By Caroline Cheese

JOHNSTONE'S PAINT TROPHY Bristol Rovers v Doncaster Millennium Stadium Sunday 1 April Kick off 1300 BST

Getting to a cup final brings all sorts of benefits for footballers.

The adulation of the fans, the opportunity to make history for your club - and for Johnstone's Paint Trophy finalists Bristol Rovers, a free haircut.

Striker Rickie Lambert explains: "The salon where one of the lads goes said that if we got to the final, they'd cut all the lads' hair for free.

"When we got there, there were cameras around and everything."

Lambert is having to get used to the attention.

The 25-year-old made himself an instant Rovers legend by firing the only goal in the Pirates' shock win over bitter rivals Bristol City in the area final, earning his side a trip to the Millennium Stadium to face League One's Doncaster Rovers on Sunday.

Midway through the second half of the second leg at the Memorial Stadium in front of a crowd of 11,500, Lambert latched onto a clearance and hammered the sweetest of volleys into the roof of the net.

I still think about it now... It was brilliant Rickie Lambert on scoring against Bristol City

"It was the best feeling I've had in my career," Lambert tells BBC Sport.

"I knew how big it was before the game but afterwards, celebrating and seeing the fans celebrating... I still think about it now. It was brilliant."

The goal capped a change in fortunes for Lambert, a �200,000 signing from Rochdale last August.

The former Stockport striker suffered a disappointing start to his spell at the Memorial and did not manage his first goal until November.

"I got injured when I came here so I wasn't fully fit and I wasn't playing my best," admits Lambert.

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"Even before the goal against City, I think I was playing a lot better but that goal has eased the pressure on me."

Now Lambert is looking forward to making his Millennium Stadium debut - and perhaps topping his goal against City with the winner on Sunday.

DID YOU KNOW? The only other all-Rovers cup final in England was the 1990 Leyland DAF Cup final between the Rovers of Tranmere and Bristol. Tranmere won 2-1

"I think I started dreaming about scoring in the final when we got to the third round," says Lambert, who hails from Liverpool.

"It would be massive. All my friends and family are going to be there so it'll be a big occasion for me - as well as for the whole club.

"I just can't wait to get to Cardiff. I can't really explain what it's like... it's the biggest game of my career."

League Two Rovers will start as underdogs against the Rovers of Doncaster, but Lambert is not worried.

"We've played quite a lot of cup games this season where we've been underdogs and we've won nearly all of them.

"The only one we lost was against Derby in the FA Cup, so I think it suits us well."