Rovers' looked to get their faltering season back on track with the League visit of Black Boy FC to the British Sugar Ground.
The Whites knew they were in for their usual tough afternoon against their League 2 opponents, an afternoon that was made even tougher with the news of Andrew Clarke and Ross Booty being added to the club's ever increasing injury list.
A shakey start by both sides meant that the opening 10 minutes of the match was lacking in both quality and chances.
Rovers did make the breakthrough not long after though, when winger Mitchell Jerram noded the Whites into a 1-0 lead. The goal settled the home side and saw them go on to create a couple of other good openings which, unfortunately, they were unable to capatalise on.
As the half continued the visitors came more and more into the match and with 5 minutes of the half remaining they were able to draw level after getting in behind the Rovers' back 4 and slotting home from close range.
Despite conceeding so close to the break, Rovers' boss Paul Jeavons was pleased with his side's 1st half performance and he tried to convince the Whites that a similar performance after the break, with 1 or 2 little changes, would bring the home side a much needed victory.
A very even start to the 2nd period saw the visitors get their noses in front for the 1st time in the game, when they scored 10 minutes after the re-start.
The goal saw Rovers' heads drop and the visitors grow in confidence as the home side then spent the next 5 minutes on the back foot.
Rovers were handed a lifeline not long after though when they were awarded a free kick 25 yards out from the Boy goal. Jamie Maxwell stepped up to fire an unstopable free kick into the top right hand corner giving James Driver in the visitors' goal no chance.
As has happened so much this season, within minutes of getting back into a game, Rovers were guilty of switching off for a second and allowing their opponents to go up the other end and reclaim the lead and this horrible habit continued to again deflate Rovers' spirit.
With time ticking away, Rovers had to go more on the offensive and so with 20 minutes remaining, Geoff Green was pushed up front to try and cause the visitors some problems. The Rovers' centre half had an immediate effect when Ben Cole rolled the ball into his feet. With his back to goal and a defender tightly marking him, the makeshift striker flicked the ball up and turned his marker in 1 move before firing the ball home from 25 yards out for what many people said after was 'the greatest goal they had ever seen'.......'ever, ever!'
Unfortunately the goal failed to inspire the Whites on and the last 15 minutes of the match very much belonged to the visitors. Rovers were finally beaten when the visitors finished off a fine team move to make the score 4-3. They made sure of the points not long after when they capatalised on some sloppy marking from a corner and headed home from 6 yards out to seal the win.
A disappointed Rovers will now look to end the year on a high when they visit fellow struggler Wortham FC next week where they will hope to have 1 or 2 of their injury stricken side back for duty.
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