Bristol Rovers

Kuffour (25), Heffernan (39), Lines (45), Hughes (61)

Swindon Town 0

Rovers pulled off a classic away win against Swindon Town at the County Ground this afternoon.

First half goals from Jo Kuffour, Paul Heffernan and Chris Lines gave them a comfortable half time lead and when Jeff Hughes added a fourth just after the hour mark it was game over.

Manager Paul Trollope made one change to his starting lineup for this afternoon's game.

Mikkel Andersen, who missed Tuesday night's 1-0 win against Stockport County due to his international call up, replaced Rhys Evans in goal.

There was an early scare for Rovers when Alan Sheehan's first minute free kick, awarded after a foul on Billy Paynter, hit the post and was hacked away by Daniel Jones.

Swindon kept up the pressure and Paynter saw a shot comfortably gathered by Andersen before Byron Anthony picked up a caution for his challenge on Danny Ward.

In a rare Rovers breakaway Jo Kuffour found himself in space down the right but as he advanced on goal he hit a cross straight into the arms of a grateful David Lucas.

The home side then had another opportunity to take the lead when Andersen touched away Ward's shot bit only as far as Charlie Austin.

However Steve Elliott was on hand to get a block on his shot and the chance was gone. Jon-Paul McGovern hit a free kick into Rovers defensive wall, but that was as good as it got for the home side because, within a minute, they were behind.

A ball forward was flicked on by Heffernan to Kuffour and the striker ran on, spotted Lucas off his line and floated the ball over the keeper's head and saw his effort nestle in the back of the net.

Rovers were in the ascendancy following the goal and enjoyed a great deal of pressure before they scored a second goal with six minutes of the half remaining.

Swindon failed to deal with Stuart Campbell's corner and a half hearted clearance reached Anthony. His cross to the back post was knocked down to Heffernan by Kuffour and the on loan Doncaster player, with his back to goal, swivelled and hit a shot past Lucas.

It got even better for Rovers as half time approached. Rovers were awarded a free kick some twenty yards from goal and up stepped Chris Lines to curl a superb effort over the defensive wall and into the top corner of the net.

The home side applied some pressure at the start of the second half and forced a couple of early corners but their goal attempted were long range efforts from Paynter and

Gordon Greer which were well wide of the mark and a shot from Danny ward that was blocked by Anthony.

The fourth goal, though, arrived on 61 minutes when Dominic Blizzard held the ball up on the right and played the ball back to Anthony. He found Kuffour in space and his ball across the face of goal allowed Hughes a simple tap in from two yards out, much to the delight of the travelling Gasheads behind the goal.

To their credit Swindon continued to push forward, albeit half heartedly, and they did create further chances. Substitute Matt Ritchie saw his low shot saved comfortably by Andersen and then hit a long range effort over the bar.

At the other end Heffernan drew a save from Fraser and the striker could have added a fifth goal after Andersen had saved well from Ritchie. However his angled drive was too close to Fraser who saved comfortably.

Andersen saved easily from Paynter while Daniel Jones went close to opening his Rovers account with a free kick that drifted wide of the upright.

Paynter saw another shot blocked by Elliott, Danny Coles blocked an effort from Ward and Paynter hit the crossbar, while Andersen pulled off the save of the match from McGovern, when he touched the midfielder's long range effort round the post.

Substitute Andy Williams almost added another goal in time added on but rolled his shot across the face of goal and just wide of the upright.

Team; Mikkel Andersen, Byron Anthony, Danny Coles, Steve Elliott, Daniel Jones, Dominic Blizzard, Chris Lines, Stuart Campbell, Jeff Hughes, Paul Heffernan (Andy Williams,79) Jo Kuffour

Substitutes; Carl Regan, Mark Wright, Charlie Reece, Ben Swallow, Eliot Richards, Rhys Evans

Booked: Anthony, Lines

Swindon Town: David Lucas, Gordon Greer, Scott Cuthbert, Alan Sheehan, Jon-Paul McGovern, Jonathan Douglas, Simon Ferry (Matt Ritchie, 63), Danny Ward, Charlie Austin (Vincent Pericard, 55), Billy Paynter

Substitutes: Craig Easton, Michael Timlin, Phil Smith, Sean Morrison, Lescinel Jean-Francois

Booked: Greer, Sheehan, Douglas

Attendance:10,341

Rovers supporters: 1,432