Owen Bailey felt the strong performance of Rovers’ new-look back four made the defeat to Newport County all the more frustrating.
Bailey was the only defender to retain his place as Jay McGrath was handed his debut, Tom Nixon returned to the side and Tommy Rowe switched to left back.
Rovers were largely untroubled by visitors Newport until Seb Palmer-Houlden netted a 93rd minute winner.
“I think as part of the back four, it’s something that is really frustrating for us,” Bailey said.
“We had Rowey at left back who is predominantly a midfielder and he was brilliant. Jay had made his debut and was excellent. Nicko is a young lad and he was great and so was Louis [Jones].
“We limited them to one real chance. On a whole we defended really well and it’s not just the lads at the back, it’s the front lads pressing as well. We created opportunities and it’s just really frustration because we deserved to win the game.
“It seems we never get that kind of luck but it’s a long season and bad luck doesn’t last forever. It might come for us in a game and hopefully we don’t play badly but if we do we can just nick a little 1-0 win and kick on from that.
“We’ve got to keep doing things the right way and playing like that and if we do, I think we’ll pick up more points than we’ll lose.
“I think we controlled the game and were by far the better team. We had a lot of chances, which on another day we put away. I don’t know what happened with Joe Ironside’s shot but it seemed to hit about four things and how that’s not gone in, I don’t know. I think that was just the tale of the day.
“They haven’t created a single chance but a ball in a late on has caught us out and they’ve stolen the three points.”