ROVERS rediscovered their goal touch on the KGV 3G but can count themselves lucky to have won the points that keeps the champions in the thick of the title race.
When Rangers won an 85th minute penalty the odds were on Steve Renouf netting from the spot and grabbing the red and blacks a worthy point.
Renouf, who was again excellent in our midfield, and scored one as well as providing an assist, deserved better than the pain of seeing his well-struck penalty smack against the keeper’s left hand post and with the miss went our chance of grabbing a fine point.
And just to rub it in, Rovers scored a heavily deflected fourth with just a minute to go and Rangers went home empty handed.
It is not often a team scores in the second minute of a game as well as the penultimate one, but that is just what happened here on a filthy wet afternoon.
The small crowd had yet to fully gather on the touchline when the unpredictable wind lifted a seemingly harmless ball over the outstretched hands of Seb Sheppard who had expected to make a simple take.
instead, the ball found its way into an unguarded net and Rovers were ahead.
not for long. Leon Ogier was credited with the softest of goals.
Within three minutes Renouf clipped a fine free-kick into the box and timing his run to perfection skipper Shane Billien headed home for the equaliser.
Two minutes later we were ahead as Renouf volleyed in from the edge of the box.
Rangers held the lead for nearly 20 minutes at which point James Grundy forced home from close range to make it 2-2 at the break.
Both sides were largely cancelling each other out and from Rangers’ perspective it was great to see Jacques Cauvin (pictured) slot into a new central defensive position alongside Nick Trebert and perform so ably.
Cauvin looked an old hand in the role and his performance will certainly give our coaching team plenty to think about going forward as to whether he should stay there or revert to a wide midfield role.
Rovers were certainly frustrated and made a host of changes in a bid to spark something.
With half an hour remaining Rangers made their solitary change with Billien giving way to first-year U18 Charlie Le Lacheur who did not look out of place for the remaining time and showed great promise.
With nine minutes left the game looked destined to finish in a stalemate, but then Rangers dozed off at a free kick and Luke Ogier planted home a firm header for the lead.
Rangers again responded well and when George Goubert tried to wriggle into a yard of space in the area, former GFC man Ben Le Tocq cracked the youngster across the shins and brought him down.
It was a clear penalty but sadly for all of red and black persuasion, it did not go in.

Team
Seb Sheppard, Tom Solway, Jacques Cauvin, Nick Trebert, Kyle Fossey; Dec Collenette, Steve Renouf, Shane Billien, George Goubert; Zac Batiste, Steffan Timms.
Subs: Charlie Le Lacheur, Max Wall, Leon Solano and Pearce Le Poidevin.