Rovers dwindling Step 4 survival hopes took a further blow on Friday night when a goal late in the first half gave fellow strugglers Ashford Town (Middx) all three points.
Ashford made a bright start to the game and forced a succession of early corners, which fortunately came to nothing. Our first half chance came on five minutes, when a Frankie Maciocia free kick, after a foul on Daniel Pepple, was flicked on by Isaac Kamin and just beyond Alfie Cue.
From here we grew into the game and started to put the visitors under a reasonable amount of pressure, without really troubling their backline, although following a decent bit of play by Kamin the Ashford backline managed to scramble the ball behind for a corner. From the half cleared corner Cue saw his effort blocked and then chance went begging.
Barsa Mirtahmasebi released George Vorster down the line but he was well marshalled by Stephen Sylvester-Adujua for a throw. Ashford looked to find Scott Day but we managed to clear before he was able to get a shot away, and from the break Pepple looked to create a chance for Rovers but was stopped by the visitors defence.
Just before the half hour and Pepple was bundled over in the area but no foul given, Ashford broke quick but we cleared through Kamin, leading to a truly shocking passage of play with the ball in the air, and seemingly the five players who got on it not being able to get a true connection. If ever proof was needed as to why both sides are in the relegation zone, then this was it.
Chances came at both ends, Day saw a shot blocked behind by Bert Lloyd and for us Kamin whipped a dangerous ball into the area, but Cue, on the stretch, was unable to turn the ball goalwards. Maciocia saw a shot gathered well by the keeper and almost immediately the visitors struck the only goal of the game. With play condensed on the Rovers right, a switch of play saw Archie Larkham free on the right and he fired low beyond Kacper Orlowski for 1-0.
Christian Adugyamfi was tugged down by Ayo Shogbeni, not for the first time, on 40 minutes but with the loose ball finding Kamin play continued but his effort was tame and straight at Marcin Brzozowski. As the half ended, Ashford looked to extend their lead, and had two good chances, first up Larkhams cross found Day but his header was straight at Orlowski, and then another dangerous cross saw a spectacular overhead kick by Day gathered low to his left by Orlowski.
Rovers almost snatched a leveller on the stroke of half time, but Pepple saw his left foot effort turned behind by Brzozowski.
Early in the second half and Adugyamfi headed a Maciocia corner straight at Brzozowski. Ashford then had a glorious chance to increase their lead after a poor clearance by Orlowski found Alexander Paine but his effort was screwed off for a throw in.
Maciocia picked out Adugyamfi from another corner but the Rovers front man couldn’t direct his effort on target. Adugyamfi then looked to break clear but his effort was deflected being for a corner which came to nothing. On the hour Ashford had a glorious chance to increase their lead, but after breaking clear on the right, Larkham could only fire his effort against the post.
Vorster then found Joseph Chidyausiku with a low cross from the left and Orlowski made a superb stop low to his right to prevent the visitors increasing their lead. Cue lead the Rovers charge on 68 minutes travelling from just outside our area to the edge of the Ashford box before trying to set up Pepple but the pass was intercepted and cleared. From the recycled ball Maciocia found Adugyamfi but he was well marshalled by Shogbeni and chance went begging.
Ten minutes from time and a good run by Cue on the left ended with a ball into Pepple, but his toe poked effort was straight at Brzozowski.
Rovers last chance came with five minutes remaining when Cam Dobells dangerous delivery was flicked on by Cue towards our Torin Ntege, who was clipped in the area but again nothing given and that was pretty much that.
Ashford celebrated like they had won the title and after their result on Tuesday, they have given themselves a fighting chance of survival. For Rovers survival looks tough, but a surprise win at Horndean has given them hope