Despite being competitive for an hour, Rovers were ultimately undone by a clinical performance by play off chasing Hartley Wintney on Saturday.
Darren and Lee rung the changes, with Faebian Witter, Alfie Cue and Theo Crawford coming in for debuts, and Noah Africa back in the line up. Kacper Orlowski, Tami Ogunnowo and Darnell Bromfield were unavailable, whilst Christian Adugyamfi dropped to the bench.
Rovers started brightly and four minutes in a clipped ball by Africa released Cue on the left and his effort from just inside the area, under pressure from Liam Gavin, went wide of the left hand post. Rovers were enjoying the better of the opening exchanges and following a long throw by Cam Dobell the ball was half cleared to Africa on the edge of the area and his low drive struck the left hand post.
Ellis Orsborn whipped in a dangerous cross on ten minutes that Rovers skipper Isaac Nkosi cleared, but the ball fell to Lewis Flatman and his effort was deflected wide. From the corner Gavin headed goalwards with Witter gathering comfortably.
Midway through the half and after a poor Rovers long throw the dangerous Orsborn broke quickly, and with neat interplay Louie Downey advanced down the pitch and his dangerous cross to Flatman saw the shot deflected behind for a corner.
Hartley struck first on 25 minutes, Javon Marquis bought down Mac Ford but a good advantage was played and George Wallace broke down the left with his low cross being turned home by Downey, at that stage possibly against the run of play. Rovers responded positively but although there was lots of huff and puff there was little to trouble the Hartley backline.
Just after the half hour and Cue put an effort wide of the left hand post and almost immediately Hartley had a good chance to increase their lead, Cue and Africa got in each others way, Crawford then lost possession and a quick ball forward found Seb Karczewski but he dragged his effort wide
Rovers levelled things up ten minutes before the break. Africa threaded a neat ball between the central defenders and Isaac Kamin latched onto it and fired low beyond the veteran Paul Strudley for 1-1.
Hartley started to turn up the pressure towards the end of the half, with Karczewski seeing an effort blocked and a dangerous cross by Wallace forcing Cam Dobell and Nkosi into last gasp blocks. Hartley retook the lead shortly before the break – a quick break from a Rovers attack ended with Connor Lynch going down under pressure from Nkosi and a spot kick awarded. Lynch picked himself up to send Witter the wrong way and give the visitors a half time lead.
Africa made way at the interval, to be replaced by another member of the Royal Russell U18’s in Fate Kotey and Rovers started the second half brightly, Manny Kwatchey found Crawford and picked up the return before firing a low shot straight at Strudley. Hartley then saw the ball ping around the Rovers area, with Fords shot being well saved by Witter.
Just shy of the hour and Kwatcheys delivery saw Strudley just beat the young Rovers substitute to the ball, and from a quick break, Witter gathered the Wallace cross at his near post. Karczewski then fired over a cross-shot which Witter gathered under the crossbar.
Frankie Maciocia replaced the injured goalscorer Kamin just before the hour and his first meaningful contribution was to fire in a cross which Dan Pepple was just unable to get on the end of. Back at the other end and Flatmans long throw was headed goalwards by Gavin and tipped over by Witter.
From the corner, Witter was caught out by the delivery and Karczewski was able to bundle the ball home from close range. Hartley were now dominating and on 70 minutes Flatman, so often the Rovers nemesis fired wide of the right hand post.
Pepple went close to reducing the arrears late on, having held off Orsborn, he saw his effort blocked by a tremendous challenge by Downey.
Scoring was completed in stoppage time a shot from distance found Calvin Camara and his long range effort somehow found its way into the net to give Hartley a comfortable 4-1 win.