Rovers ended their run of consecutive defeats but a laboured display saw them only claim a point from their home game with Coventry City.

Ben Brereton had put them ahead at half-time but a goal early in the second half earned a point for the Sky Blues who played the final 10 minutes with 10 men.

Rovers had lost five consecutive matches prior to the Sky Blues visit but were slow out of the blocks in each half, punished after the re-start by James’ equaliser.

Things had looked promised for Tony Mowbray’s side who had gone behind in 13 of their previous 16 matches, when Ben Brereton put them ahead with his fifth goal of the season, and second in as many games.

However, they failed to build on that, managing just two shots on target all game, the closest they came to scoring a second a Barry Douglas free kick that came back off the post.

The result, or performance, will do little to ease the growing doubts about Rovers’ progress, reaching 40 points in their 32nd match which leaves them in 15th place.

Darragh Lenihan returned from a rib injury to retake the captain’s armband, and in his place in the centre of defence, with Jarrad Branthwaite preferred to Taylor Harwood-Bellis alongside him.

Ben Brereton replaced Bradley Dack as Rovers made two changes from the side beaten by Watford in midweek.

Coventry lined up with a back three, with wing back Sam McCallum enjoying plenty of joy down the left in the opening stages.

Inside a minute a cross from the left had Thomas Kaminski scampering back, the ball clipping the crossbar on its way behind, while another delivery from the left, again not caught as he wanted, flashed into the side netting at the near post.

He then had an intended strike at goal in the eighth minute, this time pulling it wide of the far post, before Jordan Shipley had a better opening, breaking behind the front two to volley just over the top of Kaminski’s goal.

That was all within the opening 11 minutes in which Rovers were second best, the visitors’ front two proving a good target for them to play off at the top end of the pitch.

Rovers were beginning to get Joe Rothwell and Harvey Elliott more involved in the game, and with it, openings started to come. Rothwell fed Elliott with an excellent ball over the top, the Liverpool loanee’s touch just allowing Dominic Hyam to get back and clear.

Elliott then linked with Adam Armstrong to put him clear, and from a similar angle in which he scored against Watford, he opted to try and square for Ben Brereton, but Leo Ostigard was alert at the back post to clear.

Nyambe was beginning to push McCallum back, as Rovers began to enjoy some joy down their right flank.

And that was where the opening goal would come from, an excellent ball from Rothwell found Nyambe and his ball across the face of the area was thumped home by an excellent Brereton finish from just inside the area in the 27th minute.

Coventry showed how narrow that lead was however as only the linesman’s flag saw then denied an equaliser moments later. A cross from the left was flicked on to the far post where Ostigard arrived to tap home, but his celebrations were shortlived as the linesman flagged for offside.

Things became a little sloppy, but the greater quality being shown was from Rovers who twice went close to extending their lead before the break.

In the 44th minute, Barry Douglas caught everyone out with a whipped free kick from a tight angle that came back off the far post.

And on a rare occasion that space opened up to break, Elliott slid in Armstrong who was free of the last defender, but the pass a little overhit, allowing goalkeeper Ben Wilson to be off his line in time to smother Armstrong’s attempted chip.

That meant Rovers went into the half-time break ahead for just the second time in 19 matches, but that lead didn’t last long as the sides emerged for the second period.

McCallum got forward down the left, his cross hung up to the far post was nodded down by Walker and hooked into the far corner by James

The pendulum was beginning to swing the way of the visitors as Rovers were once again slow out of the blocks.

Tom Trybull was called for from the bench just after the hour mark after Rovers looked to find some rhythm to their play.

Coventry were looking to get the ball forward at every opportunity to utilise their front two, the back three adding to the height in the attack from a McCallum long throw that was flicked on and just evaded Biamou who tried to turn it home.

There wasn’t much confidence to Rovers’ defending, Branthwaite caught on the ball with 18 minutes to go, Lenihan back just in time to stop Tyler Walker having a free run on goal.

Bradley Dack was then sent on as Rovers’ second change, their first real sight of goal of the half coming when Branthwaite flicked a Douglas corner goalwards, but always drifting wide of the far post.

Nyambe scrambled back to stop Viktor Gyokeres breaking clear, after Rovers had a corner of their own cleared, before the visitors were reduced to 10 men as Leo Ostigard was shown his second yellow card.

The only chance created thereafter was an Elliott cross from the left glanced wide of the target by Armstrong. 

Rovers: Kaminski, Nyambe, Lenihan, Branthwaite, Douglas, Travis (Trybull, 62), Evans (Dack, 75), Rothwell (Dolan, 88), Elliott, Brereton, Armstrong

Unused subs: Pears, Downing, Bell, Buckley, Harwood-Bellis, Bennett

Coventry City: Wilson, Ostigard, McFadzean, Hyam, Dabo (Pask, 71), Shipley (O’Hare, 71), Kelly, McCallum, James (Hamer, 71), Walker (Gyokeres, 77), Biamou

Unused subs: Marosi, Rose, Allen, Sheaf, Bakayoko