Bristol Rovers

Attendance: 1,909

Bristol Rovers progressed into the FA Cup first round draw after a convincing 1-7 Victory over Dorchester Town.

Goals from Lee Mansell and Matty Taylor, coupled with an Andy Monkhouse brance and Ellis Harrison hat-trick secured Rovers path into the first round with Dorchester skipper Nathan Walker grabbing a consolation goal for the Magpies.

Darrell Clarke made two changes to the side that lost 0-1 to Forest Green last weekend bringing Tom Lockyer and Ellis Harrison into the starting line-up.

Adam Cunnington drops to the bench with Tom Lockyer back in the side replacing the suspended Daniel Leadbitter.

Rovers started the brighter of the two teams and wanted to make a mark on the game early. Good combination play between Ellis Harrison and Matty Taylor crafted an opportunity for Taylor but he couldn’t find the target.

However, this would be an early warning shot for Dorchester.

With 15 minutes gone Lee Brown’s driven cross fell to Andy Monkhouse in the Magpies area who directed it goalwards only to see Alan Walker-Harris make a very unconvincing save.

Moments later it was Monkhouse who put Rovers in front. Great hold up play from Matty Taylor allowed Monkhouse the space to fire under the Dorchester keeper.

Rovers doubled their lead less than 5 minutes later as Ellis Harrison took the ball away from Oakley Hanger and squared the ball to Matty Taylor who lashed the ball past Walker-Harris.

Jake Gosling should have increased Rovers lead just past the half hour mark but the former Dorchester loanee blasted over from the edge of the area after an inch perfect knock down from Andy Monkhouse.

With just 2 minutes played of the second half Lee Mansell put Rovers further ahead with a powerful finish from just inside the Dorchester penalty area.

More great play inside the box from Matty Taylor crafted the opportunity for the Rovers skipper who finished emphatically lashing the ball past Alan Walker-Harris.

Dorchester managed to pull one back moments later as skipper Nathan Walker headed in from a Nick Crittenden free kick.

Ellis Harrison extended Rovers lead on the hour mark following some great build-up play from Lee Brown.

Brown powered down the left flank before beating Tony Rolls on the edge of the area to Harrison who placed his shot into the bottom right corner of the goal.

Referee Dean Treleaven initially ruled the goal out for an offside on Matty Taylor before his assistant deemed that he was not interfering with play.

Rovers pressed hard to make it 5 but saw chances from Jake Gosling and substitute Jamie White fail to hit the target.

Ellis Harrison scored his second of the game with just over 10 minutes remaining after a lovely pass from Lee Brown.

The Rovers full back prevented a Dorchester attack before picking out the young Welshman powering through the middle of the pitch. Brown picked out Harrison to put him one-on-one with Walker-Harris and the Rovers front man calmly slotted the ball home.

Andy Monkhouse grabbed his second of the game in the 85th minute heading home from Jake Gosling’s cross.

The Gibraltar international picked out Monkhouse from the Rovers right with Monkhouse heading powerfully past Alan Walker-Harris.

Ellis Harrison rounded off the scoring in injury time latching onto a loose ball in the Dorchester penalty area and fired under Walker-Harris to complete his hat-trick.

The draw for the FA Cup first round takes place on Monday (27th) October at 7pm and will be live on BBC Two with Rovers as ball number 62.

Dorchester: Walker-Harris, Rolls (Parrett), Hanger, Gleeson Walker (C), Dillon, Crittenden (Godfrey), Lanahan, Smith, Robinson, Davis (Brookes).

Unused Substitutes: Murphy, Brown, Williams, Smeeton.

Rovers: Mildenhall, Lockyer, Trotman (McChrystal), Parkes, Monkhouse, Clarke, Mansell (C) (Thomas), Brown, Gosling, Harrison, Taylor (White – 63).

Unused Substitutes: Puddy, Martin, Cunnington.