A George Miller brace plus strikes from Joseph Olowu and Kyle Hurst saw Rovers return to winning ways in Sky Bet League Two with a comfortable triumph over Crawley Town.

James Tilley had cancelled out Olowu’s opener before the break only for Rovers to surge clear in the second half.

It was a confident victory for Rovers following a run of three straight league defeats as they found their attacking groove once again.

Gary McSheffrey made four changes from the previous league outing with Joseph Olowu, Ben Close, Kyle Hurst and Kieran Agard coming into the starting XI, along with a shift to a 4-4-2 system.

After a slow opening quarter hour of the game it was Rovers who fired the first effort on goal. George Miller sent Hurst scarpering into the box with the young winger drawing a save from Crawley keeper Corey Addai at the near post.

Rovers were beginning to have the better of things with incisive play through midfield.

Luke Molyneux received the ball on the edge of the box, turned and shot, but his effort was comfortably gathered by Addai.

The first real effort for the visitors came at the midpoint of the half. Caleb Chukwuemeka powered into the box and drilled a low effort narrowly wide of the far post.

Olowu could not turn a header on target as he met a Close cross before a crisp, pacy passing move ended with Miller side-footing narrowly wide from a Kyle Knoyle cross.

Olowu went closer with a second header as he rose to meet a ball in from Knoyle and sent his effort just over the bar.

Adam Clayton powered a shot narrowly wide from 35 yards just before James Tolley flashed an effort past the post for the visitors.

Rovers took the lead five minutes from the break as Olowu found his range with the head. Knoyle fed to the ball back to Molyneux who sent in a superb first time cross to the back post where Olowu headed home under pressure.

But the advantage would last less than two minutes as the visitors quickly levelled. A swift counterattack saw Jack Powell feed Tilley into the box. He made space for himself and drilled into the bottom corner.

Olowu drew a save from Addai before the break with another header.

Jonathan Mitchell was called into action shortly after the restart as Chukwuemeka touched the ball back to Nick Tsaroulla who fired on goal.

Rovers restored the advantage from the spot just before the hour mark after the visitors were penalised for handball.

Miller stepped up and drilled a low spot kick just beyond Addai into the corner.

Some breathing room was found on 67 minutes. Miller inadvertently blocked a pot shot from Agard but regained his composure and lashed a shot home off the underside of the bar.

The icing was put on the win seven minutes from time with a brilliant individual effort from Hurst.

He charged carried the ball at speed down the middle before slotting a composed finish beyond Addai from just inside the box.

Substitute Lee Tomlin went close with a pair of late efforts, drilling narrowly wide from the edge of the box.

Rovers: Mitchell, Knoyle, Williams, Olowu, Maxwell, Molyneux (Woltman 86), Clayton, Close (Biggins 75), Hurst (Seaman 86), Miller, Agard (Tomlin 72). Subs not used: Jones, Long, Faulkner.

Crawley: Addai, Fellows, Ransom, Craig, Tsaroulla, Tilley, Powell, Hessenthaler, Nichols, Nadesan, Chukwuemeka (Telford 68). Subs not used: Greensall, Francilette, Telford, Wells, Johnson, Oteh, Khaleel.