Half-time: Swindon Town 1 Bristol Rovers 1. Two bizarre goals meant the West Country derby was level at the interval after an incident-packed first half at the County Ground.

Robins striker Simon Cox was gifted his 26th goal of the season in the fourth minute, following a dreadful mix-up in Bristol Rovers' defence.

But the Pirates were level after 20 minutes when an attempted clearance rebounded powerfully off substitute Darryl Duffy and flew past Swindon keeper Phil Smith.

Rovers made two changes to the side that lost 2-1 at home to Brighton on Tuesday, with central defender Steve Elliott returning after a one-match suspension.

He replaced Craig Hinton, whose season is now over after having cortisone injections in both knees.

Aaron Lescott, who had missed the two previous games with a groin injury, returned at right-back. Jeff Hughes remained in the left-back spot, with Craig Disley ahead of him on the left wing as Duffy started on the bench.

Swindon made a dream start and took the lead in the fourth minute – and the Robins' breakthrough was painful for Rovers in more ways than one.

Swindon central defender Gordon Greer aimed a long ball forward and as it bounced near the edge of the Pirates' box, Steve Phillips, Byron Anthony and home striker Billy Paynter all collided.

The ball broke for Cox to roll it into an empty net – and after a lengthy hold-up which saw both Rovers players receive treatment, Anthony was carried off and replaced by Duffy.

The early reshuffle saw David Pipe move to right-back with Lescott partnering Elliott at the heart of the back line – and Phillips was soon called into action again to beat out an angled shot from Paynter.

Swindon also saw midfielder Patrick Kanyuka make an early exit. He limped off in the 14th minute and was replaced by Craig Easton.

The home side had a good opportunity to increase their lead in the 17th minute, but Cox missed his kick from eight yards out after Easton had nodded down Hal Robson-Kanu's cross.

If Swindon's opener had arrived in strange fashion, then Rovers' 20th-minute equaliser was even more bizarre.

Kevin Amankwaah tried to clear his lines 22 yards out, but Duffy had closed him down and the ball rebounded powerfully off the Pirates substitute and beat keeper Phil Smith's despairing dive to his right as it rolled into the bottom corner of the net.

Rovers twice almost took the lead after 26 minutes, but keeper Smith made an acrobatic one-handed save to tip Chris Lines' 20-yarder away for a corner. As Swindon failed to clear Stuart Campbell's flag kick, Duffy missed his kick from six yards and Smith was able to gather.

After a poor start, the visitors were starting to look dangerous and Rickie Lambert was left holding his head in his hands when he nodded a good opening over from six yards after Pipe had supplied a cross from the right.

Just before the break, Paynter left fly on the turn from 16 yards but fortunately for the visitors, his strike was straight at Phillips.

Referee Neil Swarbrick played seven minutes of stoppage time after the string of early interruptions, but neither side was able to gain an interval advantage.

Swindon Town: Smith, Amankwaah, Ifil, Greer, Vincent, Vincent, Robson-Kanu, Tudur-Jones, Kanyuka (Easton 14), McNamee, Paynter, Cox. Subs: Smith, Eastern, McGovern, Jean-Francois, Brezovan.

Bristol Rovers: Phillips, Lescott, Anthony (Duffy 9), Elliott, Hughes, Pipe, Campbell, Lines, Disley, Lambert, Kuffour. Subs: Hunt, Rigg, Reece, St Louis-Hamilton.

Referee: Neil Swarbrick (Lancs) …