MATT Jansen inspired Rovers' reserves to their first point of the season last night as they ended a five-game losing streak at a wind-swept Autoquest Stadium.

The former England Under 21 international capped his first appearance in five months with a stunning 25-yard drive to cancel out Nick Chadwick's first half penalty.

Then, after David Carney appeared to have won it for the Toffees with a sweet left-foot finish midway through the second half, Neil Danns grabbed a last-gasp equaliser in the dying seconds to complete a satisfying night for the visitors.

All eyes were on Jansen as he made a long-awaited comeback from a career-threatening head injury and he didn't disappoint the small army of visiting fans who had braved the wintery conditions to give him their support.

Manager Alan Murray started with the 24-year-old up front and Jansen came through a 70-minute work-out unscathed to boost his hopes of a possible first team return, maybe even in time to make the bench for Saturday's game against Newcastle at Ewood.

Although it's clearly going to take time for the striker to rediscover the kind of sharpness which has made him Rovers' leading scorer for the last two seasons, he passed his first major test with flying colours here.

And Graeme Souness's trusty right-hand men, Phil Boersma and Tony Parkes, who were both watching from the directors' box, will have noted he did more than fellow strike-partner Ciccio Grabbi on the night to boost his first team claims.

Such was the seriousness of the injury he sustained following a motorbike accident during the summer that neurosurgeons warned he may never play again.

Therefore, the big question on everyone's lips before last night's game was would he be able to cope with the physical demands of competitive action again?

It took him just two minutes, however, to ease any doubts when he soared for his first header from a thumping Ryan Robinson clearance. After that, he put himself about with typical enthusiasm, showing the odd neat touch a long the way.

And the moment all Rovers fans had waited patiently to see then arrived in the 50th minute when a knock-down from Danns sat up perfectly fully 25 yards out for Jansen to dispatch a thumping half volley which rocketed past Steve Simonsen and bounced in off the crossbar.

That was a rare moment of quality in an otherwise scrappy affair.

With a strong wind at their backs, Everton had bossed the first half and their pressure was rewarded in the 42nd minute when Chadwick opened the scoring from the spot after Robinson had pulled down Steve Schumacher.

Jansen restored parity with his wonder strike before the Toffees regained the lead in the 67th minute when Carney cut in from the right and hammered a left-foot finish past Robinson.

Rovers appeared to be heading for a sixth straight defeat until Danns popped up in injury time to prod home a shot from six yards after good work from Alan Mahon and Jerome Watt.

EVERTON: Simonsen, O'Hanlon, Pistone, Stubbs, Pilkington, King, Carney, Schumacher, Chadwick, Moore, McLeod. Subs not used: Crowder, Cole, Colbeck, Moogan

ROVERS: Robinson, Curtis, Pelzer, Danns, Greer, Todd, Hignett, Douglas, Grabbi, Jansen, Mahon. Subs: Watt (for Hignett, 29), Richards (for Jansen, 70), Dunning (for Grabbi, 75) Not used: Hockenhull, Renton

EVERTON: Simonsen, O'Hanlon, Pistone, Stubbs, Pilkington, King, Carney, Schumacher, Chadwick, Moore, McLeod. Subs not used: Crowder, Cole, Colbeck, Moogan

EVERTON RES...2 ROVERS RES...2

Jansen Watch

02Rises to win his first header from a Ryan Robinson clearance

16Picks out Jonathan Douglas with a neat lay-off but the move breaks down

19Has his first shot at goal after his neat back heel had started the move

50Nearly breaks the crossbar with a scorching half volley to make it 1-1

70Leaves the field to a standing ovation from the small army of fans who made the trip from East Lancashire