After their disappointing, narrow defeat against Black Boy last weekend, Rovers looked to get their season back on track, when they entertained bottom club Wortham FC, at the British Sugar ground.
The match gave Rovers an early chance for revenge after losing out to the League 2 new boys on the opening day of the season.
Rovers' chances were not helped when having to line up without 7 key members of the squad. The most notable absentees of all were regular keepers Scott Glacken and David Clarke, meaning that Geoff Green was given the dubious honour of keeping goal for the home side. Ryan Maxwell, Jamie Maxwell, Dan Bosley and Rob Green all made returns to the starting 11.
Rovers got off to the worst start possible as the visitors stormed into a 2 goal lead after only 10 minutes. A sloppy piece of defending let Wortham in for an easy tap in with only 5 minutes on the clock. Moments later an unstoppable 25 yard strike doubled their lead and put them firmly in the driving seat against shell shocked Rovers.
The home side finally settled down after their early setback and as the half continued, Rovers began to carve out 1 or 2 chances for themselves. Unfortuantely they were unable to convert any of the opportunities they created and so went in at the break still 2 goals behind their visitors.
Manager Paul Jeavons decided to ring the changes at the break, making 2 substitutions, one of which was to bring himself on to play in goal and move Geoff Green back into the centre of defence and at the same time moving the touch tackling Ross Booty up into centre midfield.
The changes had the desired effect as Rovers came out looking much the better of the 2 sides after the restart and from the off, they went looking to reduce the deficit and get themselves back in the game.
They mangaed to do just that on the hour mark when Jamie Davis rose above everyone in the Wortham area to powerfully head home a Jamie Maxwell inswinging corner.
10 minutes later they had wiped out their visitors' advantage when another Jamie maxwell corner was headed home, this time by an unfortunate Wortham defender to level the game at 2-2.
In a fantastic 15 minute spell, Rovers then got their noses in front for the 1st time in the game, and a brilliant comeback was complete, when full back John Allen both started and finished a fine passing move and he fired home from 20 yards out for his 1st goal in a Rovers' shirt.
Rovers continued to control the game but with only 10 minutes remaining they gifted Wortham a way back into the match when Geoff Green failed to get his head properly onto a long ball punted upfield and instead headed the ball backwards, straight into the feet of a Wortham striker who slotted the ball past Jeavons to again tie things up.
To their credit, Rovers didn't let their head drop after the disappointment of conceeding again, and they continued to push forward believing that they could still win the game in the dying minutes.
Their belief was rewarded when Angelo Goduti sent a long ball forward for Ange Clarke to chase. The Rovers' frontman managed to beat both the Wortham defence and keeper to the curling ball, to head past the stranded keeper and give all 3 points to the home side.
Manager Paul Jeavons was delighted witht the win, especially under the circumstances, and will hope that the victory will spur the Whites on to bigger things, when they face League 2 leaders, Wickhambrook FC in an away tie next Saturday.
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