First team coach Paul Trollope said "we got what we deserved" after last night's disappointing Johnstone's Paint Trophy defeat at AFC Bournemouth.

Rovers were convincingly beaten by three goals to nil at the Fitness First Stadium, exiting the competition at the hands of the Cherries for the second successive season.

The result leaves the club out of two competitions with barely a month of the 2008/09 campaign gone, and Paul says it's a lesson his players must quickly learn from.

"Credit and congratulations to Bournemouth, they thoroughly deserved their victory, and we got what we deserved," Paul told bristolrovers.co.uk.

"They produced a very good display, and we looked nothing like the team that performed so well against Hereford and Leeds.

"For me, professional players should be able to play at the same level from Saturday to Tuesday, but we didn't do that today. It was a very disappointing night, and one we have to learn quickly from.

"We were lacking in all areas - our defending, our midfield and passing, our forward play - and that's not something I've not said about this group of players many times.

"Sometimes we play well but don't score, or play well and concede a sloppy goal, but today we just didn't reach our usual levels.

"Maybe we should have changed one or two around, but I believe the players should have the mentality to raise their levels to play two games in a short space of time.

"If we want to make progress as individuals and as a team, then we have to reach our level every game. The players gave their bodies and souls against Hereford and Leeds, but we looked like a different team against Bournemouth.

"It's hugely frustrating, but that's the nature of football. There were maybe two or three positives for about an hour, but as the game went on we just got worse and worse.

"If I was a player in that team I would be looking over my shoulder, and hoping and praying that I'll still be in the team for Saturday.

"We have to hope this is just a blip for us. We have to analyse what went wrong quickly and turn it around, because we have a very tough game against Peterborough on Saturday, and we'll need to be a lot better then if we're going to take anything away from that match."