BROMSGROVE Rovers need to improve or risk another early cup exit, according to manager Rod Brown.

The Victoria Ground side host Gloucester City in the FA Trophy first qualifying round on Saturday (3pm) looking to do better than they did in the FA Cup.

Rovers’ road to Wembley lasted just 90 minutes when they suffered a humiliating 2-1 exit at West Midlands Premier Division side Ellesmere Rangers in August’s preliminary round.

Boss Brown’s reign started well with Bromsgrove winning their first two British Gas Business Division One Midlands matches without conceding but they were beaten 4-0 at home by Nuneaton Town last Saturday.

Brown was angered by what he saw and insists better is needed if his team are to have a chance of progressing against the Tigers, who are fourth in the Premier Division.

He said: “Maybe it was winning the last two league games that filled us with false confidence but we seemed to coast through the game like we thought we had a right to win it.

“Nuneaton, in contrast, looked like they wanted to get back on track and work hard for the result and it didn’t help our cause to give them a goal after only 35 seconds.

“If we are to make progress, we have to play as a unit and not individuals because I didn’t think there was that much between us.

“We will give it a right good go against Gloucester. But we will have to concentrate as giving away an early or sloppy goal against a team like that could prove fatal.

“They have started well in the league and are a renowned cup-fighting side so we will have our work cut out to win without helping them along.”

Rovers have signed former Walsall striker Cameron Jones from Tamworth with midfielder Matt Birley moving in the opposite direction.