29 Mar 2007

After seeing Rickie Lambert's 64th-minute goal earn a Millennium Stadium final showdown against Doncaster on April 1, Trollope said: "The lads did us proud over two very close games.

"It's a fantastic night for the club and our supporters. We've had a period in the doldrums and they deserve what will be a fantastic day out."

"We have to attend to our league position because we still think we can make the play-offs, but we'll enjoy this."

"I felt we worked very hard over the two games. We have a lot of respect for City and I think they will get automatic promotion from league one this season."

"But we have proved in the FA Cup and this competition that we can do well against teams from higher leagues. Now we have to transform this performance into our own league displays."

Lambert, a £200,000 summer arrival from League Two rivals Rochdale, struck a sensational volley into the top of the goal to clinch a 1-0 aggregate victory.

City failed to take advantage of their higher league status over the two legs, but they did have an opportunity to take the lead in the third minute when Steve Brooker's low shot was saved by Steve Phillips diving to his right.

Jamie McCombe's 42nd-minute header was cleared off the line by Rovers defender Steve Elliot but they could not make a breakthrough.

There were few chances for either side after the interval, although Brooker headed narrowly wide for City.

But the night was to belong to Lambert as he bagged his fourth goal of the season to send the home fans into raptures.

City manager Gary Johnson said: "We are bitterly disappointed. Over the two games we didn't show our quality and didn't create enough chances.

"We've had a long talk in the dressing room afterwards about why that was the case. The lads are very down, but I still have faith in them."

"They may not think that at the moment because of what I have just said to them. But we still have a huge prize to go for in the shape of promotion and if we get that this evening will be forgotten."

"I am very sorry for our fans who will be as disappointed as we are. I can't believe that over 180 minutes we couldn't create more against this Rovers team."

Match-winner Lambert said: "It's the greatest moment of my career. I'm on cloud nine because it means so much to so many people."

"I didn't know what to do when my volley went in. I was too knackered to run very far and fortunately my team-mates soon collared me. I thought we deserved the victory over the two games."