LUCAS Akins' 50th Burton Albion goal secured another point on the road for the Brewers as they once again came away with a share of the spoils from an entertaining game with Doncaster Rovers
Albion twice led only to be pegged back by a resilient Rovers each time within minutes of going behind as they had a couple of slices of luck as Albion keeper Kieran O'Hara twice made excellent saves only to see Rovers get favourable rebounds to score each time.
The Brewers deservedly led in the first half when David Templeton curled home a sumptuous shot from the angle of the penalty area with Jon Taylor equalising at the second attempt just three minutes later.
Akins fired home his landmark goal from the penalty spot after the break only for Kieran Sadlier to see his shot blocked by O'Hara and rebound against him before rolling into the net. Both sides looked for a winner but it would not come with Donny going close late on with a couple of set pieces. Albion have now drawn on each of their last three visits to Rovers keeping them unbeaten against the South Yorkshire side since both sides have been in the Football League.
Brewers boss Nigel Clough looked to freshen his team up after the midweek exertions against Premier League side Leicester City in the Carabao Cup. Richard Nartey was fit to return having sat out the cup game with a hamstring strain and Akins was available again after suspension with both slotting into the back four, Nartey in his familiar centre back role alongside John-Joe O'Toole whilst Akins was asked to play at left back as Reece Hutchinson missed out having aggravated a thigh problem. Both Stephen Quinn and Ryan Edwards were rested to the bench, Quinn having played two games after a recent injury problem himself and Edwards, having been an ever-present since the start of the campaign, in need of a break - Kieran Wallace moving forwards from defence to replace Quinn and Joe Sbarra given an opportunity to impress. Nathan Broadhead, who picked up an ankle knock against the Foxes, also only made it to the bench with Templeton brought in on the left hand side to support the attack.
Albion starting brightly knocking the ball around well on the slick surface. An early move that saw the ball switched from side to side ended with a neat pull back into the path of Boyce but the striker saw his shot blocked inside the box.
But the home side soon found their own attacking flow and a succession of corner from the right had Albion under pressure with the Brewers finally getting some relief when Ben Sheaf fired tamely at O'Hara.
Templeton was looking lively and when Ben Whiteman tripped him right on the edge of the area the Scot fdancied himself from the resulting set piece, only to fire it low straight into the defensive wall.
Albion were looking composed going forwadrds and a foray forwards from O'Toole provided Boyce with a chance to turn and shoot on the edge of the box but his low shot was comfortable for hime keeper Seny Dieng.
Half way through the first period and Albion had a golden chance to break the deadlock. Fraser's pass, via a deflection got Templeton away on the left but his cross had just too much on it and although Boyce got to it in the centre he couldnt quite steer it past the keeper.
Dieng managed to deny Boyce again on 27 minutes and when the ball bounced loose Fraser was quickest to react but hooked his effort across the goal and wide of the goal. Agonisingly wide.
As frustration amongst the home fans rose Rovers threatened to snatch the lead when Jon Taylor forced a save from O'Hara and the young keeper was there to thwart Kieran Sadlier from the follow-up as well.
O'Toole showed superb positioning to deny Rovers when left back Reece James looked to deliver a telling cross before Albion swept up the field with Boyce turning provider for Templeton to burst into the box but having chopped back onto his favoured right foot he found Whiteman there to block his shot at close range.
what looked like potentially turning into a frustrating afternoon for the winger changed in an instant on 36 minutes. As Albion probed on the edge of the box, Sbarra just failed to get to the ball and a Donny defender poked the ball straight to TEMPLETON who curled a delicious shot into the top corner.
But Rovers were level within three minutes. TAYLOR was twice denied by O'Hara as Rovers sought a quick equaliser but there was nothing the Albion stopper could do when his second save came straight back to the winger who this time made no mistake.
To compound a disapoointing couple of minutes for the Brewers Templeton gingerly left the field to be replaced by Broadhead out on the left.
And Taylor almost turned the game on its head on the stroke of half time with a combination of the crossbar and O'Hara denying him from a 25 yard free kick.
Half time: Doncaster Rovers 1-1 Burton Albion
Nartey was the notable absentee when the teams came out for the second half with Quinn brought on prompting a reshuffle as Wallace returned to centre back and Quinn assuming his normal role as the pivot in midfield.
More vibrant Brewers attacking should really have had them ahead on 51 minutes with Fraser putting Akins cross over the bar but two minutes later they had the lead back from the penalty spot. Sbarra nicked the ball past Donervan Daniels and when the defender tripped the youngster in trying to win it back it offered AKINS the chance to score his milestone goal from the spot. A chance he was not going to pass up.
Again though Albion's lead was short-lived as Donny hit back within minutes. A through ball from halfway picked out the run of SADLIER and he got a stroke of fortune as his shot was saved by O'Hara on the edge of the box but rebounded against him before eventually rolling in despite Wallace trying to get back and clear.
Albion looked to get themselves ahead for a third time and there were half-hearted shouts for a second penalty when Boyce was bundled over trying to reach a cross and Sbarra was high and wide with a speculative effort from just outside the box when a corner was only half cleared out to him. Fraser also went close with a free kick which he just whipped wide of the post as chances continued to come Albion's way.
Lloyd Dyer was introduced for the final 14 minutes of the action taking the place of Sarkic as Broadhead switched flanks for the closing stages.
Doncaster had a couple of late corners that made for a nervous ending for Albion and a foul by Quinn at the death gave Rovers a free kick 25 yardds out that O'Hara beat away to signal the end of the game and once again a thoroughly deserved point from a trip to the Keepmoat.