United roared into the second round of the Carling Cup with a stunning win over League One side Bristol Rovers this evening. Four goals in the first half and a superb exhibition of attacking football in the second ripped Rovers to pieces as The U's rolled back the years in their favourite competition.

Back in the competition they won in 1986, but more importantly back in the competition at all, United named an unchanged line up after the encouraging draw at Burton on the opening day.

Both sides had half chances in a bright opening with Constable putting a free header wide after seven minutes as former Watford man Will Hoskins chesting down neatly but having the ball whipped off his toes by the alert Damian Batt on ten minutes.

It was difficult to discern a division's difference between the sides even at that stage but anyone guessing Rovers was in for a shock in the next ten minutes of football carnage.

On eighteen minutes United took a deserved lead. Neat build up yet again led to Matt Green rolling a beautifully weighted ball across the edge of the box for the advancing Heslop. The former Barnsley man didn't need to break stride and instantly drove a superb low shot across the diving Mike Green and perfectly into the far corner of the net. A fine goal and great reward for another evening's hard running from the very impressive Heslop.

Five minutes later and it was 2-0. This time Constable turned provider with a clever through ball which sent the entire Rovers defence the wrong way. As they rushed one way like a blue and white tide Green dashed the other and was clear, with Heslop alongside. They raced away with defenders in their wake and just as Green appeared to have left the ball behind he recovered, swivelled and slammed a shot past his stranded namesake.

The fans were lapping it up but sixty seconds later United uncharacteristically let their opponents back into the game. For some reason the marking wasn't as tight as usual and Pirates' midfielder Chris Lines took advantage to cut past a challenge and curl the ball neatly into the corner of the net.

Could The Gas get back into it? Well on 27 the flame was snuffed out as United opened a two goal lead again. It was similar to Green's goal that Constable slipped the ball through as Rovers advanced too far, and too high up the pitch. Green had the run of the pitch and Constable in support. As the keeper came out Green lured him by pretending the ball was stuck between his feet then rolled it nonchalantly to his left for captain Constable to pass into the corner of the net. 3-1.

You might perhaps have expected United to settle for that but no, on they went and within two minutes it was 4-1! Heslop advanced again and hammered his shot into a defender's tackle. No really. The ball (stop it) broke clear and into the no man's land between keeper and defence where Midson had stolen in and kept his composure to snaffle his first of the season by stroking the ball into the corner of the net.

4-1 up and less than half an hour gone? Against higher league opponents? United couldn't have signalled their revival any clearer. Carling don't do first halves, but if they did...*

Rovers had a couple of efforts fly well over Ryan Clarke's bar and started the second half with Jo Kuffour dragging another presentable opening well wide, but were struggling to cope with the United front three and the pace of Green in particular.

It was no surprise then to see the home side score again. Green powered another effort wide on 49 but then came the goal of the night. Hall and Green shone once more down the right and then Heslop sprayed the ball out for Green to free Batt on the overlap. His cross was fast and accurate and Constable leaped and twisted to smash a scissor kick past the startled keeper before he had a chance to move. 5-1.

It was party time and Heslop would have scored the goal of the season if Green hadn't tipped his chipped effort over the bar on 62. Simon Clist almost marked his return with a goal, firing wide on 70 and just missing another Heslop cross on 74 and Midson tested Green's handling again on 77 with a drive from the edge of the box. It really was even more convincing than the scoreline suggests, though in the second minute of stoppage time that scoreline changed as Heslop curled his second of the night in off the post from twenty yards.

A great win and United are definitely back. Come and join us for the ultimate emotional game: a return to Football League home action against Bury this Saturday

Att: 5,008

Away: 661

Fifty/50 winner:103668

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* Yes we know it's the wrong beer but we're enjoying ourselves.