ALL SMILES: Sam Alsop celebrates after wrapping up the win with a well-taken third goal.
Rovers 3
Hitchin 1
DAUNE Darby saw his ten men roll up their sleeves and display exactly the sort of spirit that is required in a relegation scrap.
And while the caretaker boss believes he won't be offered the Rovers job on a permanent basis, he is making it extremely difficult for the club's hierarchy to rule him out.
This was Darby's third league win from five matches, and in many ways his most convincing.
His troops were forced to dig deep from the early stages after David Bridgwater was sent off for two cynical challenges.
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Not only did the Greens manage to survive a barrage of dangerous set pieces from the visitors, but they gradually upped the gears to produce their most exhilarating half of football at the Victoria Ground this season.
Goals of the finest quality from Kevin Banner and Sam Alsop got the home supporters out of their seats after Matt Birley's first half opener was cancelled out by a wonder strike from Brett Donnelly.
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However, Karl Lewis in the Rovers goal had to be at his most aware in the early stages.
Twice Hitchin could have taken the lead in fortuitous circumstances when a pair of menacing free kicks from skipper David Deeney evaded everyone in a packed penalty area, but Lewis' handling was exemplary on both occasions.
But Bridgwater's 28th minute dismissal - after he received two bookings for recklessly diving into tackles on Ricky Miller and Moses Olalaye - forced Rovers to regroup.
They were ignited and stung Hitchin, whose eyes had lit up at the prospect of playing nearly three quarters of the game with a numerical advantage.
And while the passing and movement for Birley's opener was precise, the young wing wizard is unlikely to be presented with a simpler finish during his Rovers stay.
Les Hines caught the visitors napping with a quick free kick down the left flank to Banner and his cut back set up Birley for an effortless side footed finish.
With a lead to hold onto it was difficult to see how Hitchin would endeavour to plough through the home side's stubborn resistance.
A compelling feature of Rovers' play under Darby has been their contentment to defend in numbers as a compact unit, waiting for the opportunity to spring forward and counter-attack from wide positions.
When Donnelly did eventually force a breakthrough five minutes after the restart it took something extra special.
Another of Deeney's dangerous deliveries was fired in, and Donnelly reacted quickest to a flick-on, smashing a textbook volley into the roof of the net.
But it wasn't long before the green and white faithful were rocking to the beat of some sumptuous counter-attacking football.
Rovers restored the lead when Hines surged forward to feed Banner once more.
The popular winger broke into the box to strike a firm half volley across goal into the bottom corner.
And the Greens' ever present heartbeat of Birley and Alsop combined to wrap up the three points.
Alsop started and finished the move leaving Hitchin's midfield for dead before exchanging a clever one-two with his midfield colleague.
Goalkeeper Ricky Perks did his best to narrow the angle, but Alsop cleverly rounded him and squeezed the ball home.
Rovers all of a sudden looked like a side that are prepared to stand up to the gruelling demands of this division.
Sure, there have been more dominant performances among their eight league wins. But those successes have come when they have had things their own way.
This assignment provided tests of application and craft in equal measures, and Darby's men accordingly ticked both boxes.
If they continue to step up to the plate in this manner, they will emerge as worthy survivors.
ROVERS: Lewis 8, Duggan 6, Hines 7, Bridgwater 4, Knight 7, Jones 6, BIRLEY 9, Alsop 7, Jakab 6 (Albutt 5, 89 mins), Jackson 5 (Benbow 6, 45 mins), Banner 8. Unused subs: Taylor, Downing, Cotterill.
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