Goals from David Pipe and Darryl Duffy set Bristol Rovers on the way to their first league win over Yeovil Town at the Memorial Stadium last night.

And the Pirates' long wait for a victory over their Somerset rivals was put beyond doubt five minutes from time when fellow striker Rickie Lambert, who had gone on from the bench as a second-half replacement for Kuffour, slammed home a trademark long-range free-kick.

Rovers' success came at the eighth time of asking and ended the Glovers' four-match run of victories while continuing the winning sequence Pirates coach Paul Trollope had called for to move his side up the League One table.

Trollope had named the same starting line-up Rovers had fielded for their 2-0 weekend success at Scunthorpe.

Strikers Jo Kuffour and Duffy, who had both netted against the Iron, continued their partnership up front with leading scorer Lambert starting on the bench.

Yeovil made one change to the team that had recorded an impressive 3-1 win at Peterborough in what turned out to be manager Russell Slade's last game in charge.

The Glovers recalled Terrell Forbes in central defence in place of the injured Terry Skiverton.

There was little to choose between the sides over the opening 15 minutes as they tested each other out, but then Rovers glimpsed an opening as Kuffour knocked a pass inside to Duffy, who shot high over the top from just outside the box.

The Pirates took the lead after 19 minutes following a throw-in down Yeovil's right. It was knocked back by Duffy and flicked on by Kuffour for Pipe to hook home a left-foot volley from eight yards for his first goal of the season.

The breakthrough lifted the home side, who set about trying to increase their advantage. But Duffy's first touch from a low Ryan Green cross was heavy and allowed the Glovers defence to clear before he could get a shot in.

The Scot was not to be denied for long, however, and took his tally to four goals in his last five outings with a 30th-minute header. Skipper Stuart Campbell was the provider from a free-kick, and Duffy dived to bury a low attempt past keeper Josh Wagenaar.

Yeovil, whose four-game winning run was now under serious threat, had competed well until the final third but finally brought a serious save from Steve Phillips just before the break.

Paul Warne's low 25-yarder forced the keeper to go full-length to his right to fingertip the shot around the upright.

Warne forced Phillips into action again either side of the interval, first drawing a regulation save with a header from Andrew Welsh's cross and then forcing a more testing stop with a shot from 18 yards.

The visitors made a double switch on the hour to try and forge a way back into the game, bringing on Danny Schofield and Luke Rodgers.

Nathan Smith and goalscorer Pipe were booked after a clash near the half-way line, but they were the first yellow cards of a derby clash that had generally been fairly contested.

Lambert, who had missed a game for the first time this season when he sat out the victory at Glanford Park, entered the fray after 71 minutes when he replaced Kuffour from the bench.

And five minutes from time the Scouse marksman added his 21st goal of the season in typically spectacular style.

After Rovers had won a free-kick 25 yards out, Lambert set his sights and delivered a searing right-foot shot which beat the Glovers' wall and the despairing dive of Wagenaar to nestle in the top corner and put the outcome beyond doubt.

Lambert could have added his second goal of the game in stoppage time but pulled his shot narrowly wide of the target.