Match ends, Bristol Rovers 7, Alfreton Town 0.
Bristol RoversBristol Rovers7AlfretonAlfreton Town0
Bristol Rovers condemned Alfreton to relegation but their win was not enough to secure the Conference title.
Darrell Clarke's side, who dropped down from League Two last season, began the final day a point behind leaders Barnet and needed the Bees to slip up.
But Barnet were 2-0 winners against Gateshead, meaning Rovers must go through the play-offs if they are to return to the Football League.
Matty Taylor scored two of Rovers' seven goals in a convincing home win.
Jake Gosling, Ellis Harrison, Lee Mansell, Andy Monkhouse and Tom Parkes also found the net for the Pirates, who will meet Forest Green in the play-off semi-finals.
Gosling's curling shot from 25 yards was the pick of their goals, while Harrison scrambled in to double the lead.
Taylor found the net either side of half-time, the second a header from Monkhouse's cross, to make the game safe.
And Rovers enjoyed a late flourish in front of a crowd in excess of 11,000, with Mansell heading in a fifth before Monkhouse and Parkes completed the rout in the dying minutes.
Line-ups
Bristol Rovers
Formation 4-4-2
- 25Puddy
- 4LockyerSubstituted forLeadbitterat 71'minutes
- 5McChrystal
- 14LinesSubstituted forO Clarkeat 71'minutes
- 3Brown
- 6Parkes
- 11Gosling
- 7Mansell
- 23Monkhouse
- 10Taylor
- 17HarrisonSubstituted forBalantaat 62'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Mildenhall
- 2Leadbitter
- 8O Clarke
- 27Blissett
- 29Balanta
Alfreton
Formation 3-5-2
- 1Flynn
- 11Howell
- 2Wood
- 5Graham
- 3Rowe-Turner
- 29Phillips
- 27JohnstonSubstituted forMcDonaldat 60'minutesBooked at 66mins
- 10Bradley
- 26Heaton
- 7SpeightSubstituted forIronsideat 52'minutes
- 12Shaw
Substitutes
- 4Courtney
- 17McDonald
- 18Ironside
- 21Thanoj
- 23Hawley
- Referee:
- Ben Toner
- Attendance:
- 11,085
Match Stats
Home TeamBristol RoversAway TeamAlfreton
- Possession
- Home54%
- Away46%
- Shots
- Home22
- Away3
- Shots on Target
- Home10
- Away1
- Corners
- Home16
- Away16
- Fouls
- Home4
- Away8
Live Text
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Post update
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Full Time
Second Half ends, Bristol Rovers 7, Alfreton Town 0.
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Goal!
Goal! Bristol Rovers 7, Alfreton Town 0. Tom Parkes (Bristol Rovers) header from the left side of the six yard box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Lee Brown with a cross.
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Post update
Andy Monkhouse (Bristol Rovers) hits the bar with a header from the centre of the box. Assisted by Jake Gosling.
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Post update
Corner, Bristol Rovers.
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Post update
Corner, Alfreton Town.
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Goal!
Goal! Bristol Rovers 6, Alfreton Town 0. Andy Monkhouse (Bristol Rovers) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Daniel Leadbitter with a cross.
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Goal!
Goal! Bristol Rovers 5, Alfreton Town 0. Lee Mansell (Bristol Rovers) header from the right side of the six yard box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Lee Brown with a cross.
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Post update
Corner, Bristol Rovers.
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Post update
Attempt missed. Angelo Balanta (Bristol Rovers) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right.
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Post update
Attempt missed. Tom Parkes (Bristol Rovers) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Lee Mansell.
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Post update
Corner, Bristol Rovers.
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Post update
Foul by Joe Ironside (Alfreton Town).
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Post update
Mark McChrystal (Bristol Rovers) wins a free kick.
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Substitution
Substitution, Bristol Rovers. Daniel Leadbitter replaces Tom Lockyer.
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Substitution
Substitution, Bristol Rovers. Ollie Clarke replaces Chris Lines.
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Post update
Foul by Lathanial Rowe-Turner (Alfreton Town).
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Post update
Matty Taylor (Bristol Rovers) wins a free kick.
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Post update
Attempt blocked. Joe Ironside (Alfreton Town) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
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Booking
Massiah McDonald (Alfreton Town) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.