Rovers tough run of results continued as they were comfortably beaten by Notts County on Boxing Day.
Joe Ironside missed a first half penalty with the game goalless before the hosts surged out of sight with efforts from Dan Crowley, Macauley Langstaff and Aaron Nemane.
The hosts controlled possession for the vast majority of proceedings and while Rovers’ organisation and structure off the ball was largely good, they were undone in key moments.
Grant McCann made two changes to the side that started the pre-Christmas clash with Bradford City as Jamie Sterry came in for his first start since the opening day of the season while Luke Molyneux was also restored to the XI.
Rovers produced the first chance as Sterry brought the ball down superbly in the box with his back to goal but saw his shot on the turn blocked by County keeper Aidan Stone.
Afterwards the game settled into a pattern which stuck for the remainder. The hosts largely controlled possession with Rovers showing excellent organisation and discipline in the main to deny County opportunities to work the ball into the box.
It was only on moments when attention levels dipped that County truly threatened. The first saw skipper Kyle Cameron dart into the box and send a bullet header on goal which Ian Lawlor acrobatically pushed over the bar.
Lawlor was called into action again moments later and produced another good save to push away a close range effort from Langstaff.
Though they had seen little of the ball, Rovers were presented with a golden opportunity to take the lead when Molyneux was bundled over in the box by Jodi Jones as he looked to meet a cross.
Ironside stepped up but pulled his penalty off target.
Notts County got back on the front foot and Langstaff pounced on a moment of fortune when Joseph Olowu’s clearing header hit his own man and dropped to the striker, who could only fire over.
But the Magpies opened the scoring on 33 minutes when Crowley ghosted into the area to side-foot home a cross from Jones.
Molyneux sent a tame effort straight at Stone as Rovers looked to get on level terms while Harrison Biggins lashed wide from the edge of the box moments later.
County grabbed a second a minute before the break. David McGoldrick squeezed a ball beyond Tom Anderson into the box and Langstaff got ahead of Olowu to slide his effort home at the far post.
Lawlor produced another fine save just before the half time whistle as he pushed a Sam Austin effort over the bar. And the Irishman was alert once again moments later as he denied Langstaff with his legs from close range.
With Anderson and Olowu carrying knocks, McCann sent on Tommy Rowe and Will Flint at the break but the pattern of the game did not alter.
And Notts County extended their advantage on 53 minutes. McGoldrick slid a superb ball into the box for Langstaff, who saw his shot cannon off Lawlor only for Nemane to fire in the rebound.
Rovers almost responded immediately, with Molyneux denied by the width of the post after curling a shot from the corner of the box at the end of a smart run
The scoreline provided the hosts with a good deal of comfort and they maintained possession even as the tempo of their play dropped.
They did have opportunities to stretch their lead further however. Lawlor continued to be kept busy and produced another fine save to tip a Jones strike wide.
Molyneux saw a shot batted away by Stone following an excellent run from Tom Nixon while a snap shot from Rowe was somehow kept out by the County keeper at the second attempt as it threatened to loop over the line.
Lawlor denied Langstaff while substitute James Sanderson also went close for the hosts in the later stages.
Rovers: Lawlor, Olowu (Flint 46), Anderson (Rowe 46), Senior, Sterry (Kuleya 70), Close, Bailey, Biggins (Faal 60), Nixon, Molyneux (Hurst 82), Ironside. Subs not used: Jones, Goodman.
