Craig Davies netted a hat-trick to win the game for Stockport – although the home side had to survive some heavy pressure from the Pirates after the break before securing their win.

Once again, Rovers had their fair share of the game – paticularly in the second half when they created a clutch of chances without finding the net. But it was an all-too-familiar story as Paul Trollope’s men were again left to rue some slack first-half defending.

Stockport made a breakthrough after 27 minutes when Tommy Rowe’s diagonal cross found Davies on the edge of the six-yard box and the Hatters striker slammed home a low first-time shot.

Craig Disley’s first goal of the campaign after 41 minutes put Rovers back in the game when his left-footed snapshot from just outside the box evaded keeper Owain Fon Williams’ dive and found the corner of the net.

But the visitors again paid the price for switching off at the back when Davies lost his marker to nod home Anthony Pilkington’s cross in first-half stoppage time.

Rovers named the same side that had started the 2-0 win over Tranmere a week earlier, but there were two changes on the bench with midfielder Richard Langley and striker Ben Hunt taking the places of Sean Rigg and keeper Mike Green.

Steady rain had left the surface soggy, but groundstaff managed to remove the standing water and referee Steve Bratt passed the pitch fit after a pre-match inspection.

Rovers enjoyed the better of the early chances with former Stockport player Rickie Lambert shooting wide from 16 yards – then Fon Williams made a brilliant save to keep out a deflected shot from Chris Lines.

Though the visitors had an escape after 13 minutes when Davies headed wide from a yard out after a deflection, he was to capitalise on two poor pieces of defending to give the home side the advantage at the break.

Rovers had the better of things in the second period with Jo Kuffour twice going close.

First he caught James Tunnicliffe in possession in his own box but the defender just managed to poke the ball back to his keeper, who hacked clear.

Then Lines put Kuffour through but the striker was unable to get the ball out from under his feet to get in a telling shot.

It took another brilliant diving save from Fon Williams to keep out Lambert’s 18-yard volley, then substitute Darryl Duffy fired an angled shot just wide of the far post.

But there was to be no way back for the Pirates and Davies added a third for County in the dying moments when he sprinted away on the break to fire past Steve Phillips.

Stockport: Fon Williams, Mullins, Tunnicliffe, McNulty, Rose, Pilkington (Gleeson 79), Dicker, Baker (Turnbell, 70), Blizzard, Rowe, Davies (Thompson 90). Subs (not used): Vincent, Johnson.

Bristol Rovers: Phillips, Pipe, Hinton, Elliott, Lescott, Campbell, Disley (Duffy, 68), Lines, Hughes, Lambert, Kuffour Hunt, 85). Subs (not used): R Green, Anthony, Langley.