GORMAN PUTS THE CUP HEAT ON PIRATES
Western Daily Press

Southampton caretaker-manager John Gorman shifted the pressure on to Bristol Rovers following yesterday's FA Cup fifth-round draw - claiming the Pirates fans will expect their side to win.

Rovers' reward for Saturday's 1-0 win at Barnet is a home tie against Saints. They are in mid-table in the Championship and without a manager following George Burley's appointment as Scotland boss.

Gorman, the former Swindon Town manager and Bristol City assistant boss, has been put in caretaker charge with Jason Dodd.

And if they are still at the helm for next month's tie, Rovers can be guaranteed the utmost respect from their visitors.

Gorman said: "There is no reason Southampton can't make the quarter-finals or go even further. And Bristol Rovers will be thinking the same thing.

"They have already put Fulham out of the competition (in the third round) so we will give them every respect - just as we did Bury (Southampton won 2-0 on Saturday).

"The first reaction was maybe one of slight disappointment that we had not got one of the big boys because all players love to test themselves against the best. But on reflection it is a decent tie for both of us.

"It gives us a chance to progress, and maybe in some ways it is not a bad thing being away.

"If we had been at home there would be great expectancy on us to win. Now that might fall on Bristol. After beating Fulham their fans will expect them to go through and they might start as favourites."

WE CAN STOP SAINTS IN CUP
Bristol Evening Post

Paul Trollope believes Bristol Rovers' fifth-round home draw against Southampton offers his side the chance to keep their FA Cup dream alive.

The Pirates coach set his sights on a place in the quarter-finals as soon as the final whistle blew in their fourth-round win at Barnet.

And he believes the clash with the Saints at the Memorial Stadium next month will give Rovers, who have already ousted Premier League Fulham, another chance to progress against higher-graded opposition.

"Everybody wants one of the big four clubs from the Premier League - and that's the case as soon as they come into the competition in the third round," said Trollope.

"But if you don't get that, then the first thing you want is a home draw.

"No disrespect to Southampton - because they will go into the tie as favourites and we will be underdogs - but it is one which offers us a chance to progress.

"We will go into it with belief and the aim of getting through to the quarter-finals.

"We have had some good home cup games in the last few seasons and this will certainly be another one in front of a full house. It will be another special occasion for us."

Southampton, who failed to impress in their 2-0 win over Bury at the weekend, occupy a mid-table position in the Championship but are currently without a manager after George Burley quit last week to take over as Scotland boss.

Saints directors are currently drawing up a shortlist as they bid to identify his successor. Chris Coleman, Billy Davies and Paul Ince are among those being linked with the vacancy.

"Their managerial situation does throw a different perspective on things and there may be a bit of uncertainty there over the next few weeks. Whether that situation will be resolved by the time they play us, I don't know," added Trollope.

"To be honest, I don't know all that much about them at the moment, but we will leave it a week and then get two or three of their games watched. We will be prepared by the time the tie comes around."

Saints' joint caretaker boss John Gorman said: "If we had been at home there would be great expectancy on us to win. Now that might fall on Bristol. After beating Fulham their fans will expect them to go through and they might start as favourites.

"The pressure will be on them and we feel we have a good chance to go through to the last eight."

Normal matchday prices will apply and tickets for the game will go on sale to supporters in Priority Group One - season ticket-holders producing Voucher L or members of the Presidents Club, 1883 Club, Helpline or Supporters Cub Share Scheme - from Friday, February 1 to Monday, January 4.

Fans in Group Two - members of the Supporters Club, Young Pirates and Senior Pirates - can buy tickets on Tuesday, February 5 and Wednesday, February 6.

Group Three - fans holding a match ticket or special voucher from this Saturday's home game against Port Vale - can buy tickets on Thursday, Februry 7 and Friday, February 8.

Any remaining will go on general sale on Saturday, February 9. There is a maximum of one ticket per membership.

ROLE ON THE LEFT IS RIGHT FOR LINES
Bristol Evening Post

Chris Lines acknowledges that 2008 could hardly have got off to a better start for him.After spending the first few seasons of his Bristol Rovers career as a fringe player, the 22-year-old Bristolian has managed to establish himself in the starting line-up in recent weeks - and to good effect.

The Pirates head to Crewe Alexandra this evening unbeaten in their last eight games and Lines has been involved in all of them, starting the last seven in a row.

"I've had a good run in the team, which is what I've been waiting for over the last few seasons - and we've been getting good results in the league and the FA Cup as well, which always helps," said Lines.

"Playing in every game is what being a professional footballer is all about and I'm loving it."

Though primarily a central midfielder, Lines has been employed wide on the left in the last few outings.

"I started off in central midfield, which is really my main position, but since then I've been playing wide, which I hadn't really done before apart from a couple of times from the bench," said Lines.

"I've really enjoyed it and I've surprised myself a bit with how well I've been doing because I'm not even left-footed. But I'll take playing anywhere as long as I'm in the side.

"David Pipe out on the right is a different sort of player to me because he's more likely to run down the wing and get crosses in, whereas I do more of the type of thing that Sammy Igoe does for us - coming off our shape, cutting inside and providing passes.

"I don't mind running at defenders - I did it a few times against Fulham - but at Barnet on Saturday I had to do a bit more defensive work because of the sort of game it was."

Though Rovers' FA Cup exploits have been the major source of talk around the club over the last week or so, it's back to the bread and butter at Gresty Road this evening as Paul Trollope's men look to take advantage of a Crewe side who have been struggling for form and have injury worries.

"It's nice to be through to the fifth round of the cup, but now all the focus has to be on the league because we have three or four games in hand," said Lines.

"If we win them, we'll shoot right up the table - but if we don't, we'll be down near the relegation places again. The league is more important for the next few weeks."

Rovers have injury concerns of their own this evening with Pipe a doubt after sustaining a calf injury during the weekend victory at Barnet.

"Pipey is 50-50 with a sore calf, although we don't believe it's a strain," said Trollope.

"Stuart Campbell got studded on his ankle at Barnet and that is very swollen, so he didn't train yesterday. But we are more hopeful about him than we are about David."