HISTORY repeated itself yesterday as Cherries and Swindon Town shared the points - just as they had 80 years ago in the first Football League game staged at Dean Court.

A week after going down 3-1 to the Robins in Wiltshire on their Division Three (South) debut, Harry King-horn's side chalked up their first point following a 0-0 draw between the two sides in front of a crowd of 6,614.

And honours were again even yesterday as Sean O'Driscoll's boys twice came from behind to earn a share of the spoils thanks to goals from Shaun Maher and James Hayter as just eight fewer people looked on.

O'Driscoll was forced to shuffle his pack after defenders Warren Cummings and Jason Tindall had both failed late fitness tests having picked up injuries at the hands of Paul Furlong during Cherries' 1-0 defeat at QPR on Saturday.

Irishman Shaun Maher, who was expected to return at the end of this week, was pressed into action earlier than anticipated and was handed his first league start for 11 months after recovering from knee and ankle injuries.

Wade Elliott and Warren Feeney were also restored to the Cherries starting line-up, while Derek Holmes dropped down the bench where he was joined by Brian Stock, Alan Connell, Danny Thomas and Gareth Stewart.

Cherries made a lightning start and were denied an opener after just 40 seconds when Robins goalkeeper Bart Griemink saved Marcus Browning's stinging 25-yard drive which had looked destined for the top corner.

Referee Rob Styles, who took centre stage during Chelsea's Premiership clash against Leicester on Saturday when he dismissed three players - two of them in controversial circumstances - showed leniency to Robins defender Andy Gurney after he had scythed down James Hayter with just two minutes on the clock.

Swindon's first foray on the Cherries goal ended when Sam Parkin overran the ball and saw it trickle out of play after he had rounded Neil Moss before Gurney tried his luck from distance, his effort taking a deflection and going out for a corner.

And the visitors took the lead when the resultant Sammy Igoe flag-kick was cleared only as far as David Duke who headed it back to the far post where Tommy Mooney was on hand to divert a header past Moss from close range in the 18th minute.

But the Robins' lead was short-lived as Maher capped a dream comeback by nodding Cherries level just three minutes later. The Dubliner timed his run to perfection and stole in at the far post to meet Garreth O'Connor's free-kick with a stooping header into the bottom left-hand corner of Griemink's net.

Stefan Miglioranzi dragged a right-foot shot wide of the upright as Swindon looked to regain the lead before O'Connor drilled a free-kick straight at Griemink as Cherries tried to get the upper hand.

The Robins restored their advantage when Steve Robinson side-footed home from inside the six-yard box after Karl Broadhurst had cleared a Mooney cross to Miglioranzi who returned the ball into the danger zone from the edge of the box 10 minutes before half-time.

Gurney eventually talked his way into the referee's notebook when he disputed the award of a free-kick - subsequently blasted over the woodwork by O'Connor - before Browning soon followed after checking Miglioranzi.

As Cherries searched for a second equaliser, Elliott saw a goalbound drive deflected for a corner after O'Connor had squared a free-kick into his path in first-half stoppage time. Mooney's dipping volley at the start of the second half failed to trouble Moss, while Griemink was forced to save with his legs from O'Connor after Feeney had picked him out following a swift break from a Swindon corner.

Feeney was then denied by the outside of the post after he had superbly controlled Elliott's pass and turned his marker Adie Viveash before unleashing a blistering right-foot effort from a tight angle.

The Ulsterman again turned provider as Cherries levelled in the 61st minute through Hayter who bagged his second goal of the season when he planted a firm header inside Griemink's right-hand post after Feeney had centred from the byline.

Cherries went close to getting their noses in front when Browning's fierce volley was blocked on route to goal by Miglioranzi after Steve Fletcher had nodded Hayter's deep cross into his path.