Rovers U18s had to settle for a point in their opening EFL Youth Alliance Merit League game against Grimsby Town on the Eco-Power Stadium 3G.
Justin Bennett opened the scoring with his first goal of the season but, just as the hosts looked to be taking victory, the Mariners converted a late set-piece to see the spoils shared.
The result sees Rovers sit in second place in the merit league and just two points off the current leaders with four games left to play.
The visitors got proceedings underway in South Yorkshire after the EFL approved a fixture reversal, to combat a flooded pitch on the east coast.
The game was end-to-end in the opening 10 minutes with the first real chances going Rovers’ way but neither were converted.
Grimsby then came forward on the counter, found an opportunity to shoot from the edge of the box and drilled an effort towards the bottom left corner but saw it palmed away by Jake Oram.
Other than that, the first quarter lacked many clear cut chances due to the battling nature of the game but in the 26th minute, the opening goal came.
After winning a free kick on the left, Will Green crossed in for Bennett to rise highest and head into the bottom corner to give the hosts the lead.
The visitors then looked to immediately get back on level terms, and almost did, when the ball broke out to the left and the winger fired at goal but the effort was put well over.
With seven minutes left of the half, Rovers almost doubled their lead as they worked their way forward and a trialist managed to round the keeper but was denied as his effort hit a post so the score remained 1-0 heading into the break.
Early in the second-half, Harry Wood drove forward, left two defenders on the floor with some neat footwork and took the shot on but the visiting goalkeeper was equal to it and the ball was batted away.
The next period of play though again didn’t see many chances for either side as Frank Sinclair brought Jacob Bacon on for Kasper Williams, and Alex Fletcher entered the referee’s book with just over 20 minutes to play.
Oram then made another great save to keep an effort out and the visitors at bay as Rovers seemed to have soaked up the onslaught of attacking pressure.
Late on, Wood was forced to make way after suffering from a bout of cramp, with Jamie Tomlinson becoming the latest U16s player to feature for the youth team during the final minutes.
Just as Rovers looked to be heading for victory, deep into stoppage time, the Mariners swung in a deep cross from the left and an attacker leaped highest to put a looping header over Oram, into the back of the net and restored parity with a matter of seconds left to play.
Sinclair’s side then tried everything they could in the little time remaining to get back ahead but the visitors stood firm and the hosts were forced to make do with a point on the 3G.
The youth team will now look to build on an opening merit league point as they aim to get their first win in the new format against Lincoln City next time out on Saturday April 8.