Northampton are unbeaten away from home so far this season and went into the game with the determination to keep that run going.
They pressured Rovers from the start and were unlucky not to win an early penalty when Scott McGleish appeared to have his heels clipped by Robbie Ryan.
That decision was matched late in the first half when Rovers striker Richard Walker was brought down as he raced into the box. The tackle looked equally as dubious as the one earlier from Ryan.
Northampton were using a 4-5-1 formation and Rovers were finding it difficult to pick up the support runners for McGleish.
They were lucky in that their visitors lacked a real killer instinct in front of goal although Eoin Jess and Chris Doig went close.
Rovers had a more simple game plan to hurry the ball forward for Junior Agogo to chase. He had the energy to do so in what was often a lone battle.
He had a bruising encounter with centre-back Luke Chambers that ended with the Northampton captain being put out of the action with a leg injury.
Rovers were targeting Ian Taylor and the fourth foul on him saw the midfielder return from touchline treatment with his head heavily bandaged.
While the visitors were dictating the flow of the game Rovers still had their chances, Agogo forcing a diving save from Lee Harper and Chris Carruthers drawing an even better save with a stinging left-foot drive.
Harper did well to turn that one round his left post for a rare home corner.
Chances to break the stalemate fell intermittently to both sides in the second half. a sprawling stop by Scott Shearer kept out Taylor.
Michael Leary then found a gap to pump in a long-range shot which went just wide but Rovers were always looking to Agogo in the hope he would win it for them.