Slovakia international Cech, signed for £1.4million from Porto, fired Tony Mowbray's side ahead in the 20th minute to cap an impressive 45-minute outing.

There was an element of fortune about left-back Cech's goal, with his long-range effort taking a huge deflection off Shane Duff to wrong foot Shane Higgs.

But the former Sparta Prague man displayed his class against the League One side with a number of incisive runs forward and some assured defending.

Carson, making his first appearance following his £3.25million move from Liverpool kept, a clean sheet before being substituted at the interval, making an impressive double save from Paul Connor.

The Premier League newcomers missed a number of good chances and were punished when the Robins levelled 11 minutes from time.

Carson's replacement Luke Daniels could do nothing to keep out David Bird's superb free-kick from 20 yards out, which delighted the majority of the 2,241 fans at Whaddon Road.