WITH relegation already confirmed, Rovers faced ex-manager Rod Brown's resurgent team Rugby Town, but their away day blues continued as they fell to yet another late goal to end a disappointing season.
The Greens started brightly, when in the 11th minute Dave Bridgwater delivered a ball that dropped over the last defender, Jozsef Jakab held his run to beat the offside calls and comfortably beat goalkeeper Richard Anstiss with a confident finish.
Ninety seconds later the scores were level. Stephan Morley's free-kick to the far post was met by Craig Herbert and his header looped over Karl Lewis into the top left hand corner of the net.
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Referee Mark Hutchingson awarded Rugby a soft penalty on 16 minutes after a challenge on Dave Pearson by Gary Knight.
Lewis dived to his left to save Pearson's poor spot kick with his legs.
Rugby took control and Morley fashioned a chance that just cleared Lewis's crossbar.
David Staff forced Lewis into a good save at the foot of his right hand post.
Anstiss tipped Bridgwater's cross over the crossbar as it drifted towards goal, and from the resulting corner Sam Alsop's half-volley from the edge of the area was deflected wide of goal by Jakab.
Rugby's Herbert was caught in possession on the edge of the area by Keenan Meakin-Richards and the ball fell kindly for Bridgwater, who fired into the side netting.
Dean Curtis spotted Anstiss off his line and tried a first time effort that was just off target.
Town went close to taking the lead before the break, when Staff put Pearson through on goal, and his effort beat Lewis only to see it cannon back off the crossbar and out to safety.
The Greens were reduced to 10 men after Chris Cotterill received his marching orders from referee Mark Hutchinson for his second booking after a late challenge on Andy Commander.
Neil King forced his way down the middle and as the space opened up for him, he unleashed a powerful shot, but Lewis thrust out a firm hand to turn the ball onto the crossbar.
Kieran Fitzharris fired across the face of goal and just beat the right hand post.
Rovers were forced to reshuffle in the 57th minute with Chris McHale replacing Chris Cornes to take his place in defence, and Duane Darby came on for Curtis.
Substitute David Kolodynski beat the Rovers offside trap down the left but Lewis smothered his effort at the foot of his post after 63 minutes.
Four minutes later, a Meakin-Richards free-kick deep into the Rugby area caused Anstiss to make a fine save from his own defender Commander's header.
On 70 minutes Meakin-Richards broke up a Rugby attack, played a one-two with Darby then produced a quality ball to find Jakab, who failed to control and lost the chance.
Rugby missed a golden chance in the 74th minute after three players burst through on goal.
Rob Oddy scuffed his effort with only Lewis to beat, Staff rescued the ball but was flagged offside.
Kolodynski had the ball in the Rovers net after 80 minutes but the effort was ruled out for offside.
Rugby's pressure finally told two minutes from time.
Staff got to the by-line down the right, pulled the ball back for substitute Scott Musgrove to curl his effort past Lewis into the bottom right hand corner.
Staff had an opportunity to make the game safe but fired tamely at Lewis in the closing stages.
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