The point they took in the 1-1 draw with Sheffield Wednesday was not enough for the club to retain their League 1 status, the game itself being a tale of two penalties, Tommy Miller giving the visitors the lead in the third minute before Will Hoskins levelled after twelve.
Stuart Campbell made two changes to his starting line up, dropping himself following the dead calf injury he suffered against Bournemouth on Monday, JP Kalala joining the starting line up along with Danny Coles who made his way back from an achilles injury. He replaced the suspended David McCracken.
After Rovers did so well to take an early lead away at Bournemouth they suffered a taste of their own medicine as Danny Coles was adjudged to have taken out Gary Madine in the penalty area, though the Rovers players were not at all pleased with the referee's decision. But as it was it was too late and Tommy Miller dispatched the spot kick high to Logan's right.
Within nine minutes of that goal, however, Rovers had been awarded a penalty of their own, Wayne Brown being pushed over by Lewis Buxton when he had his back to goal and it was captain Will Hoskins who stepped up to the plate, scoring the equalising goal and setting Rovers up to put a period of pressure on their opponents.
Hoskins was the man who nearly got an assist on another goal, the striker curling in a corner that Byron Anthony headed against an upright from a tight angle.
News filtered through that both Dagenham and Walsall were ahead by this point and it was the Gas who continued to make all the running as they searched for the goal they so desperately needed, Jo Kuffour heading inches wide.
Wednesday were not totally out of the game though, James O'Connor dragging an effort wide of the goal as his side looked to retake the lead.
Chris Lines almost finished the half in spectacular style unleashing a fierce thirty yard drive on Nicky Weaver's goal but the experienced keeper successfully tipped the ball over the bar in front of a rowdy Blackthorn End.
Rovers started the second half well as Jo Kuffour was able to cut onto his right down the left hand flank and scooped a ball over to Hoskins who had to lean back as he headed goalwards, the ball glancing off his forehead and flying just wide of the Wednesday goal.
An Owls free kick from about thirty yards and at an angle to the goal was touched short for substitute Jermaine Johnson to thump goalwards but he sliced his shot horribly wide, producing great jeers from the visibly nervous but bubbling fans in the Blackthorn End.
Conrad Logan made a meal of a high backpass, sending the ball up into the sky where the much maligned Gary Madine played it back for Tommy Miller to wildly half volley over the crossbar.
But the action kept up at the other end, Gavin Williams the latest to test Weaver connecting well with a volley that the visiting stopper held onto while flinging himself to his right.
Another chance came and went as Will Hoskins looked to place the ball into the bottom corner of the net from the edge of the box but Weaver was once again up to the task, parrying the ball away.
Hearts were in mouths when Neil Mellor and Conrad Logan leapt into each other in the area, the ball running out of play allowing the referee to consult with his linesman as to whether the incident was penalty-worthy before eventually signalling for a corner.
Chris Lines had a low free kick pushed around the post by Weaver as he looked to tuck the ball in the bottom corner from thirty yards and aside from a weak effort from substitute Charlie Clough that was to be it, the clock running down on Rovers struggle for survival leaving the club needing a true miracle to remain in League 1.
Many fans stayed and clapped and cheered their valiant heroes from the field, leaving many of them with one last rendition of Goodnight Irene ringing in their ears at the Memorial Stadium before they play for their own professional pride at Colchester in a weeks time.
Rovers caretaker manager Stuart Campbell was visibly down when he summarised the game with the press, telling them:
"We are absolutely devastated with what has happened.Gary Megson was also in the eyes of the media after the game, talking about his disappointment with the drop in his sides performance. He said:
"We had an eye on the other results, but I fully expected them to win anyway and knew in my heart of hearts that we had to go out and get three points, but unfortunately we didn't do that.
"The three games we have had in the last week we could quite easily have won all three of them, the amount of chances we created.
"I thought today our luck was going to turn and we would get a couple of goals, but yet again we have missed a hat full of chances.
"We are bitterly disappointed, no more so than for the fans, they were outstanding again today and they most definitely don't deserve that."
"It was typically end of season from our perspective.
"The team that got that draw today played nowhere near as it has in the last six weeks but that happens in football at this stage of the season.
"It was very hot out there but I don't want to make any excuses because I just didn't think we played very well."
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