It was a game of two halves as Hartlepool dominated the first, but Rovers should have come back in the second.
The first half belonged to Pools, but they only had one goal to show for it at half-time.
Rovers played their part in a helter-skelter game, but they lost their way in and around the home penalty area.
Home danger man James Brown blasted a good shot from the edge of the area just wide of the target on 20 minutes and Rovers keeper Steve Phillips did well to save at his feet after a great pass across the area by Joel Porter.
The goal came on 39 minutes when Gary Liddle ran at the Rovers defence and when the ball rebounded off his legs, it fell into Brown's path, unmarked on the left of the area, and he calmly slotted in his sixth goal of the season with a neat finish.
After the break, Rovers took control but Rickie Lambert blasted a close-range shot over the bar and home keeper Jan Budtz saved well from Lambert's curling free-kick.
The keeper also did well to keep out a low shot from Steve Elliott as Rovers pounded the home goal, but he was beaten in added time when sub Andy Williams blasted a rising shot against the underside of the bar.
It was a great non-stop game from start to finish and Rovers can claim that on chances they should have got something from the game, but their finishing let them down when it really mattered.