After accidentally buying a pair of kids’ gloves from the club shop, I arrived in the ground three minutes late, to be greeted by Jed Steer picking the ball out of the net and a huddle of celebrating blue shirts.
Rovers responded quite well and had most of the ball in the first half. Twice they came close to equalising; first when a goal mouth scramble saw a close range shot cleared off the line and secondly when some comedy goalkeeping from former Rover Gary Woods ended in the ball bouncing over his head only for Nathan Tyson to see his shot blocked.
Orient were dangerous on the counter attack, and worryingly still looked the more likely to score. Harry Forrester, already booked, was lucky to stay on the pitch after raising his hands following a bad tackle just before half time.
Ten minutes into the second half Forrester was duly hauled off for Kyle Bennett, and just as Rovers started to take control local boy Darius Henderson crashed a 25 yard strike past a despairing Steer.
The introduction of Curtis Main for Marc De Val on the hour mark added an attacking impetus but the best efforts of Jamie Coppinger, Richie Wellens, Tyson and Bennett were undermined by some comedy defending, particularly from the woeful (albeit out of position) Reece Wabara.
A couple of late Bennett pot shots and a half-hearted appeal for a penalty for hand-ball were ultimately all Rovers had to show for another disappointing night.
by Rob Johnson
popular STAND fanzine 