After heavy rain yesterday, the matchday turned out sunny, if a trifle cool. The pitch looked in fine fettle, well grassed, with no bare areas. For Rovers manager Sean O'Driscoll, his assistant, Richard O'Kelly, physiotherapist John Dickins and players, Brian Stock and James O'Connor it is a return to their former club. The Rovers are without the injured Paul Heffernan and Gareth Roberts and Jason Price is suspended after reaching five cautions. From the side that started against Yeovil Town on Tuesday, Paul Green gives way to James Coppinger and Mark McCammon returns in place of the suspended Jason Price. The home team, Bournemouth, have had injury and illness problems. Neil Young is suspended, Joshua Gowling, Shaun Cooper passed fitness tests and Bjarni Vidarsson and Marc Wilson have recovered from illness. James Hayter, their top scorer and former England international Darren Anderton are also out. On the bench for Bournemouth is 17 year old Josh McQuoid, from the Youth team, who isn't listed in the programme but has been awarded the number 23 as he joins the first team for the first time. The Rovers play in all blue, with the home team in their usual red and black vertical stripes. The Rovers defended the North Stand in the first half.

The home team set the game in motion on a fine, sunny afternoon. The Rovers, however, enjoyed territorial superiority in the first five minutes and won their first corner, which McCammon headed wide. two minutes later and O'Connor got to the home right byline before chipping to the middle where McCammon headed just over the bar. This was followed by another corner to the Rovers, which the home side cleared for Brett Pitman to make a quick break but a saving tackle by McDaid saved the day for the Rovers after 9 minutes. On the quarter hour, good work by McGoldrick enabled him to get in a low shot from outside the penalty area that Sullivan dived to his right to catch. The Rovers were still dominating play and Guy had a couple of shots inside a minute but was wide on each occasion. Brett Pitman, for the home team, then headed wide from a cross on the right by Cooper. Coppinger and Guy again had efforts from outside the box going wide followed by successive corners, which caused few problems. An even period of play followed as both sides battled for the first goal but neither keeper was troubled. Ten minutes from the break, Brett Pitman put a header wide followed minutes later by Fletcher getting in a couple of identical strikes from the right of goal, with each one going past the far post. On 45 minutes, Stock put a good through ball for Guy to run on to but Moss was out quickly to beat him to the ball. In the first minute of added-on time, McGoldrick won the ball in the middle of the Rovers half before releasing Brett PITMAN on the right. Cutting in, he fired low across Sullivan and into the far corner of the net for the home team to go in at the break a goal up.

Bournemouth came out for the second half with their tails up as they went straight on to the attack. First, Brett Pitman headed into Sullivan's hands then, with only 2 minutes played, Lockwood, on the left touchline, trying to keep the ball alive, sent a high ball to Sullivan. He had to thed it down to save the corner but his left foot volley only went to Fletcher, 25 yards out. Heading the ball down to McGOLDRICK, to the right of goal, he sent a curling ball into the far top corner of the Rovers net. from just outside the area. The visitors tried to hit back as Stock put through to Forte, whose left foot effort was saved comfortably. On 51 minutes, McGoldrick was cautioned for tripping Guy, who was scything his way through a crowd of defenders. Stock's free kick went straight into the hands of the keeper. Bournemouth, doing most of the attacking, had Fletcher putting wide from a low cross by Brett Pitman. As the hour mark loomed, a cross from Forte, on the left, was headed well wide by Guy. Past the hour and a fierce drive from McGoldrick was deflected for the first corner of the game for the home team. The corner was cleared to Forte, who raced away before getting in a shot from 25 yards that went wide. Lee then headed wide following a free kick. Bournemouth had a shout for a penalty on 71 minutes but the linesman, right on the spot, indicated to the referee that it was ball-to-hand. The home team had dominated the second half, showing the value of scoring a minute either side of the break. This seemed to knock the stuffing out of the Rovers and however hard they tried to get something from the game they didn't trouble the keeper, Moss, as his defenders gave him the support he needed. Despite 4 minutes of added-on time, the Rovers could not pull it back and the points went to Bournemouth and no doubt they will take them out of the bottom four.

Teams - Bournemouth - Neil Moss; Shaun Cooper, Karl Broadhurst, Josh Gowling, Warren Cummings; Marcus Browning, Brett Pitman, Marc Wilson, Bjarni Vidarsson, David McGoldrick, Steve Fletcher.

Subs used - Stephen Purches for Fletcher 70 mins; Josh McQuoid for Pitman 81 mins; Danny Hollands for McGoldrick 84 mins;

Subs not used - Callum Hart, Gareth Stewart gk.

ROVERS - Neil Sullivan; James O'Connor, Adam Lockwood, Graeme Lee, Sean McDaid; James Coppinger, Mark Wilson, Brian Stock, Jonathan Forte; Mark McCammon, Lewis Guy.

Subs used - Paul Green for Wilson 58 mins; Sean Thornton for McCammon 71 mins; Craig Nelthorpe for McDaid 79 mins;

Subs not used - ,Sam Hird, Jon-Paul Pittman.