Cardiff 5-1 Bristol Rovers

Cardiff City celebrated their 200th FA Cup match with a first round tie at home to Bristol Rovers and threw the form guide out of the window as Robert Earnshaw scored a second half hat-trick at Ninian Park.

After going a goal down, Third Division City took the game to their Division Two visitors and eventually ran out comprehensive 5-1 winners to secure a second round tie against Cheltenham Town.

A goal after eight minutes gave this Severn-side derby the perfect start and it was a former Bristol City man who got his name on the scoresheet to give Rovers the lead.

Joe Jordan's son, Andy, making his full debut for the Welsh club in the absence of Jeff Eckhardt, looped a back-header from the edge of the area beyond his goalkeeper, Mark Walton, and into the net.

Cardiff responded immediately, Jason Bowen breaking the visitors' offside trap only to see Nick Culkin narrow the angles and deflect his effort wide.

However Culkin was unable to prevent City levelling on 14 minutes.

Andy Legg, a constant threat, launched a deep throw into a melee of players in the Bristol box which Culkin could not claim.

The ball fell to Kevin Evans who whipped a volley through a forest of players to the delight of the home fans.

Moments later Legg and Evans combined again but the goalscorer's long range effort cannoned wide.

The Bluebirds looked to profit from long balls and deep crosses to Leo Fortune-West, but prior to half-time it was his strike partner, Earnshaw, who threatened to give Cardiff the lead.

After the interval the young Zambian-born striker delivered the vital second goal, latching onto an Evans through-ball before rolling the ball beyond the on-rushing Culkin into the far corner of the net.

On 68 minutes Culkin and Andy Thomson combined to deny Fortune-West, but moments later the former Rotherham striker rose to head in from a corner earning a well deserved goal.

However it was Fortune-West's diminutive strike partner who went on to steal the show with two late strikes to complete a second-half hat-trick against the Pirates' hapless defence.

On 78 minutes, Josh Low fed Earnshaw after a determined midfield run, before the striker drew the keeper and rolled his second goal into the empty net.

The Bluebird faithful were still celebrating their fourth three minutes later when Earnshaw latched onto Fortune-West's knock-down to score his third and ensure Cardiff a 201st FA Cup tie.

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Cardiff City: Walton, Legg, Young, Jordan, Low, Gabbidon, Bonner, Evans, Bowen, Fortune-West, Earnshaw.
Subs: Greene, Brayson, Nogan, Collins, Brazier.

Bristol Rovers: Culkin, Foster, Thomson, Astafjevs, Ellington, Bryant, Bignot, Hogg, Johansen, Wilson, Jones.
Subs: Clarke, Ellis, Hillier, Foran, Walters.

Referee: D Gallagher (Banbury).