Rovers Under-18s kicked off the New Year with a 2-0 defeat away to high-flying Manchester City.
Eager to erase the memories of an 8-0 defeat at home to their City counterparts earlier in the season, Rovers started strongly, but fell behind to the home side's first attack.
On 17 minutes, Chris Chantler released Robbie Mak, who beat the offside trap, before coolly slotting the ball past Andreas Arestidou into the right-hand corner of the goal.
And 10 minutes later, the hosts wrapped up the win with their second of the game. Chantler was again involved, slipping the ball through to Alex Nimley-Tchuimeni, who spotted the diagonal run of Ahmed Benali and the England youth international evaded a challenge before putting the ball past the onrushing keeper.
ROVERS: Arestidou, O'Connor, Hall, Jones, Hanley, Parry, Bowen (Hitchcock 67), Lowe, Simpson, Potts, Morris (Banton 67).
Subs not used: Swann, Ryan.
