After booking their place in the semi-final of the Mick McNeil Cup last weekend, Rovers were again on the cup trail when they met Barons 1985 FC in a League 2 Cup quarter-final, at the Heath.
Rovers made 3 changes from last week's squad with Peter Hailstone, Justin Mckenzie and Alistair Clark coming into the starting line up.
With confidence running high, Rovers began the game looking to stamp their authority on the match from the very beginning. Unfortunately for the visitors Barons were the side who started brightest and were on top for the opening period of the game, enjoying far more possession than the Whites.
Despite their dominance with and on the ball they were unable to really hurt Rovers who managed to see off and attacks from thier hosts.
As the half progressed Rovers came more and more into the game and started to carve out 1 or 2 chances for themselves but they too were unable to properly trouble the Barons defense.
The half ended with the scores level at 0-0, which must have disappointed the home side considering the amount of the ball they had in the opening 45 minutes.
The break came at just the right time for Paul Jeavons and his men, as they were able to re-group at half time and iron out 1 or 2 issues that desperately needed sorting, especially the need to keep the ball rather than give it straight back to their opponents as they had done for most of the 1st half.
The 2nd half was very different to the 1st as Rovers finally got themselves into the match properly and finally started to play a bit of football and keep possession of the ball. As the hosts had been dominant before the break, it was now Rovers who bossed things, as they became more and more dangerous in attack.
They game had to wait 70 minutes before the deadlock was finally broken, when Lee Glacken fired Rovers into the lead with a firmly struck shot from 12 yards out.
After getting their noses in front, Rovers then looked to see out the remainder of the game to book their semi-final place but with only 10 minutes remaining, boss, Paul Jeavons was penalised when the ball struck his arm inside the Rovers area and Barons drew level from the resulting spot kick and took the game into extra time.
Rovers began the 1st period of extra time where they had left off and within 5 minutes of the re-start got their noses back in front when Lee Glacken netted his 2nd of the afternoon when he fired the ball home from the edge of the area.
Late in the 1st period, the hosts drew level again when some slack marking at a Barons corner saw a near post header find its way into the back of the Rovers net to send the sides into the 2nd period at 2-2.
Rovers continued to look the more menacing as they went searching for a winner and were rewarded with 10 minutes of the match left when a lovely floated free kick from Ben Cole found Ange Clarke 25 yards out from goal and with the Barons keeper in no mans land, he was able to lob him to once again restore the visitor's lead.
Rovers held on to book their place in the semi-final despite some serious pressure from the home side in the dying minutes of the match. They will now face Beck Row Res FC early next year for a place in the League 2 final.
Barons will not have long to wait to try and avenge the defeat, when the 2 sides meet again at the Heath next Saturday in League 2 action.
