Rovers record back-to-back league victories after a 2-1 win over Rochdale.

Goals either side of the half from Kieran Agard and George Miller marched Rovers on to victory in Lancashire. 

Gary McSheffrey named an unchanged starting 11 to the side that beat Crawley Town 4-1 a week ago. 

Rovers donned the new 2022/23 third kit for the first time this season to mark the start of Breast Cancer Awareness month.

Miller had three significant good opportunities to put Rovers in front early doors. The best opportunity was the second when a mistake from Richard O’Donnell left an open goal. The forward miss-hit the ball and was off-target with his attempt. 

On the tenth minute Joseph Olowu and James Maxwell had a coming together defending a Rochdale attack. Unfortunately for Olowu it brought an early end to his game as he was replaced by Bobby Faulkner. 

For a 15 minute period the game levelled out with little chances for either side but eventually romped up the gears and got their reward. A ball poked across the box by Knoyle found Kieran Agard who confidently poked into the bottom corner of O’Donnell’s goal.

Within five minutes of taking the lead Rochdale did equalise. A ball crossed in from the left by Liam Kelly was headed past Jonathan Mitchell by Scott Quigley. 

Dale’s goal was the last bit of action of the half as referee Darren Drysdale blew for half-time. 

The second-half did not get off to a pretty start for Rovers, with little opportunities falling their way. Closest was a half chance from Luke Molyneux who was off target from an ambitious 30-yards.

Rochdale had the better of the chances in the early part of the second period and looked like they were onto a move that could end up with a goal as Kelly burst into Rovers’ box. It was a sensational tackle from James Maxwell that ended up raining on their parade. 

It did feel like Rochdale would be the team to score next, but it was Rovers who retook the lead. A great run from Knoyle into the box saw him feed the ball into the path of Miller who wasted no time slotting through the legs of McDonnell.

From there on out Rovers saw the game out with excellent game management. A couple of chances did fall Rovers’ way to be able to put the game to bed.

Notably, substitute Reo Griffiths had a few half-chances, but struggles to get his shots away on both occasions. 

Rovers saw out the game to ensure three wins on the bounce and two of them back-to-back in Sky Bet League Two to lift Rovers up to eigth.