Post match reactions

HOMETOWN-boy Chris Lines says he is honoured to be the subject of a terrace song after helping fire Bristol Rovers to within one game of making a return to the Football League at the first time of asking.

Lines opened the scoring as Rovers cruised to a 3-0 aggregate success over Forest Green in the second leg of the Vanarama Conference play-off semi-final at the Memorial Stadium yesterday and was regularly serenaded by supporters who sang he was 'one of their own' throughout.

"It is something that gives you goose bumps," said Lines, who returned for a second spell after joining on loan from Port Vale in March. "It wasn't too long ago that I was one of those fans standing in the Blackthorn End singing songs about other players.

"When you are on that terrace you would love to be out on that pitch playing in the blue and white quarters.

"I've been a Rovers boy all my life and it is an honour to play for the club.

"To have supporters singing songs about you is something you dream of as a kid. If I can help the boys go on and get promotion it would be very important to both me and my family."

Rovers will have to overcome Grimsby Town in the play-off final at Wembley Stadium on May 17 to become the first club in a decade to make an immediate return to the Football League. Lines will be making his second trip to the national stadium as a Rovers player after being on the fringes of the squad that secured promotion to League One with a win over Shrewsbury Town in 2007.

He said: "At that time it was just a buzz to be involved and on the bench.

"The feeling of winning and celebrating with 40,000 Rovers fans was something I will never forget. If I can play a bigger part in achieving something like that again, it would be even sweeter.

"To miss out on winning the league was really hard to take, but if we could do it this way – in front of all our fans at Wembley – it would be even sweeter. People are always saying that the team that finishes second in the league always struggles in the play-offs, but I think that is nonsense.

"We are the best team of the four in the play-offs and we are on such a good run at the moment that I see no reason why we shouldn't go on and win it. It is just about playing the game and making sure that the occasion doesn't get to you."