DMW March 28, 2000

STRIKER Derek Hall helped himself to a hat-trick as Rovers turned in another poor defensive display at the Moorlands last night.

Revelling on a beautiful, lush surface, promotion chasing Moors started brightly with ex-Greens players Stewart Brighton, Mark Crisp and Richard Softley all playing their part in some neat early moves.

The home side were gifted their opening goal after only eight minutes. Visiting 'keeper Nore Gabbidon fumbled a harmless looking high cross and Hall ruthlessly tucked the ball away.

To their credit, Rovers rallied and should have been level four minutes later. Ten-goal man Peter Sutton fended off all-comers during a stubborn burst down the right wing. Cutting inside, he tried his luck with a low shot that Jim Arnold parried as far as Graham Brown, who drove the rebound well wide.

Sutton then saw a further effort from Quentin Townsend's through ball hastily cleared.

Two goals in three minutes just before the break effectively put the game beyond the visitors' reach. Softley got both of them -- the first a close range shot, the second a near post header, both from Steve Round crosses.

Moors showed their shell-shocked opponents no mercy by adding a fourth two minutes after the interval, a sharp shot on the turn from Hall.

The rout was completed on 63 minutes. Softley tumbled over in the box and Hall made no mistake from the penalty spot to complete his hat-trick.

Skipper Mark Bowater, who was clearly frustrated by his team-mates' lacklustre efforts, was thrown forward in a bid to pep up the attack, but Rovers were restricted to long range efforts that failed to trouble Arnold.

In short, a display totally devoid of character or ideas.

Rovers: Gabbidon, Townsend, Ulfig, Ashley (sub Davies 66), Bowater, Jinks, Benbow (sub Biddle 73), Colwell, Sutton, Daley, Brown (sub Humphreys 66).

Attendance: 300. Rovers man of the match: Mark Bowater.