Luton boss Jack Wilshere praised match-winner Gideon Kodua after his injury-time goal settled a see-saw FA Cup first round classic against Forest Green.
The hosts led 3-0, helped by Nahki Wells’ double, but were pegged back to 3-3 by Robbie Savage’s Rovers before Kodua’s late strike secured a dramatic 4-3 win.
Wilshere said: “It’s the FA Cup and I tried to tell the players and I think they can see now, (you will have trouble) if you don’t match the effort and find that little bit of quality which we found at the end with a nice touch, nice assist and nice finish.
“Credit to them and that is a Robbie Savage team if you’re ever going to get a Robbie Savage team.
“I’m happy for Gids as he’s struggled a little bit for confidence. We decided to give him a rest, but last game the subs came on and won us the game and they did it again.”
Luton had led 2-0 at the break through Lamine Fanne and Wells, who then made it 3-0 from close range on 53 minutes.
But Tom Knowles hammered home via a deflection, Kyle McAllister converted from the spot after a foul by Teden Mengi and Aidan Dausch made it 3-3 with 11 minutes left.
Laurent Mendy hit the bar before Kodua scored, although Dausch should still have made it 4-4 as he sliced wide.
Rovers manager Savage said: “I’m proud and a bit emotional. Second half would have been one of the greatest cup ties we’ve seen in a while.
“At half-time I said ‘This is not us, have a go, you’re on the TV, play with a freedom, get close to people’. We were so good and that’s the proudest I’ve ever been in my footballing journey.
“The hardest thing to take is that we’ve given them goals with our mistakes.”
