Lincoln City continued their excellent run to give a boost to seriously ill manager Keith Alexander.
Alexander, who remains in hospital, was again missing but his players, who wore T-shirts with the boss' picture on, produced a superb second-half performance to leave them with just one defeat in their last 18 games.
It looked likely to be a different story early on with Rovers creating plenty of chances in the first 45 minutes.
Ryan Williams, on loan from Hull City, had a 25-yard shot blocked by Lincoln keeper Alan Marriott in the seventh minute.
But Lincoln went in front four minutes later thanks to the persistence of striker Gary Fletcher. The front man forced Rovers defender Anwar Uddin into a mistake leaving Simon Yeo with the simple task of firing past Kevin Miller.
The Pirates drew level seven minutes later when Wayne Carlisle easily beat the exposed Marriott after the Lincoln defence was caught out by a cross from Dave Savage.
Marriott then kept out a long-range shot from Adam Barrett before sprinting off his line to keep out an effort from Carlisle. But the keeper produced his best save in the 43rd minute when he brilliantly pushed over a goalbound shot from Graham Hyde.
Seconds before half-time Barrett should have put the Pirates in front but failed to get any power behind his shot and Paul Morgan cleared off the line.
Rovers substitute David Gilroy put an easy header wide before Lincoln took advantage of a defensive mistake to go in front.
A 56th minute corner from Paul Mayo was dropped by keeper Kevin Miller leaving Ben Futcher with the simple task of scoring from close range.
Niall McNamara then spooned over the easiest of chances before Lincoln clinched the points in the 87th minute. A cross from Mayo flicked off a defender into the path of Fletcher who headed firmly into the net.