Oldham Athletic 0, Bristol Rovers 0 (H-T):

Steve Phillips saved a penalty for the second away game in a row to keep Bristol Rovers on level terms at the break against Oldham Athletic at Boundary Park.

It looked like justice had been done when the keeper went to his left to block Lee Hughes' strike, for the Oldham striker appeared very fortunate to win the spot kick decision from referee Colin Webster just before the half-hour.

The former West Brom marksman had chased a long ball forward and tumbled as Phillips advanced to the edge of his box. There may have been fractional contact, but the ball looked to be running out of play and it could not have been classed as a goalscoring opportunity.

Phillips, who had come to the rescue in the recent 2-0 win at Scunthorpe, did so again as Hughes aimed his strike too close to the Pirates' shot-stopper.

Rovers made two changes from the side that had suffered a 1-0 home defeat to Leicester City on Saturday.

Top scorer Rickie Lambert was recalled to the starting line-up at the expense of Jo Kuffour, who started on the bench.

Central defender Craig Hinton was still feeling the effects of a knee injury and was also named among the substitutes with Byron Anthony called up to partner Steve Elliott at the heart of the Pirates' back line.

Apart from the penalty drama, most of the first period was a scrappy affair and short on goalmouth action - although veteran marksman Dean Windass smashed a shot against the underside of Rovers' bar after 37 minutes and the Pirates survived the ensuing scramble inside their box.

Phillips was called into action again just before the interval when he did well to parry a fierce shot by Deane Smalley as the Latics upped the tempo.

Rovers had found it hard to create openings of their own with Jeff Hughes firing an early attempt well off target while Lambert blasted a 30-yarder straight at keeper Jan Budtz.

Oldham: Budtz, Hines, Hazell, Gregan, Golbourne, Taylor, Allott, Whitaker, Smalley, Hughes, Windass. Subs: Fleming, Eardley, Liddell, Alessandra, Maher.

Bristol Rovers: Phillips, R Green, Anthony, Elliott, Lescott, Pipe, Campbell, Lines, Hughes, Lambert, Duffy. Subs: Jacobson, Hinton, Kuffour, Disley, St Louis-Hamilton.