Captain Tommy Rowe scored twice as Rovers roared back from two goals down to earn a point at AFC Wimbledon.

The hosts had looked in command after goals from Jack Rudoni and Luke McCormick.

But Rowe netted twice in three second half minutes to see Rovers secure a share of the spoils at the Cherry Red Records Stadium.

Boss Gary McSheffrey kept faith with the same side that started the midweek win over Accrington Stanley.

The hosts enjoyed the majority of the early possession with Rovers defending with alertness, regularly cutting out passes and getting heads onto high balls.

Wimbledon took the lead with the game’s first attempt on goal as Rudoni headed home a McCormick free kick from wide right on 23 minutes.

The pattern of the game continued after the hosts went ahead with the Dons controlling possession without truly threatening the Rovers goal.

That was until it took a fantastic sliding block from Joseph Olowu to deny Sam Cosgrove after he broke clear five minutes from the break.

McCormick was somewhat fortunate to escape with only a yellow card after a dangerous late challenge on Ollie Younger.

Rovers’ first real effort came just before half time when Ben Jackson fired over the bar from 25 yards after cutting inside.

The Dons doubled their advantage four minutes into the second half as McCormick rose to meet a Lee Brown cross and guided a header into the bottom corner from ten yards.

Olowu produced an excellent block as Rudoni brought the ball down and drilled a shot from a tight angle as the hosts continued to enjoy the better of the pressure.

Cosgrove powered a header over the bar from a good position.

Josh Martin flashed a 30 yard free kick narrowly wide as the game approached the hour mark.

Rovers grabbed their lifeline on 63 minutes. Kyle Knoyle floated in a deep cross which Rowe brought down superbly at the back post before rifling into the far corner.

And three minutes later they were level courtesy of the same combination.

Knoyle rescued a deep cross and sent the ball back into the middle where Rowe made a superb run and powered a header home.

The game opened up greatly at this point, with Rovers enjoying much more of the ball than they previously had.

And they were inches away from taking the lead in 81 minutes after an excellent breakaway sparked by a run from Ben Jackson. The full back fed Reo Griffiths, who unselfishly squared across the box where Jackson poked a shot that looked to be heading into an empty net until Brown slid in and blocked on the line.

Jonathan Mitchell made sure of the point for Rovers with a quite stunning save in the dying seconds. The Dons sent a free kick into the box which was met with a back post header only for Mitchell to stick out an arm and claw the ball away from goal.

Wimbledon: Tzanev, Alexander, Kalambayi, Nightingale, Brown, Woodyard, Marsh, Rudoni, McCormick (Chislett 64), Assal (Mebude 87), Cosgrove (Pressley 70). Subs not used: Broome, Csoka, Ablade, Osew.

Rovers: Mitchell, Younger, Williams (Odubeko 46), Olowu, Knoyle, Smith, Gardner (Clayton 67), Rowe, Jackson, Martin (Barlow 90), Griffiths. Subs not used: Jones, Horton, Dodoo, Agard.

Referee: Robert Lewis

Att: 7,912 (732 away)