ROVERS scored a dramatic late winner to secure three valuable points and a morale-boosting win at home to Exeter on Saturday.

The Pirates started on the front foot, showing great desire from the first whistle to put the Grecians under pressure.

An excellent cross from Harrison created a golden chance for Richards early on and the young striker will wonder how he failed to convert from two yards out. The chance looked harder to miss than score but the Gas were undeterred by the setback.

However, Exeter scored against the run of play as a relatively harmless looking move ended with Lee Brown putting the ball in his own net.

Rovers showed great spirit as they equalised almost immediately thanks to a surging run into the box by Richards as he atoned for his earlier miss and was upended. O’Toole made no mistake with a well placed penalty. The rest of the game was a more even affair as Exeter came back into the contest in the second half. They sensed we could be vulnerable but we also had our share of possession and looked threatening.

However, the lack of width in the side led to a failure to create chances and is a situation Ward must address in the transfer window as Harrison faded in the game following a bright start.

Nerves were jangling as the game approached injury time as results elsewhere were not going in the Pirates’ favour.

Fortunately our defence withstood Exeter pressure and O’Toole scored the winner with a well taken angled volley. His tenth goal of the season showed what an invaluable asset he is proving to be and sparked jubilant scenes of celebration.

Rovers bowed out of the FA Cup third round at Birmingham on Tuesday night after a 3-0 defeat. The scoreline was harsh as the team gave a spirited performance, roared on by a fantastic following of over 2,800 Gasheads.

Rovers head to York on Saturday where a repeat showing of our FA Cup first round replay victory at Bootham Crescent is now the priority to secure another valuable three points.