He also condemned unlucky Doncaster to the play-off lottery as they failed to secure the win that would have secured their place back in the second tier of English football for the first time in 50 years.

Higgs, the hero of the hour, refused to buckle against a second-half Rovers' onslaught.

Stunned

Cheltenham's destiny was in their hands after the dangerous Steven Gillespie put them ahead on 24 minutes.

Rovers equalised through Paul Green 14 minutes from time to set up a grandstand finish and it looked odds on that the visitors would deny Nottingham Forest promotion ahead of them.

But Paul Connor stunned the Yorkshire side with an 85th-minute winner that sealed Rovers' fate of now meeting Southend over two legs.

Higgs was hugged by all his team mates before he confessed: "I'm very relieved. Today we played better than for weeks and it was so important.

"I was pleased with my performance, but it was that last save in the final minute that gave me most satisfaction."

Donny boss, Sean O'Driscoll ordered his crestfallen players to immediately put this devastating result behind them.

He said: "I told them to have a few beers, even kick the cat, to get this out of their system. Hopefully, we have three more massive games to come.

"We gave it a right go in the second half and if it hadn't been for their keeper, we would have been okay."

The Robins controlled the opening exchanges against a nervous Rovers who had lost just once in their previous seven.

Former Liverpool trainee Gillespie didn't do their nerves any good when he beat two defenders and rolled the ball into the net.

Higgs saved from Sam Hird before Gillespie cleared off the line from Gareth Taylor.

Sub Jason Price headed down for Green to equalise but Higgs denied Paul Heffernan and Price before Connor fired home the winner.

Higgs' best save foiled Green late on and left boss Keith Downing crowing: "Everybody writes us off but we keep battling and defying the odds."