DMW March 4, 2000

IN case you're wondering, little has changed about The Causeway, Cinderford, since Rovers' humiliating FA Cup defeat in November 1995.

It wasn't pouring with rain this time, but the pitch still resembles a sticky, squelchy bog -- so congratulations to both teams for trying to play football on it.

Two-goal bursts around the half-hour mark and late in the second period earned the Greens their biggest away win of the season and deserved applause from the 70-odd fans who had ventured into the darkest Forest of Dean.

"If we'd have scored nine goals, Cinderford couldn't have complained,'' said boss Steve Daley.

"We were told they were very slow at the back. On that sort of pitch we knew they'd be even slower so we tried to use the flanks as much as we could.

"Pushing Ryan (Daley) upfield alongside Peter Sutton and Mark Benbow worked well, Ryan could have had three or four goals.''

"They came back at us after the break but we withstood the pressure and the third goal killed them.''

Undeterred by the unhelpful surface, Rovers set off like a train with Benbow frequently troubling the sluggish back line.

Daley's first time shot forced a good stop from Paul Weeks before the deadlock was broken with a bizarre 28th minute goal. In a desperate attempt to block Daley's effort, Andy Weeks booted the ball forward but it cannoned off Daley's back, looped goalwards and evaded the bemused 'keeper's reach.

Goal number two on 32 minutes was more conventional, a low left wing cross by the impressive Andy Biddle tucked away at the near post by Benbow.

The early part of the second half was evenly contested as Town battled to get back in contention.

On another Saturday, striker Dave Toomey could have had a hat-trick. He was denied twice by Nore Gabbidon, fired wide from a good position and was also thwarted by a deadly combination of Quentin Townsend and Mark Bowater with only the 'keeper to beat.

Bubbly Rovers had no such problems, however, doubling their advantage with 86th and 88th minute strikes.

Benbow grabbed his second of the afternoon, following up Sutton's parried shot, and Sutton completed the rout with an unstoppable 20 yard drive.

Rovers: Gabbidon, Townsend, Ulfig, Ashley (sub Turpin 89), Bowater, Jinks, Davies (sub Humphries 89), Benbow (sub Brown 89), Sutton, Daley, Biddle.

Attendance: 132. Rovers man of the match: Mark Benbow.