Darren and Lee made five changes ahead of the visit of South Park Reigate, with Cam Dobell, Ezra Agyiri, Donnel Moore and Isaac Kamin in from the start, whilst new signing Isaac Nkosi was handed a debut, missing out were Tami Ogunnowo and Darnell Bromfield who dropped to the bench, Michael Samson (injured), Evangelos Empochontsif who was unavailable and Jayden Smith who has stepped away from football for a while.
Early on and it became apparent the Christian Adugyamfi and South Parks Jensen Grant were going to be involved in a physical battle all afternoon, with neither playing looking to show weakness in the early collisions. Five minutes in and Vinnie Tume broke free down the left and saw his initial effort blocked by Nkosi, with Bert Lloyd completing the clearance.
We missed a glorious chance to open the scoring on six minutes, a weak back header by Jamal Abubakari let Moore and Agyiri through on goal, but the Rovers forwards appeared to confuse each other with the resultant effort by Moore being easily gathered by Danny Bracken in the South Park goal.
Rovers were dominating play and after good work by Daniel Pepple, Adugyamfi saw his goalbound header easily dealt with by Bracken.
In truth the opening period was littered with misplaced passes and neck ache for those in attendance with neither side seemingly wanting to or being able to string passes together. A great ball down the line by Craig McGee found Jack Tucker and as we cleared, Noah Africa was scythed down by ex-SCR man Ryan Healy. Africa then fired an effort high over the bar after good work by Adugyamfi and Moore.
Grant put a free header over the bar for the Sparks on 25 minutes but the game was struggling to burst into life. On 27 minutes a deep Manny Kwatchey free kick was headed wide of the left hand post by Lloyd. Africa the saw a shot from the edge of the area deflected back to Bracken.
Tume broke down the left on 43 minutes and picked out Bobby Mills with his low cross but the effort was tame and easily gathered by Sam Roberts. The Sparks ended the half strongly and Rovers debutant Nkosi went into the book for hauling down Tume, after the visitors had broken quickly. The free kick by Tucker was tame and the sides went in level at the break.
Tucker and Tom Collins linked up neatly early in the second half to force a corner, but Grant’s free header went into the side netting.
The winning goal came seven minutes into the second half. Agyiri swung in a cross, Adugyamfi challenged Bracken in the air with neither getting a good connection, forcing Adedepo Olugbodi to hook the ball off the line, Pepple reacted quickest to head the ball home for 1-0.
South Park responded positively and a deep cross by Tucker was well gathered by Roberts, who clattered the goal post in the process. Just shy of the hour and a long throw by Dobell found Adugyamfi, his link up play was excellent but Moore could only direct his effort over the bar.
The Sparks should have levelled minutes later, Lloyds ball forward was intercepted by McGee who released substitute Andy Somo but he dragged his effort across the face of goal. Tume volleyed high over the bar as South Park had their best spell of the game but the Rovers backline was holding firm.
Substitute Harvey Browne found Adugyamfi with a delightful ball into the channel on 71 minutes and the Rovers forward got beyond Grant but with the angle narrowing he could only prod the ball wide of the right hand post. Adugyamfi then challenged Abubakari in the area, with the ball breaking into Pepples path, but Grant made a tremendous last ditch challenge to clear.
Olugbodi fired an effort over the bar on 75 minutes as the Sparks looked for a leveller and Callum Corbi put a free header wide of the right hand post. With just over five minutes remaining Dobell pulled down Jerry O’Sullivan in a dangerous area and from the free kick Kwatchey did well to hook the ball clear.
We almost forced a second in stoppage time when Ogunnowo shut down Bracken and forced the experienced keeper into an error but Rovers were just unable to capitalise. South Park almost snatched a last gasp equaliser but Somo saw his effort well saved by Roberts away to his right.
After what seemed an age (why does time go slowly when you are hanging on to a lead, but race by when you are chasing the game), referee Mr Trout bought an end to proceeding and Rovers secured what could be a vital three points.