Walsall 0, Bristol Rovers 5. Walsall were roasted by the high-speed Gas as Paul Trollope's side notched up their biggest away win in 10 years at the Banks's Stadium.

Even Aaron Lescott, who had not scored a goal in 165 league outings for the Pirates, grabbed himself a double as the Saddlers were torn to pieces.

Darryl Duffy also netted twice, with Craig Disley the other marksman as Rovers dominated from start to finish and moved into 12th place in League One.

It was the Pirates' biggest win on enemy soil since Jamie Cureton (4) and Jason Roberts (2) spearheaded a 6-0 rout of Reading at the Madejski Stadium in January 1999 on a day when all the goals came in the second half.

Rovers named the same side that had started their 3-0 win at Hereford United in midweek, with striker Rickie Lambert – the hat-trick hero at Edgar Street – again donning the captain's armband.

Skipper Stuart Campbell returned to the squad after illness but started on the bench.

Rovers got off to a lightning start when David Pipe got the better of left-back Manny Smith and powered away down Rovers' right in the third minute before delivering a perfect cross which allowed Duffy to pass the ball into the net from six yards for his ninth goal of the season.

Three minutes later, Pipe was involved again when he swung over another cross into Walsall's box. Though Jeff Hughes miscued his header, Duffy was able to turn the ball back for Disley to slot home from close range.

Walsall offered nothing over the first 20 minutes and by then they were a further goal in arrears.

Hughes' ball in from the left was dummied by Lambert and allowed Lescott the chance to continue his run forward and fire a low left-footed shot across keeper Clayton Ince and into the far corner.

It opened his Rovers goals account after five years with the club and was only the second time he has found the net in a career that has now seen him play almost 300 league games.

It could have been 4-0 in the last action of the half when Ince just managed to deflect a trademark Lambert free-kick from 25 yards against the crossbar.

Rovers threatened to carry on the carnage in the second half and Pipe was the supplier again in the 53rd minute with a cross that Duffy stabbed just wide.

Seconds later the Welshman delivered yet another ball that led to an opportunity, this time Chris Lines shooting a yard wide of Ince's left-hand post.

The Pirates' fourth finally arrived after 58 minutes though – and there was almost an element of comedy about the Saddlers' defending.

Pipe yet again delivered a fine cross from the right and as the home side failed to deal with it, Hughes picked up the ball and fed Duffy, whose low shot bobbled over the grounded Ince and spun into the net.

Lescott almost added his second of the game after 65 minutes when he was fed by Lambert, but Ince managed to block his low shot.

Having played a full part in Walsall's destruction, Pipe then made his exit and was replaced by Joe Jacobson while Lambert followed shortly afterwards, passing the skipper's armband to Steve Elliott, as Jo Kuffour made his entrance from the bench.

Walsall's humiliation was neatly summed up when Sofiene Zaaboub fired a shot just over the top after 72 minutes and the away fans rose to give the winger an ironic standing ovation – although Troy Deeney did cause Rovers a moment of genuine concern seconds later with an 18-yard shot that went just wide.

Campbell came on for Disley and set up Rovers' fifth goal with his first touch of the game. Almost unbelievably, Lescott was the scorer as he cut in from the left and tucked a fine right-foot finish beyond Ince's grasp.

Kuffour was inches away from getting on the scoresheet in the final minutes as Rovers continued to dominate.

Walsall : Ince, Weston, Boertien, Gerrard, Smith, Nicholls (Shroot 54), Hughes (Bradley 61), Mattis, Zaaboub, Ibehre, Deeney. Subs (not used): Gilmartin, Taundry, Palmer.

Bristol Rovers: Phillips, Pipe, Anthony, Elliott, Lescott, Pipe (Jacobson 66), Lines, Disley (Campbell 77), Hughes, Lambert (Kuffour 70), Duffy. Subs (not used): Hinton, St Louis-Hamilton.

Referee: David Webb (Co Durham).

Attendance: 5,196 (1,267 away supporters).