Rovers slipped to a second defeat on the spin when a late goal gave hosts Hartley Wintney all three points in an entertaining game on Saturday.
With a crash on the M3 delaying the arrival of some of the Rovers players, the game was moved back to a 3:30pm kick off. The Rovers side taking to the field showed four changes from the side that had lost at Binfield last time out. Into the starting line up came Luke Ige, Nahum Melvin-Lambert, new signing Kwesi Ntim and back from suspension Evangelos Empochontsif with Cam Dobell, Noah Africa and Charlie Stallard dropping to the bench and Tyrese Osbourne having moved on.
Rovers started brightly and had a half chance in the opening minute when a long throw was only half cleared by the home defence with Troy Walters just unable to get a shot away and the danger cleared by George Wallace.
Seven minutes in and Wallace played a delightful ball down the line to Charlie Postance who in turn set up Jack Penton but we got back to block the attempt and the ball was cleared but only to the George Britton and from his delivery a tricky bounce saw the ball hit Empochontsif with the home side bellowing for a penalty. Fortunately for us play continued.
A minute later and Aderi Dede outmuscled Ige with Bert Lloyd covering round to clear. On the quarter hour we broke quickly through Jeff Cobblah and his ball over the top set Jayden Smith away, but the former Hartley man was unable to mark his return with a goal firing his effort high over the bar.
We then had another half chance, this time Emmanual Kwatchey picking out Cobblah on the right with a fantastic crossfield ball, but despite an excellent first touch the Rovers winger was unable to get a shot away and Hartley cleared.
Wallace fired straight at Kacper Orlowski from distance on 20 minutes and midway through the half Melvin-Lambert found Cobblah but his poor cross was cleared. Hartley broke quickly and although we half cleared the danger the ball dropped to Dede and his deflected effort beat Orlowski for 1-0.
We responded positively and following a long throw Walters fired an effort wide of the right hand post. Smith was then hauled down by Ellis Orsborn as he threatened to get away down the left but Darnell Bromfield wasted the free kick.
Rovers had a half hearted appeal for a penalty ten minutes before the break, a deep corner was hooked back across goal by Lloyd and a tumble of bodies in the goalmouth scramble left both sides appealing for a foul. In the event, the referee waved play on – probably the only logical outcome.
Five minutes before the break and Brittons low cross was half cleared to Postance and his low shot through a crowd was well saved by Orlowski low to his right and Hartley went in 1-0 up at the break.
Rovers made two half time changes, replacing Bromfield and Ntim with Noah Africa and Charlie Stallard.
Early in the half and Walters low cross-shot was cleared out to Africa but he dragged his shot across the face of goal and Hartley cleared with ease. Two minutes later and Wallace went into the book for a poor challenge on Ige. Rovers were having the better of the early exchanges and from an Ige free kick, Empochontsif headed goalwards but home keeper Callum Coulter was able to save comfortably to his left.
Orlowski claimed a deep Wallace cross on 55 minutes, and from a quick break Smith released Walters and having turned Orsborn left and right he saw his shot deflected behind for a corner. Three minutes later and the scores were level. A ball out to the left found Walters and he nonchalantly clipped an effort into the top corner leaving Coulter with no chance and bringing it back to 1-1.
This should have been the signal for Rovers to press on, but inexplicably they sat back and allowed Hartley to get back on top. Almost immediately a misplaced pass by Stallard was picked up Lamar Koroma who fed Postance, his low shot was well saved by Orlowski but the rebound dropped kindly for Dede, only for the Rovers keeper to make a superb block from the follow up.
Britton then crashed a free kick against the Rovers bar with Orlowski beaten.
Francis Sey and Jaiden Chang-Brown then replaced Cobblah and Kwatchey as Rovers looked to freshen things up and wrestle back the initiative. With just under 15 minutes to go Melvin-Lambert played in Smith but his deep cross was well defended. Hartley substitute Turnell Sinclair saw a shot blocked by Stallard and Empochontsif as the game swung from end to end.
Rovers made their final change with five minutes to go, Dobell replacing Melvin-Lambert. It was Hartley who ended the stronger, Wallace did well on the left and his dangerous cross was superbly cleared by Lloyd.
Hartley struck with two minutes to go, a poor clearance by Lloyd was picked up on the left and played into the Rovers area and flicked into the path of Britton who calmly slotted under Orlowski to give the hosts all three points. It almost got worse deep into stoppage time, Sinclair got away from Lloyd and as Orlowski raced from his line his attempted lob drifted just wide of the left hand post.