Chris McPhee fired Albion's battling ten men through to round two of the Carling Cup.

The 20-year-old forward from Eastbourne, deputising for the unavailable Darius Henderson, struck with an acrobatic overhead kick from six yards on 49 minutes.

It was a memorable moment for McPhee but a night to forget for Nathan Jones.

The Welshman was sent off on the stroke of half time for a tackle on former Albion youngster Dave Savage, having been denied strong claims for a penalty just a minute earlier.

Steve Coppell made a couple of changes to the team which opened the season with a 3-1 win at Oldham on Saturday, one of them enforced and the other by choice.

McPhee took over up front from Henderson, who was refused permission to play by Reading.

Gary Hart came in at the expense of Richard Carpenter as Coppell switched to an orthodox 4-4-2 formation.

Rovers were unchanged following Saturday's 2-1 victory at Scunthorpe.

The Albion players were no doubt grateful for an evening game after the sweltering temperatures at Boundary Park, although it was still a balmy 78 degrees fahrenheit on the pitch shortly before the kick-off at the Memorial Stadium.

McPhee missed a great chance to make a name for himself in the second minute. Jones' cross from the left found the youngster unmarked at the near post inside the six yard box but he headed over.

Ben Roberts, sent off after ten minutes for Millwall on his previous visit to Rovers, had another early scare.

The Seagulls' No. 1 was penalised inside his own area for picking up what referee Tony Bates rather harshly ruled was a backpass by Adam Hinshelwood.

Ijah Anderson's resulting free-kick ten yards out was blocked as Roberts stood in front of a cluster of players guarding his goal.

Roberts was seen to much better effect in the 11th minute with a smart double save. He smothered Junior Agogo as the Rovers' striker raced on to a chip from his partner Paul Tait. Roberts also then got his body in the way of Kevin Street's shot as the midfielder followed up.

At the other end Jones, fed by Simon Rodger's short pass, tried to chip Kevin Miller, one of four Rovers' players making their home debuts, but the experienced ex-Exeter keeper watched the ball drift wide.

There had not been too much in the way of goalmouth action but Albion had a chance to change that midway through the half when Leon Knight was body checked by Anderson just outside the Rovers' box.

Paul Watson's free-kick into the danger zone inadvertently hit team-mate Kerry Mayo on the back before it was cleared.

Knight, seeking to continue his prolific start for the Seagulls suddenly burst into life in the 28th minute.

He turned away from his marker from Watson's pass to strike a low angled drive from 15 yards which was pushed for a corner by the diving Miller.

Knight was involved again when Jones found him with a high, diagonal ball from a neat lay-off by McPhee.

Albion's livewire loan marksman, surrounded by three defenders, still managed to get in a low cross but nobody was there to take advantage.

Agogo spurned a chance to put Rovers ahead on 34 minutes, heading straight at Roberts from Christian Edwards' centre after Albion struggled to clear a corner.

Knight got a toe to the ball ahead of Edwards from McPhee's flick four minutes later but Miller made a stretching stop.

Rovers, two divisions below Albion last season when they were almost relegated from the League, were giving as good as they got.

Anderson, well known to Coppell from his Brentford days, strode forward to test Roberts from 20 yards when Watson sold Hart short with a pass.

Jones felt he deserved a penalty a minute from the break when Danny Boxall sent him tumbling inside the box. The Welshman was left holding his hands to his head in dismay as he was awarded only a corner.

That was nothing to Jones' anguish just a minute later. He received a straight red card for what ref Bates decided was a reckless tackle on Savage.

Albion responded to their numerical disadvantage for the second half by moving McPhee back into Jones' left-midfield role leaving Knight alone upfront.

The Seagulls, undaunted by their plight, received a great boost four minutes into the restart, McPhee grabbing his first senior goal with a superb piece of opportunism. He beat Miller with a spectacular overhead kick from close range as the Rovers defence failed to deal with Mayo's long throw.

McPhee, lifted by breaking his duck on only his fifth start, had the confidence to take on a couple of defenders before firing wide a few minutes later.

Carpenter replaced Charlie Oatway in the centre of midfield just after the hour mark as Albion looked to consolidate their advantage.

Albion were defending diligently as Rovers pressed in search of an equaliser.

Tait was booked for bundling over Roberts.

McPhee left to warm applause from the 500 Albion fans when he was replaced by fellow youth team product Dan Harding in the closing stages.

Carpenter could have doubled Albion's lead following terrible defending by Rovers but his drive from eight yards was blocked by Miller.

  • ALBION (4-4-2): Roberts (gk) 8: Watson (rb) 7, Hinshelwood (cd) 7, Cullip (cd) 8, Mayo (lb) 7, Jones (lm) 5, Hart (rm) 7, Oatway (cm) 6, Rodger (cm) 7, McPhee (f) 8, Knight (f) 7.
  • Subs: Kuipers, Carpenter for Oatway (withdrawn, 61). Wilkinson, Pethick, Harding for McPhee (withdrawn, 78).
  • Scorers: McPhee (49)
  • Sent off: Jones (violent conduct) 45.
  • Bookings: Roberts (82, time wasting)
  • BRISTOL ROVERS (4-4-2): Miller; Boxall, Barrett, Edwards, Anderson, Street, Savage, Quinn, Tait, Agogo, Carlisle.
  • Subs: Austin, Bryant for Boxall (withdrawn 82), Hodges for Agogo (withdrawn, 73), Parker for Hodges (injured, 90), Clarke.
  • Bookings: Tait (72, foul).
  • Half-Time: Bristol 0 Albion 0
  • Attendance: 5,518
  • Fan's View: Mike Middleton (Brighton) The sending off was a bit harsh but we were a long way away from the incident.

Roberts kept us in the game in the first half making some fine saves.

In the second half with only ten men we started more positively. Knight didn't have a lot of support up front which was a shame but it was a good goal by McPhee.

We missed two or three clear cut scoring chances and we can't afford to miss those for the rest of the season.

There were spells in the second half where we played the ball on the ground and we looked comfortable but when it went in the air we were struggling.