GASHEADS are used to false dawns.

On numerous occasions the team has gone on a brief unbeaten run only for hopes to be dashed by an inept performance. The shattering of the false dawn on Saturday was particularly hard to take.

Darrell Clarke’s men had gone into the game against the part-timers of Braintree Town with renewed confidence so their capitulation after going behind to a dodgy penalty was inexplicable.

Rovers created a few opportunities later in the first half and started brightly in the second but our old problems in front of goal – a lack of composure and inability to finish – meant that we huffed and puffed without any end product. Adam Cunnington drew a fantastic save from the Braintree keeper, but that was the closest we came.

Just before the hour Braintree scored their second and the game was over. Heads went down and Rovers didn’t even muster a shot on target for the remaining 30 minutes of the match. This is inexcusable. The team should have been busting a gut to get back into the game.

We now have the added worry of a potential FA investigation as one of the travelling supporters appeared to punch a Braintree player during the chaos surrounding the penalty decision.

On Tuesday Rovers entertained Wrexham at the Mem with a new signing on board – ex-QPR winger Angelo Balanta. The pressure was clearly weighing heavily on Clarke’s men as the opening 30 minutes was devoid of any real goalmouth action.

Relief came when Andy Monkhouse directed an excellent header back across goal and into the net from a Dave Martin corner. Wrexham had won their previous three away games, but they rarely troubled Rovers – their task made more difficult by the dismissal of Carrington on 63 minutes for a dangerous challenge on Cunnington.

Rovers took the three points in what was a scrappy affair, maintaining our unbeaten home record. The result was good but the performance suggests this could turn out to be yet another false dawn.