THE key stats and moments from the game against Everton.

ROVERS:

BRAD FRIEDEL: Kept Rovers in the hunt with a couple of crucial saves and couldn't be blamed for either of the goals....7

LUCAS NEILL: Desperately unlucky to be sent off for the second successive season by Mr Barber....6

JAY MCEVELEY: Went into the game complaining of feeling unwell which is why he was substituted on the stroke of half-time....6

CRAIG SHORT: Had his hands full with the pace of Campbell and Rooney but very nearly popped up with a goal of his own at the opposite end....7

MARTIN TAYLOR: Slipped up for Everton's second by allowing the ball to bounce from Richard Wright's goal-kick....6

GARRY FLITCROFT: Got through plenty of work in the centre of the park before he was sacrificed late on....7

TUGAY: Began to pull the strings in the second half as Rovers went in search of an equaliser....7

DAVID THOMPSON: Never stopped chasing and harrying and should have had a penalty in the first half....7

ANDY COLE: Probably his brightest game of the season so far. Scored a good striker's goal and could have had another with a shot which hit the post....8

DWIGHT YORKE: Missed a crucial chance early on before he then had the wind taken out of his sails by a hefty challenge....6

DAMIEN DUFF: Always looked threatening but he suffered from having to play too deep in the second half....7

SUBS: KEITH GILLESPIE...(for McEveley, 45) 6

NISSA JOHANSSON...(for Flitcroft, 76) 6

NOT USED...DANNS, OSTENSTAD, KELLY

OPPOSITION:

RICHARD WRIGHT...Jekyll and Hyde 7

ALAN STUBBS...Stubborn defender 7

DAVID UNSWORTH...Tough competitor 7

JOSEPH YOBO...Looked suspect 6

TONY HIBBERT...Committed 7

LEE CARSLEY...Hard-working 6

LI TIE...Out of sorts 6

THOMAS GRAVESEN...Midfield bruiser 6

KEVIN CAMPBELL...Kept quiet 6

WAYNE ROONEY...Shearer-esque 8

GARY NAYSMITH...Busy on the left 7

SUBS...DAVID WEIR (for Tie, 64) 6

PISTONE...(for Hibbert, 90)

RADZINSKI...(for Rooney, 90)

STATS:

Goal attempts: Rovers 18 Everton 13

Shots on target: Rovers 11 Everton 7

Woodwork: Rovers 1 Everton 2

Offsides: Rovers 4 Everton 3

Corners: Rovers 7 Everton 5

Free kicks: Rovers 14 Everton 12

REFEREE...Mr G Barber 5

YELLOW CARDS: Neill, Gillespie (Rovers); Hibbert (Everton); RED CARDS: Neill (two bookings)

Attendance: 36,578

TIME FOR ACTION:

04 Garry Flitcroft sees his header kicked off the line by Tony Hibbert

05 Richard Wright has to react smartly to save a Craig Short header

06 It's 1-0 as Andy Cole beats Wright to a David Thompson free kick

11 Dwight Yorke volleys into the side-netting

12 Everton strike back as Lee Carsley taps home from two yards after Wayne Rooney hits the post

26 Rooney then grabs the second himself after latching onto a long clearance from Wright

26 Referee Graham Barber waves away Rovers' penalty appeals after Thompson goes down following a Joseph Yobo challenge

35 Cole strikes a post after a neat turn and shot

56 Thomas Gravesen strikes the woodwork with a low drive

63 Wright saves from Martin Taylor after the big defender connects with a corner

74 Lucas Neill sees red after Barber deems his challenge on Naysmith worthy of a second yellow

78 Wright saves the day again with a brilliant save to deny Short