Rovers dwindling survival hopes took another hit on Sunday when they slipped to a narrow 2-1 defeat at home to play off chasing Moneyfields.
The visitors started brightly and a whipped in free kick in the opening minutes found James Franklyn at the back post, but his free header went straight to Kacper Orlowski. After the initial frentic start the game settled with both sides probing for an opening.
Kieran Smith and Aaron Bogle were dealing well with any of the long balls thrown towards them and neither side was able to seriously trouble the opposition keeper. On 10 minutes a free kick by Frankie Maciocia was flicked on by Bogle and a shot by Lauric Diakiesse was blocked. Moneys broke quickly and Orlowski had to react sharply, leaving his area to clear. Franklyn then whipped in a dangerous cross on the Moneyfield right, and Bogle was on hand to turn behind for a corner.
We half cleared the corner with the ball dropping to the impressive Michael Ani and his low drive went just wide of the right hand post. Rovers Darren Esuka saw a shot deflected behind for a corner on 12 minutes, which came to nothing.
Moneyfield struck on 15 minutes, when a free kick on the right saw quick thinking by the Steve Ramsey curl a low free kick round Orlowskis wall and in at the near post. We responded positively and a cross-shot from wide on the left by Maciocia was turned over the bar by Callum Smart.
Smith then put a free header from the resultant corner high over the crossbar. Neat link up on the left involving Bogle, Remi Onabanjo and Jake Rumble ended with Rumbles low cross into a dangerous area being well defended.
Franklyn, who looked dangerous throughout, bought a tidy save out of Orlowski on 27 minutes and then neat link up between Tom Jeffes and Ramsey ended with Bogle denying Lawrence Cooper as he looked to get onto the through ball. On the half hour Diakiesse found Remi Onabanjo with the low shot by Onabanjo hit the side-netting.
Harry Thorpe headed a deep cross by Ciaran Martin over the Rovers bar on 32 minutes and a minute later Orlowski almost got caught in possession but quick feet saw him buy a foul off of Cooper and the danger was averted. Maciocia fired a free kick straight at Smart on 36 minutes and back at the other end Franklyn poked an effort our bar as Moneyfields looked to increase their lead.
Late in the half Orlowski did well to turn an effort from Cooper wide after Rovers were caught overplaying and from the corner Jeffes put a free header over the bar and the Moneys took a slender one goal lead into the break.
Ten minutes into the second half and a snapshot by Daniel Pepple was well blocked by the keeper, although the free kick for the subsequent challenge by Esuka looked soft. Moneyfield almost increased their lead shortly before the hour, when a stunning crossfield ball by Moneys skipper Tom Cain found the on-rushing Martin and his well struck volley went just wide of the left hand post.
Moneyfields substitute Harry Birmingham did well on the right before releasing Ramsey but his low cross was well gathered at the near post by Orlowski. Just after the hour and Diakiesse played a dangerous ball into the area, the Moneys skipper made a bit of a hash of his attempted clearance, but Maciocia was just unable to get anything on the loose ball and the danger was cleared.
With 20 minutes remaining Moneyfields increased their lead. Martin got beyond Bogle on the left and although we half cleared the ball, it dropped to Franklyn who calmly guided his effort over Orlowski to give the visitors breathing space. Two minutes later and Orlowski pulled off a sharp save to prevent Franklyn making it 3-0.
Rovers were denied a way back into the area on 78 minutes when a launched ball by Smith found Christian Adugyamfi, but as he was poised to pull the trigger Jeffes made a great challenge to frustrate Rovers. Smith fizzed an effort against the crossbar on 80 minutes as Rovers desperately sought a way back into the game.
With five minutes remaining Rovers were further frustrated when good work by Manny Kwatchey saw him set up Esuka but he was denied by a tidy save by Smart low to his right. Maciocia then played a delightful ball over Jeffes but Adugyamfi could only guide his effort into the arms of Smart.
Rovers looked to have a chance back into the game on 89 minutes when Jeffes bundled over Kwatchey earning himself a booking, and from where I was sat it looked like a penalty (although in fairness that was ground level through a crowd, so maybe more hope than expectation). The free kick though, between Maciocia and Courtney Swaby was wasted.
Rovers were given a glimmer of hope in stoppage time when a Swaby free kick was powerfully headed home by Adugyamfi, but that was as good as it got, and Rovers slipped to another narrow defeat.