Bristol Rovers 2 Tranmere Rovers 0: Craig Hinton could probably have been excused if his mind had started to wander to a pressing domestic matter during Saturday's game.

For while he was helping Bristol Rovers secure their first win in seven matches, back at home his partner Vicki was due to produce their first child – a baby boy.

Given the defender's impressive performance, there were certainly no signs that he was focused on anything other than the job in hand after being recalled to the side.

He and right-back David Pipe, the other player restored to the starting line-up in a defensive reshuffle, both responded with eye-catching performances as the visitors were allowed barely a sniff of the Pirates' goal.

"We probably didn't play as well as we have in some recent games, but we defended solidly and got three points – and that's the most important thing," said Hinton.

"Sloppy mistakes had been causing us problems, but we defended well as a team this time, which is something that had maybe been lacking.

"We know if we keep a clean sheet we are capable of winning games because with the forward players we've got, we are always going to create chances."

This was Rovers' first clean sheet in nine outings and it was their composure, communication and organisation at the back that was the bedrock of their victory.

The breakthrough took a while to come in a first half that was not exactly packed with incident.

But four minutes before the interval, Craig Disley seized on a loose ball in Tranmere's box and did well to get to the byline before cutting the ball back towards the near post, where Jo Kuffour netted neatly with a cheeky back-heeled flick.

Early in the second half, Kuffour fed Chris Lines inside the Tranmere half and the midfielder set off on a powerful solo run which carried him deep into the visitors' box before he slotted home through keeper Danny Coyne's legs.

And with a two-goal cushion, the home side rarely looked like being pegged back.

"The second one was a great goal," said Hinton. "Linesy has got that turn of pace and he produced a great finish."

Hinton could and probably should have got on the scoresheet himself but somehow contrived to smash the ball against a post from a yard out – although there was a suspicion a linesman may have been flagging for offside.

"I've come close in the last two games I've played so hopefully it will be third time lucky in the next one," said Hinton.

Coyne also pulled off good saves to block a Kuffour volley after Rickie Lambert had set him up with a downward header, and to beat out a fierce angled shot from Disley.

Lambert then went close to scoring his 19th goal of the season when he fired narrowly wide following a Stuart Campbell free-kick late in the game.

Tranmere boss Ronnie Moore felt that his side's midweek FA Cup replay at Peterborough, which they lost in extra-time, had left his players looking jaded, although he refused to accept it as an excuse.

"We looked tired and kept playing long balls all day, which isn't us – it was a below-par performance," he said.

"Bristol Rovers had been struggling for a win and we said in the dressing room before the game that we needed to go out and assert ourselves, but it just didn't happen. We had too many players off-colour.

"I said to Lennie Lawrence afterwards that I was disappointed we couldn't give them more of a game."

In contrast, Rovers performed well in just about every department. In addition to Hinton and Pipe's displays, Jeff Hughes gave probably the best account of his talents since joining the club and Lines had a huge impact on proceedings in the second half after his marvellous goal.

Lambert, unusually, may not have got on the scoresheet himself but played a key role up front with some intelligent link play.

And Kuffour's first goal on home soil – his second in successive games – was further evidence that he is also capable of embarking on a useful scoring streak.

Most importantly, the recent run which had seen Rovers get very little from some decent performances was put to rest.

"We shouldn't really be where we are in the table but there have been a lot of games this season where we've not taken the points we've deserved," said Hinton. "Hopefully now that's behind us and we can keep moving up the table."

With his post-match media duties complete, he was understandably keen to get home.

"It's the X Factor final – I don't want to miss it!" he said.