ACCRINGTON Stanley remain 13th in League One after playing out a goalless draw against Bristol Rovers at the Wham Stadium.

Both sides struggled to create chances in an afternoon where heavy rain made playing conditions difficult.

Chances were few and far between and a point apiece was a fair result.

The game started slowly as both teams looked to feel their way in to the contest.

Bristol Rovers' Tareiq Holmes-Dennis proved to be a menace in the first half and he had the first chance on six minutes. The wide man drove a shot at goal from the left of the box but Callum Johnson made a brilliant sliding block.

Billy Kee had Stanley's first sight at goal with a 35 yard free kick but his powerful strike was tipped around the post by visiting keeper Jack Bonham.

In the 25th minute the visitors should have opened the scoring. Alex Rodman met a corner but headed wide of Jonny Maxted's goal from five yards.

With eight minutes of the first half remaining, Stanley created the best of the game so far. Debutant Luke Armstrong fired a shot from a tight angle but Bonham spread himself and pulled off a fantastic save with a strong right arm.

Six minutes later the home side's other debutant Liam Gibson forced another good save from Bonham.

The left back, who was set up by Dan Barlaser, fired a low effort from distance which the diving Bonham was able to palm wide.

With the rain really coming down in the second half both teams found it difficult to get their passing games going.

Stanley started the second period with more intent but struggled to test the Bristol Rovers defence.

The Reds tried to make things happen through Barlaser and Sean McConville. The latter tested Bonham from 20 yards but the keeper was equal to the task.

At the other end Alex Jakubiak's creative run was halted in the box by Reds centre back Ross Sykes just as the striker looked for a square pass across goal.

Armstrong then came close late on for Stanley but his header was off target before Maxted preserved Stanley's point with a fantastic save from Liam Sercombe's powerful free kick as it ended honours even.

Stanley: Maxted; Johnson, Hughes, Sykes, Gibson (Wood 86); Clark, Barlaser, Finley, McConville, Armstrong, Kee

Unused subs: Warner, Brown, Sousa, Mangan, Mingoia, Conneely

Bristol Rovers: Bonham; J. Clarke, Lokyer, Craig, Kelly; Upson, Sercombe, O. Clarke, Rodman, Holmes-Dennis (Reilly 59); Jakubiak

Unused subs: Smith, Payne, Nichols, Broadbent, Partington, Matthews