MARK Danks' brilliant brace made sure Rovers humbled high-flying Hinckley and sparked a comeback in a pulsating FA Cup third qualifying round at the Victoria Ground on Saturday.
Rovers had to battle back from a goal by Marc McGregor inside the first minute and were inspired by Danks' two goals in two minutes to put them ahead.
Former Hinckley midfielder Wayne Dyer put the cup tie out of the Leicestershire side's reach when he headed the third goal in the 88th minute.
Rovers manager Jimmy Mullen decided on a cautious 4-5-1 formation, playing Carl Adams alongside Scott Hadland and Dyer in midfield, to stifle their Conference North opponents.
However, his plans went out of the window when McGregor took advantage of Rovers' sleepy defending to prod the ball past goalkeeper Tim Clarke in the 44th second.
The goal stunned the home side and Hinckley pinned them back in search of a second goal to kill the tie off.
Clarke came out bravely to take opposite number Ryan Price's long ball forward with McGregor rampaging towards him in the 17th minute. Geohagan also blocked the Hinckley striker's shot minutes later.
Rovers began to find their feet and started to cause the visitors problems. Scott Hadland was inches away from levelling the score in the 20th minute.
Right winger Anthony Maguire got away from his marker and slipped the ball to Danks on the left of the box. The striker's low centre flew across the face of goal, which the sliding Hadland just missed.
Sensing Hinckley were vulnerable Mullen took off makeshift left back Mark Benbow and brought on striker Matthew Barnes-Homer in the 25th minute.
Price had to tip over Banner's curling shot in the box in the 30th minute and Danks' dangerous left wing cross three minutes later flew across Price's goal.
Exodus Geohaghan, who improved after a shaky start, then blocked late-arriving Jamie Lenton's shot in the 39th minute.
Rovers came out confidently and levelled the scores in the 62nd minute. Geohaghan strode into midfield and was brought down by McGregor from behind.
Banner swung in the free kick and Danks rose highest to head the ball past Price into the left corner.
Two minutes later Rovers deservedly went into the lead, after Price brought down Barnes-Homer as he skipped past Hinckley's panicking defence. Danks stepped up to fire the spot-kick to the right of the diving Hinckley goalkeeper.
The Conference side poured forward in search of an equaliser. Clarke brilliantly tipped substitute Laurent Cluzel's far post header away in the 77th minute and Sam Shilton's corner from the left flew past everyone in the box five minutes later.
Dyer sealed an emphatic victory in the 88th minute. Danks' right wing cross-found sub Jason Ramsay on the left of Hinckley's box and he passed to the waiting Banner.
The winger sent in an accurate ball, which Dyer stooped to head and saw bounce off the left post and across the line for Rovers' third goal.
Rovers: Clarke 7, Benbow 5 (Barnes-Homer, 7, 25mins), Hillman 7, Male 8, Geohaghan 7, Hadland 7, Maguire 7 (Ramsay, 77mins, 7), Dyer 7, Danks 8, Adams 7, Banner 6.
Hinckley: Price 5, Cartwright 6, Lenton 6, Lavery 5, Heeley 6, Woolley 5, Storer 6, Jackson 5 (O Story, 69mins, 6), McGregor 7 (Brown, 81mins, 5) Lewis 7 (Cluzel, 69mins, 6) Shilton 7. b Referee:
Mr C Henry (Desborough).
Attendance: 425.
By Peter McKinney
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