NORWICH 1 ROVERS1

HOT-SHOT striker Marcus Bent conjured up a stunning solo strike to save Mark Hughes' bacon as Rovers ground out another vital point in their quest for promotion.

Graeme Souness's recent £2.1 million capture from Sheffield United cancelled out Adrian Forbes' 32nd minute opener with a dazzling finish midway through the second half.

And Hughes was no doubt getting the drinks in after the game following his ninth sending off in a long and distinguished career meant Rovers were left to play the whole of the second half with just 10 men.

Bent epitomised the fighting qualities Souness has instilled into this squad as the men from Ewood mounted a stirring second half fightback to combat City's numerical advantage.

And, if Rovers can sustain that kind of togetherness over the remainder of the season, then the 22-year-old striker believes it could carry the club all the way back to the promised land of the Premiership.

"I've only been here a while but I could see within two or three weeks of training that there's a good spirit here," said Bent.

"The boys care about each other and work for each other. We pass the ball and we think about other players when we're playing.

"And I think that's what's going to get us up to the Premiership -- hopefully this season."

Bent wasn't the only one impressed by the way Rovers closed ranks when faced with adversity.

That was a quality which used to be a feature of the successful Liverpool sides of the Seventies in which Souness was a permanent fixture.

And the Rovers boss is encouraged by the way his class of 2001 have taken the message on board.

"I think that was there for everyone to see here," said Souness.

"We showed a great resilience not to get beat.

"My players were angry at half time because of some of the decisions the referee had made.

"The biggest job I had was to try and get them focused again because it's no good them going out feeling sorry for themselves and getting frustrated because the referee has had a disappointing first half.

"But they showed a never-say-die attitude, a resilience not to be beaten, and Marcus got a really good goal." After a festive programme which had reaped four straight wins, Rovers arrived at Carrow Road in confident mood.

But they had to dig deep before extending an impressive run which has seen just one defeat in 16 games stretching back to mid October.

Norwich caretaker boss Nigel Worthington, on the other hand, is currently desperate to secure the City post on a permanent basis.

And, acutely aware that a good result against Rovers would do his chances the world of good, he went with a bold 3-4-3 formation, hoping to utilise the pace of Adrian Forbes and Zema Abbey in a three-pronged attack.

It worked -- to a certain extent -- as the home side pumped the ball forward early looking to feed off the bits.

And, with Hughes struggling to live with the pace at times in midfield, Rovers struggled to take a firm stranglehold on proceedings.

But they were the more considered going forward and Bent could have fired them ahead after only three minutes when he burst past a posse of defenders only to see his right-foot drive palmed away by Andy Marshall.

The impressive Damien Duff then flashed another effort narrowly wide of the far post before the home side took a shock lead in the 32nd minute.

Stig Bjornebye was dispossessed on the halfway line by Forbes who then skinned Martin Taylor on the edge of the box before sliding a right-foot finish past the stranded John Filan.

If that stunned Rovers, then worse was to follow on the stroke of half-time.

Hughes -- already booked after a Superman-style dive stopped Forbes in his tracks in the opening five minutes -- suddenly thrust out an arm in the direction of Russell after taking exception to a challenge and picked up his second caution off an over-zealous Paul Danson.

But, if anything, that lifted Rovers and they came out fighting after the break.

Bent fired a warning after he was put clear by the industrious Jason McAteer.

And the same two combined again in the 64th minute -- this time to stunning effect.

McAteer fed a clever ball into the pacey frontman 30 yards out and Bent then left two defenders trailing in his wake before sweeping a right foot cross-shot past Marshall.

After that, Rovers grew in stature with the likes of Duff, McAteer, David Dunn and substitute Craig Hignett all outstanding in midfield.

Bent nipped in again but the ball wouldn't sit up and Marshall rushed out to save.

Then Egil Ostenstad -- on for Matt Jansen -- whipped over a wicked cross from the right for Bent at the far post but Marshall brilliantly scooped away his downward header.

In one final twist, however, Norwich thought they had nicked in when Craig Fleming squeezed home a near post corner but his effort was ruled out for offside.

The final word belonged to Bent, though, who modestly played down his own contribution.

"I didn't really think it was a special goal. I just got the ball and it went through the keeper's legs," said Bent.

"But I'm just disappointed I didn't score from one of the other ones to be honest -- that was the only down side of the game."