the break.
Mowbray’s halftime double substitution was inspired, with his side immediately back on level terms when an attack down the right resulted in the ball being played in by Buckley for Dack to score with a stooping header with virtually his first touch of the ball.
The visitors continued to push, forcing City to sit deep and defend for a good 15 minutes until they finally managed to compose themselves enough to spark a meaningful counter attack.
But Mowbray’s men looked a different side in the second half, looking by far the more likely to go on to win the game with the talismanic Brereton Diaz a real handful and going close in the 67th minute when he dragged a shot inches wide of Moore’s right-hand post. Gallagher then sent a low ball into the far post where Dack slid in but just failed to connect.
Coventry finally began to reassert themselves around the 74th minute with more purposeful attacks in a bad-tempered second 45 with card happy Peter Bankes issuing a string of yellows, including one for Mowbray on the sidelines.
Rovers then grabbed the lead from an 82nd-minute corner when centre-back Scott Wharton was allowed too much space to glance home in the box.
But this Coventry team don't give up easily and kept pushing for an equaliser which came in virtually the last touch of the game, from a brave and brilliant header from Gyokeres.