CITY 1 BRISTOL ROVERS 1

THE Valley Parade jokers reckoned the drones that buzzed over the stadium must have had something to do with Phil Parkinson and Steve Parkin.

But the former manager duo had no need for an eye in the sky. They had their own tucked away in the main stand in the shape of City’s former chief scout Tim Breacker.

The hi-tech gadget which forced a brief second-half stoppage was not the only unidentified flying object that Bolton’s spy will have clocked.

There was another incident almost of the same “I was there” variety when James Meredith headed in his first goal in exactly a year. It has been a long time coming for a player who increasingly seems to spend more of the game as a winger than a full back.

But an afternoon of the unexpected still finished with that increasingly familiar feel from a fourth 1-1 draw on the bounce.

Even allowing for Romain Vincelot’s misfortune leading up to the late leveller, no amount of post-match sugar-coating could escape the fact that two points had drifted away.

Breacker had made his exit by the time Rovers hit back, his notes for Parkinson no doubt pointing out the new approach engendered by Stuart McCall as well as a nod to the old.

That was in the shape of James Hanson, returning after a month out with the calf injury brought on by trying to rush himself back too quickly from a similar problem in pre-season.

His presence inevitably led to a longer route in City’s passing, which lacked its usual crispness and zip in a stodgy opening half against an organised Rovers side who had clearly come with designs of a point.

But for those fans grumbling that the club’s third highest leading scorer is “not up” to the fluid way that McCall wants his team to play, City’s best opportunities in that opening period both derived from Hanson flicks.

One sent Mark Marshall scampering into the box and forced a panicky Rovers clearance, another picked out Billy Clarke for a vicious half-volley on the turn that fizzed narrowly wide.

McCall had once again confounded many in the selection guessing game by making just the one change from Gillingham, Jordy Hiwula dropping to the subs to accommodate Hanson despite scoring last week.

Haris Vuckic and Marc McNulty remained impatient spectators on a bench that must be the envy of every League One team.

But it’s how McCall implements those many options at his disposal that will be key in City’s progress over the next few months.

The loan duo might have expected to be introduced earlier for their home debuts. McCall had thought about it around the hour point but by that stage his team were getting into their stride.

After an even-steven first half, with Rovers top scorer Matty Taylor missing the best chance when he bundled wide from close range after Colin Doyle parried from Billy Bodin, there was a much-needed injection of quality from the restart.

McCall had got into his players during the interval and the response was obvious. The team also lifted the crowd, whose mood had been as flat as the football up to that point.

Charging towards the Kop, Valley Parade was suddenly a different place. Nicky Law and Josh Cullen were all over the ball, Marshall probed, Clarke found those little gaps where he can be so effective.

So McCall waited on his changes as he sensed a goal was coming – but maybe not from its exact source.

Marshall drilled a shot from the right that looped in the air off a blue-and-white quartered shirt. Keeper Kelle Roos was left stranded to look on as Meredith arrived unhindered to head into the unguarded net.

We’ll forgive the celebration – “absolutely no composure” tweeted the defender later – but post-drone delay it summed up the out-of-the-ordinary feel of the game.

Rovers, who had switched to a midfield diamond, were forced to open up their game-plan to chase an equaliser.

Crystal Palace loanee Hiram Boateng, looking increasingly harassed in pursuit of the galloping Meredith, was one of two players to make way as Darrell Clarke made attack-minded changes.

But City were the team in the ascendancy and most bets on next goal would have been placed on that same end.

“We were terrific for 35 minutes in the second half,” said McCall.

Those final ten minutes however…

There was no hint of what was to unfold when Clarke left to a standing ovation as Vuckic got his first chance in a double substitution.

But by the time McNulty was introduced for the last knockings, Rovers had secured parity – and were threatening more.

And inevitably the questions of borrowing added firepower and again not starting them reared their head.

Admittedly the equaliser would not have happened if Vincelot’s studs hadn’t let him down.

Ellis Harrison knocked down James Clarke’s cross but the Frenchman was there to clear with no problem – or would have been if he wasn’t lying spread-eagled on the floor.

So substitute Charlie Colkett was all alone to lash in the first senior goal of his loan from Chelsea.

Three points had shrunk to one and it could have got worse as panic briefly seized the place.

With the distinctive West Country tones of “Goodnight Irene” ringing from the Midland Road stand, Rovers pushed for a second and Doyle had to use his full frame to reach Peter Hartley’s header.

The smooth understanding of City’s approach for so long since the break had been replaced by an edginess from letting slip a victory that had looked in the bag.

But the eight minutes of 'drone time' could still have delivered it with a fairy-tale ending for Vuckic.

The Slovenian’s last-gasp effort was heading for the bottom corner when Roos reached out low to claw it back from behind him – “a Gordon Banks” save according to McCall.

But the win his side should have banked once more eluded them. The on-going unbeaten run – the only one left in the division – may be a source of pride but the points tally still appears below par for their efforts.