Three goals for the hosts during the opening 32 minutes quickly made the contest an uphill struggle for Neil Wood’s side, who showed glimpses of their quality in possession but failed to find their cutting edge in the final third.
Manager Wood made a raft of changes at half-time, and the Reds toiled manfully in trying to find a route back into the game, but a powerful strike from Rovers midfielder Madger Gomes just before the hour-mark ended all but the faintest hopes of a revival.
A fifth goal for the home team followed just before the final whistle, when stalwart midfielder James Coppinger found the corner of the net with a fine curled finish.