Bristol Rovers 3-0 Wycombe Wanderers
Attendance: 6,136 (255)Rovers secured their third home League win of the season with a comprehensive win against Wycombe Wanderers at the Memorial Stadium.
A Matty Taylor 13 minute hattrick secured all three points for Darrell Clarke's men which puts Rovers two points adrift of the play-offs.
Darrell Clarke named the same starting 11 that drew with Exeter City on Saturday which just the one change to the matchday squad as Cristian Montano replaced Chris Lines on the substitutes bench.
Rovers started well and had a succession of chances early on. Initially Lee Mansell's shot stung the palms of Wycombe keeper Matt Ingram before Rory Gaffney wriggled free of his marker before dragging his left footed effort wide of the goal.
Wycombe grew into the game and Sam Wood struck the outside of the post from inside the penalty area with just under 15 minutes played.
We had to wait until the half hour mark for the next attack of any note as Daniel Leadbitter shown Sido Jombati a clean pair of heels as he advanced into the penalty area before opting to shoot at the goalkeeper's near post but Ingram was again equal to it.
Darrell Clarke's men continued to press for the opening goal as Rory Gaffney linked up very well up front before Gaffney laid the ball into the path of Taylor who turned James McCarthy before lashing his left footed effort just wide of the goal.
Just before half time it was Matty Taylor who turned provider for Rory Gaffney playing a lovely ball to the on loan frontman before he sliced his effort over the crossbar.
Both sides came out well for the second half exchanging shots that never troubled either keeper. First Matty Taylor hit his shot wide of the post from inside the area before Anthony Stewart hit his 35-yard effort both high and wide of Lee Nicholls goal.
Darrell Clarke brought Billy Bodin into the action just before the hour mark and he was involved instantly as he squared the ball to Lee Mansell on the edge of the penalty area only to see him clattered by James McCarthy.
Mansell dusted himself down and was part of the trio stood over the ball for the resulting free kick. Matty Taylor put the ball into the path of Mansell who gave him the ball back straight away for Taylor to power a first time shot past Matt Ingram to put Rovers a goal to the good.
Moments later Taylor hit the back of the net again. This time Billy Bodin was fouled in the centre of the pitch before a quick bit of thinking from Stuart Sinclair played in Taylor from the quick free kick and Taylor made no mistake doubling his tally for the evening.
Taylor could have had a 10 minute hattrick had it not have been from a fantastic reaction save from Matt Ingram. Daniel Leadbitter found some space on the Rovers right before delivering a ball into the far post where Taylor directed the ball goalwards only to see Ingram claw the ball off the line.
However Matty wouldn't be denied the match ball as with just over 15 minutes of the game remaining Taylor latched onto some poor defending in the penalty area from Wanderers before calmly stroking the ball past a hapless Matt Ingram.
Rovers didn't seem content with just the three goal lead as they continued to threaten Matt Ingram's goal as Billy Bodin, Lee Mansell and Jermaine Easter all tested Ingram from range but couldn't add to Rovers goal tally.
Rovers have this weekend off before Darrell Clarke's men entertain York City at the Mem on Saturday 12th December.
Rovers: Nicholls; Leadbitter (Cowan-Hall - 79), J. Clarke, Lockyer, Parkes, Brown; Mansell, O. Clarke (Bodin - 58), Sinclair; Taylor (Easter - 84), Gaffney.
Unused Substitutes: Mildenhall (GK), McChrystal, Montano, Harrison.
Wycombe: Ingram; Jombati, Stewart, Thompson (Ugwu - 65), Hayes (Amandi-Holloway - 65), Bloomfield, Wood, Rowe, Harriman, O'Nien, McCarthy.
Unused Substitutes: Lynch (GK), McGinn, Banton, Sellers, Kretzschmar.