Colchester United 0 Bristol Rovers 1: RICKIE Lambert admits he's not quite the man he was a few months ago. And both his waistline and goals account are all the better for it.

The Bristol Rovers front man's ninth strike of the campaign not only continued his flying start, but more importantly secured a well-deserved first away win of the season for Paul Trollope's side.

And the Scouse marksman acknowledged his rich vein of form is partially down to a bit of self-discipline after gaining a few pounds over the summer.

"In pre-season I came back a little bit overweight and set myself a target of losing half a stone," said Lambert.

"I did it within three weeks and since it happened, even our physio Phil Kite says he has seen a difference.

"It was just a question of diet and a bit more gym work. I don't eat badly anyway, but I stopped eating after 8pm. I still had the same foods, but just not late in the evening.

"I'd tried it before and it worked – and it worked for me again."

Shedding the pounds may have helped Lambert get in prime physical shape, but he says getting off the mark just 15 minutes into the season was a major psychological boost.

"Losing the weight played a part, but the major thing was scoring my first goal in our opening game of the season," he said. "That got my confidence up – and when I'm confident, I know I'll score goals. I've been on a roll since then.

"I'm thrilled. It's been a great start to the season for me. I've never started one as well as this. I just hope it continues and we carry on winning."

Lambert's importance to Rovers was underlined again when he produced a powerful header from Stuart Campbell's 53rd-minute corner to settle the outcome, although he could already have opened his account from another Campbell flag kick three minutes earlier.

Colchester keeper Dean Gerken managed to save the first one, though the alarm evidently failed to educate his defensive colleagues about the dangers of allowing Lambert a sniff from set pieces. For 10 minutes after he scored, another carbon copy almost produced a second goal from another Campbell corner – only for Lambert's header to end up on the top of the net.

It's more than coincidence that the decision to employ skipper Campbell just in front of Rovers' back four in the last two matches has resulted in a couple of clean sheets.

Criticised as an overly-defensive ploy for home games by some after the stalemate against Crewe the previous weekend, it has at least had the desired effect.

And it in no way hampered Rovers' ability to pose an attacking threat on their first visit to the Weston Homes Community Stadium, although once more they did not get off to the most impressive of starts.

Danny Coles had to make an acrobatic headed clearance off the goal-line after 18 minutes when it looked as though Clive Platt's header might loop over keeper Steve Phillips, whose congratulatory high-five with the central defender when the ball went safe spoke volumes about the importance of the intervention.

Gradually, though, the visitors began to find their game, with some fluent passing moves. Aaron Lescott's fine overlapping run on 33 minutes looked like bringing reward until the full-back was dispossessed on the edge of the box by a brilliant tackle from John White.

Lescott was involved again moments later when he set up Lambert for a sidefooted shot which went just over the top, and Chris Lines rattled the crossbar before the break after his header from David Pipe's cross had deflected off the keeper.

Rovers had the better of things in the second half and then kept a good shape and defended solidly when they needed to after taking the lead.

Though Colchester defender Matt Heath hooked over the top from a corner and Campbell made a vital block to stop Mark Yeates' shot reaching goal, there were few real alarms at the back for a side who have now hopefully plugged the leaks threatening to sink their hopes for the campaign.

"We knew as soon as we sorted ourselves defensively we would start climbing the table," said Lambert. "It's not just the lads at the back – it was about ironing out mistakes we were making defensively as a team. We've done that in the last couple of games – and we managed to win this one.

"We needed a win and it's a big relief that we've got it. It was a brilliant performance from the lads.

"Colchester had a lot of the ball, but I never thought they were going to score. We took one of our chances, which is what we came here to do.

"I'm really happy with my own performance but even more so with the three points. They are the most important thing.

"Lennie Lawrence (director of football) said he felt in his bones that a win was going to come today, and he got it right. Relief was the main feeling afterwards because we know we haven't won too many recently.

"But now we have to show our true form and hit a purple patch."