When you've just scored a stoppage-time equaliser in a local derby after laying siege to the opposition goal, it's hardly surprising that your emotions are going to be running pretty high.

Bristol Rovers midfielder Chris Lines is no stranger to the Memorial Stadium terraces, for he used to stand there as a youngster cheering the Pirates on.

So when he smacked home the goal that salvaged his side a point with the last kick of the game, it was probably understandable that he headed straight for the fans.

But understandable has been replaced by unforgiveable in the modern interpretation of the laws. And seconds after being hailed as a hero by jubilant Gasheads, Lines found himself dismissed for incitement after receiving his second yellow card of the game.

"It's the type of thing you dream about when you're a kid – scoring an equaliser or winner in a derby game," Lines reflected.

"It was a spur of the moment thing and I just ran to the crowd – I didn't even think about the previous booking.

"I was chuffed to get the goal because it looked like it was going to be one of those days for us – we'd missed chances, their keeper had pulled off some good saves and it seemed a goal wasn't going to come."

This was an absorbing derby clash, but one which will have left both sides feeling vaguely disenchanted.

Swindon's caretaker boss David Byrne described watching Lines' late, late leveller as "gut-wrenching – the worst feeling in the world" after his players almost held out for a win which would have been remarkable in the circumstances.

Rovers were left wondering how they didn't secure a convincing victory after hitting the woodwork three times and failing to find the net on further occasions despite a treasure trove of chances.

Town keeper Phil Smith pulled off the first of a number of important saves in the second minute when he tipped Craig Disley's angled shot around the post, but was rescued by the woodwork 10 minutes later when Jo Kuffour latched on to an exquisite pass from Stuart Campbell but saw his lob strike the upright.

Rovers made the breakthrough after 25 minutes when Aaron Lescott poked a firm ball towards Rickie Lambert near the edge of the box.

Town's teenage central defender Sean Morrison had inadvisedly sounded off before the game that he had faced more technically-adept players than the Liverpudlian this season.

It would have been interesting to gauge his thoughts as Lambert executed a breathtaking flying volley to send the ball into the top corner and put the home side in front. "Everyone's getting used to Rickie scoring goals like that, so we don't really bat an eyelid now," said Lines.

"He got a bit of stick from Swindon before the game – but I think he proved a few people wrong. He's not just a lump who stands up front – he's probably got the best technique of any striker in our league."

It was 34 minutes before the Robins managed a shot – and then Billy Paynter blazed high over the top from 25 yards.

But Byrne's decision to replace youngster Ben Joyce with Jon-Paul McGovern a minute later and switch to a 4-4-2 formation saw the visitors start to get a foothold in the game.

First Patrick Kanyuka put a bouncing header wide from a corner, then Stuart Campbell had to deflect Barry Corr's shot on the turn around a post.

And when the home side failed to clear another corner five minutes before the interval, Paynter turned the ball back across goal for defender Kanyuka to prod home from eight yards.

It was a soft goal to concede from the home side's point of view, but worse was to come after 53 minutes when they were caught napping by Michael Timlin's quick free-kick. Paynter nodded it down and Corr was allowed time and space to chest it down before converting from six yards.

"We could have defended both of their goals better because they came from set-pieces and that's something we work hard on in training," said Lines.

"The second one, in particular, was disappointing because their lad was on the edge of our six-yard box but managed to chest the ball down before he slotted it home. He couldn't really miss."

From then on, it was simply a question of whether the Robins could hold out against an onslaught that got more and more intense the longer the game went on.

Morrison put in a vital tackle to prevent Kuffour getting clean through, while Disley headed wastefully over from eight yards.

Substitute Sean Rigg miscued badly from the edge of the box, then fed Lambert, who crashed a shot against the bar.

Lambert then headed wide from the sort of chance he normally buries, after Kuffour had again created the opening, while Campbell was off target from 20 yards after the Scouser had fed him a square pass.

When keeper Smith somehow kept out Lines' header from Kuffour's lobbed cross – clattering himself against the post in the process – it really looked like Rovers' luck was out.

And that feeling was reinforced when Lambert struck the outside of the post with a 25-yard free-kick and Morrison almost diverted a low cross from substitute Darryl Duffy into his own net.

After Craig Hinton nodded straight at the keeper from six yards in the 90th minute, it appeared that Bristol Rovers' final opportunity had gone to waste.

But Swindon's plucky resistance was finally breached four minutes into stoppage time when Lines broke their hearts with a flighted strike which sailed past the despairing Smith.

There was barely time left for the re-start.