A fine evening, with a nip in the air, presented itself after a showery day for the penultimate home game of the season. With Southend United and Nottingham Forest closing the gap on the Rovers three points are a vital commodity tonight. The Rovers made changes, with Coppinger and Wellens rested because of knocks so that they can play in the remaining matches. Sam Hird came in for the suspended Matt Mills, Lewis Guy replaced James Coppinger, Sean McDaid came in for Richie Wellens and Mark McCammon and Gareth Taylor started in place of Jason Price and Paul Heffernan. The Rovers defended the South Stand end in the first half.

The Rovers set the ball rolling and dominated the early minutes, with Stock getting in a 20 yarder that hit the side netting after 3 minutes. Four minutes later, Guy had a shout for a penalty when he was brought down in the area but all he got was a corner followed by another one, which Brezovan, in the Swindon goal, caught easily. The Rovers stormed back on the attack through O'Connor down the right. He cut inside but his low left foot shot from just outside the penalty area was comfortably saved by the keeper. The Rovers penned the visitors in their own half for the next few minutes but only won a corner, which was cleared. Indeterminate play over the next ten minutes or so, although mostly in Swindon territory, was not producing any excitement for the fans. Then, on 27 minutes, they awoke from their torpor when Guy burst on to a ball to the right of goal and blasted goalwards but the keeper beat it out and it was cleared. Past the half hour and Swindon had their best spell, winning a corner that was cleared and coming back on the right with Smith getting in a cross that Sullivan caught as Peacock waited for a slip up. Minutes later, successive corners to Swindon failed to produce any result. Then, on 40 minutes, the Rovers recovered their composure, went on the attack and a great through pass by Taylor put McDAID in on goal to slot past the giant keeper for the opening goal. The home team kept the pressure on with a couple of corners and went in at the break with a single goal lead.

The Rovers started the second half where they had left off in the first, on the attack but all they had to show for it was a 25 yarder from Stock that flashed past a post after 51 minutes. Two minutes later Swindon hit back with a free kick 25 yards out from Timlin that went just the wrong side of the post. They followed this with a corner that was headed wide. A few minutes later the visitors got to the edge o0f the Rovers penalty area and Steve Roberts, trying to clear, hit the ball against Paynter. The ball went into the air going for goal, with Sullivan off his line but the keeper arched his back and managed to tip over the bar. Past the hour and the Rovers got a grip on the game again. Successive corners failed to produce anything but on 66 minutes McCammon was played through on goal from the left. Aljofree chased him down and brought him down, with the referee pointing to the penalty spot and then producing the red card for the defender. STOCK took the penalty, planting it to the keeper's right as he went left. The Rovers continued to dominate possession but on 81 minutes the visitors were awarded a free kick on their right halfway in the Rovers half. Nicholas met it with a free header just inside the penalty area but it was straight at Sullivan, who handled it easily. Despite being down to ten men, Swindon gave the Rovers defence a hard time in the last five minutes. Paynter went through on the left but his shot from just inside the area was saved easily by Sullivan then in added-on time the keeper was called upon again to keep his goal intact although whether he knew much about it isn't clear but a shot from Peacock hit him and bounced back into play. The whistle then sounded on a game where the Rovers got back on the winning trail. They have played better lately and lost but as somebody said that's football.

Teams - ROVERS - Neil Sullivan; Sam Hird, James O'Connor, Steve Roberts, Gareth Roberts; Lewis Guy, Paul Green, Brian Stock, Sean McDaid; Gareth Taylor, Mark McCammon.

Subs used - Stuart Elliott for McCammon 78mins; James Hayter for Taylor 83mins; Jason Price for Guy 88mins;

Subs not used - Paul Heffernan, Martin Woods,

Swindon Town - Peter Brezovan; Jack Smith, Jerel Ifill, Hasney Aljofree, Jamie Vincent; Craig Easton, Michael Timlin, Jon-Paul McGovern, Anthony McNamee; Lee Peacock, Simon Cox

Subs used - Billy Paynter for McNamee 51mins; Andy Nicholas for Cox 67mins,

Subs not used -  Michael Pook, Kaid Mohammed, Phil Smith gk

Cautions - Brezovan, Timlin,

Sent off - Aljofree 66mins,