It was a comfortable night for Rovers at the Abbey Stadium on Tuesday evening as Sam Allardyce's side registered a 4-0 win.

In their first pre-season outing of the summer, Rovers found their goalscoring touch as they put in a professional display.

Rovers registered two goals in each half, Keith Andrews firing the visitors in front with a well-flighted free-kick on 27 minutes, before poor defending saw El-Hadji Diouf tuck home on 37 minutes.

Allardyce changed his outfield staff for the second half, but it had no detrimental effect on Rovers' dominance - Jason Roberts scoring two near identical close-range goals to wrap things up.

There was even time for a cameo appearance on the right wing for goalkeeper Jason Brown, who delighted the travelling supporters with some neat touches.

As is often the case in the early pre-season matches, boss Sam Allardyce chose to name a team of eleven for the first half and a different side for the second.

The first period saw Rovers line up with Mark Bunn in goal, first senior appearances for Alex Marrow at right back and Gavin Gunning at left back, with captain Ryan Nelsen and Gael Givet at the heart of the defence. Midfield saw Aaron Doran and Diouf on the flanks, with Vince Grella and Andrews in the centre, whilst Paul Gallagher partnered debutante Nick Blackman up front.

The match started at a lively pace, Rovers concentrating on quick short passing, whilst Cambridge afforded their Premier League opponents little time on the ball.

Gallagher had the first chance of the game on the quarter hour when he cut in from the left corner of the area, but his shot across goal was lifted just too high.

The home side offered little as an attacking force, their only chance of the opening half came when Lee Phillips broke through, but he shot tamely at Bunn.

Just before the half hour, Blackman was brought crashing to the ground 25 yards out and up stepped Andrews to score Rovers' first pre-season goal with a delightful free-kick that flew into the top left corner of the helpless Danny Potter's goal.

Grella set Gallagher on his way moments later, but a timely tackle by Coulson thwarted the Scot.

But on 37 minutes, Rovers got a second goal their play deserved, but it was barely down to them as calamitous defending saw Cambridge conspire to tee up Diouf through on goal and he finished with aplomb.

Rovers had chances to further their advantage before the break, Gallagher fizzed an effort narrowly over after Grella's effort was blocked, whilst Andrews tried an audacious 45-yard chip that had a scrambling Potter in the Cambridge goal relieved to see the ball go the wrong side of the crossbar.

Ten changes were made at the start of the second half by Allardyce, only Bunn keeping his place in goal. Summer signing Lars Jacobsen took the right-back spot, with Chris Samba, Zurab Khizanishvili and Stephen Warnock the other defenders. In midfield saw new signing Steven Nzonzi line up alongside the returning David Dunn, with former Academy graduates Keith Treacy and Alan Judge occupying the flanks.

There was a familiar forward pairing for the second half with Benni McCarthy and Roberts leading the line.

And it was Roberts who created Rovers' first chance in the second half, bringing the ball down in the area, he shot goalwards, but a timely boot blocked the shot.

Moments later it was his strike partner McCarthy's turn to go close when he latched onto a Treacy cross from the left, but the South African put his header over the bar.

However Rovers weren't to be denied and the third duly arrived just before the hour mark. The goal started down the left with Treacy sending Warnock away into the penalty area and he laid the ball on a plate for Roberts to tap home from close range.

Judge fired over after some neat passing play, whilst Roberts was denied from close range as Rovers looked for further goals. Dunn saw an overhead kick saved and then fired narrowly over.

There was an injury scare when Treacy went down after a strong challenge, and although he carried on initially, his place was taken by goalkeeper Jason Brown, who was cheered every time he touched the ball in his right wing position.

That change came moments after Rovers added a fourth goal and a fine goal it was two. Again more neat approach play saw Judge and McCarthy play a one-two, before McCarthy centred for Roberts to tap home for his second on the night.

Next stop for Sam Allardyce's side is a trip to Italy to face AS Roma on Thursday evening.

CAMBRIDGE UNITED: Potter (c), Gleeson, Coakley, Coulson, Hatswell, Parkinson, Willmott, Reason, Farrell, Crow, Phillips.
Subs: Beesley, Holroyd, McAuley, Ives, Jordan, Marriott, Hudson, Wright.

ROVERS 1st half: Bunn, Marrow, Nelsen (c), Givet, Gunning, Doran, Andrews, Grella, Blackman, Diouf, Gallagher.

ROVERS 2nd half: Bunn, Jacobsen, Brown, Samba, Khizanishvili, Warnock, Judge, Dunn, Nzonzi, Treacy (sub Brown 79 mins), Roberts, McCarthy.

Attendance: 1813