BEN Marshall’s free kick, deep into injury time, curled nervelessly and beautifully over the wall, high into the corner of the net, has the potential to be much more than just a dramatic equaliser.

It could be the turning point in Rovers’ season.

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Had they gone down to defeat on Saturday, and it would have been a controversial one at that after Matt Kilgallon’s sending off, it would have served only to the heighten the sense of frustration among their fan base over the start they have made to the campaign.

While one glorious swing of Marshall’s trusty right boot is not going to wipe that frustration out, a point away to a team as in-form as Ipswich, particularly given the circumstances, was a good one.

But just how good it was, and whether it truly can act as a catalyst, will begin to become clearer tomorrow night.

Make no mistake, if Rovers are serious about kicking on, then nothing less than three points at home to Birmingham City will suffice.

The Ewood Park faithful, having continuously seen their side follow one step forward with one step back, will treat such talk with caution.

But there is no doubt Marshall’s sublime 93rd-minute strike ensured Gary Bowyer and his players left with Portman Road with a spring in their steps.

And who could blame them?

They had played well in the first half, restricting a high-flying Tractor Boys team, now unbeaten in eight games, to very little, while, for the fourth match running, carving out but failing to take the better chances.

The second half was a different story with Rovers on the back foot even before Kilgallon’s 64th-minute dismissal.

Following it, and following David McGoldrick’s unstoppable shot from the resulting free kick, Ipswich could and should have been out of sight.

But Rovers hung in there.

Not for the first time this season, they showed character in the face of adversity, and they deserve credit for that.

But this result owed more to a moment of magic from their man of the moment.

It came as a surprise when Rovers boss Bowyer replaced Jordan Rhodes, captain for the day in the absence of the injured Grant Hanley, with Adam Henley 15 minutes from time.

Rhodes, one first-half chance aside, had not troubled his former club.

But having scored three goals in his previous three meetings with Mick McCarthy’s men, the perceived wisdom would have been to keep him up front alongside the fit-again Rudy Gestede.

What the change did do, however, was allow Marshall, who had again started at right back, to move further forward.

And Bowyer’s decision was vindicated when the player who has grown into one of his most important performers sent the 379 travelling supporters into rapture with his fourth and best goal of the campaign.

Further drama followed when the Tractor Boys, who had not conceded at home in their previous seven hours of football, were denied a penalty with the last kick of the game when Lee Williamson tangled with McGoldrick in the box.

But it was Ipswich who breathed the bigger sigh of relief at the end of the first 45 minutes.

Gestede should have done better than head wide after Craig Conway stood up a cross to the back post and so should Shane Duffy after Dean Gerken parried a weak Rhodes header into his path.

The impressive centre back, pushed forward for a set-play, completely missed the ball.

Gestede got a much better connection after he collected a pass from Tom Cairney and turned Tommy Smith this way and that.

But Gerken was equal to the Rovers top-scorer’s fiercely stuck left-footed effort, getting down low to push it away.

Jason Steele, in the opposite goal, enjoyed an accomplished afternoon and he made a flying save from McGoldrick before the break.

But the Rovers keeper could do nothing to prevent the livewire forward from breaking the deadlock in the 65th minute straight after Kilgallon was shown his second yellow card.

The recalled centre back’s first booking had come 15 minutes earlier after he cynically tripped Conor Sammon.

He could have no complaints.

But Kilgallon had every reason to feel hard done by after referee James Adcock reached back into his pocket following another foul on Sammon, who appeared to be as equally if not more guilty.

And this time McGoldrick made no mistake from the free kick that followed.

From then on Rovers were on the rocks and Duffy cleared a header from Stephen Hunt off the line before McGoldrick rattled the post and was denied by Steele in a one-on-one.

But the Tractor Boys were unable to find the killer second goal and Marshall made them pay in thrilling fashion from 20 yards.