Rovers turned in a superb performance to return from a local derby at Raynes Park Vale with all three points on a monsoon like Tuesday night.
Darren and Lee made a couple of changes to the side that lost at Sittingbourne, with Noah Africa, Cam Dobell and Timmy Obisanya restored to the starting line up and Nahum Melvin-Lambert, Danyaal Iqbal and Osaratin Otete dropping to the bench. New signing Charlie Stallard came in for the departing Ryan Khanye.
Rovers made a bright start, and on only three minutes a good run by Jayden Smith found Africa and his effort was well saved at the near post by Billy Bishop in the Vale goal. Rovers continued to press and a neat move involving Bradley Manning, Dobell and Africa ended with a decent Dobell cross being half cleared to Africa who saw his shot blocked by the defence and cleared.
Africa was having a storming start and after drifting passed a couple of players he found Obisanya who saw his shot deflected behind from the corner and from the corner Bert Lloyds header was cleared by Jermaine Green. Just before the quarter hour and Obisanya did well to hold up the ball and find Tyrese Osbourne, he got beyond Daniel Moody but fired his effort wide.
Raynes Park first chance fell to Green but his curled effort went just over the Rovers bar. Rovers had another big chance when Obisanya set the ball into Smith and he in turn found Osbourne but his shot went wide and a header by Evangelos Empochontsif went over the bar as Rover continued their impressive start.
Midway through the half and the hosts thought they had taken the lead, good work by Jordan Gallagher led to him picking out Olly Sotoyinbo who in turn set up Green but although he found the net, the effort was ruled out for offside. Obisanya saw a shot blocked back to Bishop after more enterprising play by Africa and Dobell.
Africa then did well to pinch the ball off the advancing Raynes Park attack, and sprung a quick counter attack before finding Osbourne who fired over and with that the side went in level at the break.
Rovers made a couple of changes early in the second half, with the influential Africa and Obisanya making way for Iqbal and Melvin-Lambert.
The high flying hosts were always a danger and great work by Green ended with a deep cross and Rovers being grateful to a timely Lloyd clearance, putting the ball out for a corner. Gallagher then fired a shot goalwards which was half blocked by Lloyd to Green and his cross shot found Cameron Black who fired wide.
Rovers went close when Iqbal found Darnell Bromfield who released Melvin-Lambert but his shot was blocked by Bishop and from a lightning counter attack Sotoyinbo found Gallagher and although he converted, the flag went up to rule out the effort.
Melvin-Lambert then went close to opening the scoring, tackling Bishop after an underhit backpass, but in sticky conditions he was unable to get a clean shot away and Vale’s defence was back to clear the danger. Rovers finally struck the opening goal on 72 minutes, a Smith corner caused a scramble inside the Vale area with the ball eventually being cleared back to Smith. The wideman lined up his shot, which was blocked, but the ball fell kindly to debutant Stallard who crashed the ball into the roof of the net for 1-0.
Despite all their dominance in the game, undoubtedly their best performance of the season, Rovers hopes of all three points were dashed in the 91st minute, and it was a former SCR man, and current Raynes Park goal machine Gallagher who did the damage. A ball out to the right saw a decent cross into the area which Rovers failed to defend and Gallagher was on hand to fire home and give the Vale a share of the points.
OR DID HE… Rovers are made of stern stuff now, and in the fifth minute of stoppage time, with Vale pushing for a winner and having a corner, Rovers cleared and countered. Iqbal found the flying Otete and he calmly picked out Sey, who converted with a cool and composed finish to see the Rovers faithful home jubilant, with three much needed points.