Saints ran riot in Bristol as three second half goals sealed a thumping 5-1 win at the Memorial Stadium.

The visitors went a goal down against the run of play from a dubiously awarded penalty which Jeff Hughes tucked away, but Saints hit back with two goals at the end of the half from former Rovers hit-man Rickie Lambert, the first a glancing header from a corner, the second a well struck free-kick from distance almost on the whistle.

In the second 45 Saints came out all guns blazing, and were rewarded with a first professional goal in 79 games for Morgan Schneiderlin who won't strike many better, as he let fly from range to spark wild celebration amongst his teammates.

Adam Lallana and Jason Puncheon weighed in with two well taken efforts in quick succession inside the last 20 minutes with the latter instrumental in the former's goal before he then jinked his way through for a fine individual finish to seal the win.

Bristol Rovers: Andersen, Anthony, Coles, Elliott (Regan 48), Jones, Blizzard, Lines, Campbell, Hughes, Williams, Kuffour. Subs (not used): Evans, Wright, Duffy, Reece, Swallow, Richards.

Saints: Davis, Otsemobor, Fonte, Seaborne, Harding, Puncheon (Papa Waigo 76), Hammond, Schneiderlin, Lallana, Antonio (Connolly 81), Lambert (Barnard 79). Subs (not used): Bialkowski, Perry, Wotton, James.

Referee: Mr. P. Crossley (Kent)

Attendance: 8,607 (including 1,746 away)

Alan Pardew selected the same side that started Saturday's 1-0 win over Charlton at St. Mary's with Radhi Jaidi, Graeme Murty and Wayne Thomas all still unavailable.

Saints got things underway attacking the South Stand where the majority of the 1,800 strong travelling supporters were housed on a mild evening in Bristol.

A purposeful start from the visitors led to Michail Antonio's low strike kept out by his Reading teammate Mikkel Andersen in the Rovers goal, as Saints looked lively early on.

The opportunities continued to rain in from the visitors as Lambert got his first sniff of goal by glancing Puncheon's corner narrowly over, before Puncheon's low delivery was almost diverted into his own net by Steve Elliott as Andersen produced a fine reflex save.

Antonio had to be alert at the other end to deny Chris Line' header from a corner, and then the winger was involved in a melee in the other area as a host of red and white shirts queued up to try and convert Lambert's header back across the box before the ball ended up out of play.

On 22 minutes however, the hosts were awarded a soft looking penalty when Jo Kuffour went down under a challenge from Fonte on the byline inside the area.
Midfielder Jeff Hughes stepped up to convert past Kelvin Davis into the bottom left hand corner at the end where he did the same in the FA Cup earlier this season.

Rovers almost followed up with a second moments later when Andy Williams broke free on the left, but he curled his low shot wide of Davis' left hand post.

Saints responded with Hammond's header inside the six yard box which narrowly bounced wide as he got on the end of Puncheon's pinpoint cross from the right just shy of the half hour mark.

In the 32nd minute the hosts went close to doubling their advantage when Kuffour smashed the frame of the goal with a drive from just inside the area after being put through by Dom Blizzard's defence splitting pass.

Blizzard was then cautioned for bringing down Antonio as he sped away on the left and from the next attack Saints drew level from another corner.
Puncheon's ball in from the right was met powerfully by former Rovers front man Lambert, who kept to his word by not celebrating as he peeled away to the visiting support.

Two minutes later the number seven turned the game on its head with a dead ball strike of real quality. The striker lined up a central shot from over 25 yards which kicked off the surface and flew into the back of the net leaving 'keeper Mikkel Andersen rooted to the spot.

Saints saw out the half and took a lead going into the break which their early endeavour had deserved, but looked sure to have to work hard in the second period to hold on against a workman like home side.

Half Time: Bristol Rovers 1-2 Saints

Shortly into the new half Rovers were forced into an early change when defender Steve Elliott limped off the pitch and was replaced by Carl Regan.

Persistence from Antonio on 54 culminated in Saints' third, which was one that young French midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin will always remember.

As Antonio forced his way though from the right, the ball broke loose via Puncheon to the number 19 who struck a dipping shot from distance to register his first goal for the Club.

The visitors moved up a gear, as further efforts from Antonio and then Lallana from inside the box looked destined to bring a fourth before too long as they narrowly missed the target.

Lines went close at the other end just past the hour mark with two headers in quick succession. His first off the back of Daniel Jones' free-kick from the left was kept out by Davis, and from the resulting corner, he flashed an effort wide.

With just under 20 minutes remaining Andy Williams delivered another warning as Otsemobor made a timely interception to deny the midfielder which was the catalyst for two quick fire goals to kill off the hosts.

The first arrived on 73 minutes through Lallana who collected Puncheon's ball at the far post before bending a controlled shot past Andersen into the bottom corner.

The next arrived under two minutes later as Puncheon completed the job he started with a fine individual run and shot from right left which arrowed into the same far corner to make it 5-1.

Alan Pardew then withdrew Puncheon, Antonio and Lambert intermittently, the latter to an ovation from both sets of supporters as Papa Waigo, David Connolly and Lee Barnard were unleashed on a tiring Rovers back line for the last ten minutes or so.

A scrappier end to the game mattered not as the contest had long been won which saw Saints climb above Rovers in the table and creep ever closer to the top six.

Full Time: Bristol Rovers 1-5 Saints