Rovers fans have had little to cheer recently

Nathan Ellington's brilliant hat-trick is a real shot in the arm for Rovers supporters, who saw their team relegated to the basement division for the first time in their history at the end of last season.

Suggestions that Rovers will return to Division Two with ease have proved unfounded and the team have struggled in the most uncompromising of divisions.

The club itself was put up for sale last October.

But a backer failed to materialise and vice-chairman Geoff Dunford took the club off the market at the start of 2002, citing a need for stability

To make matters worse bitter rivals Bristol City are third in Division Two and pushing hard for promotion.

Life for the Gasheads, as Rovers supporters are known after their former ground Eastville's proximity to a gas works, has rarely been worse.

Gerry Francis, revered at Rovers during his first spell in charge between 1987 and 1991, returned to the club in June 2001.

But he proved unable to halt Rovers slump and left the club on Christmas Eve, citing personal reasons and suggesting he may not return to football.

New boss Garry Thompson is hoping he can revive Rovers' fortunes

Garry Thompson, in temporary charge following Ian Holloway's departure last season, is now in charge permanently and hoping Saturday's win is the beginning of a successful 2002.

The main cause for optimism is Ellington, nicknamed the Duke by Rovers supporters.

Ellington, still only 20, struggled last season to fill the boots of the departed Jason Roberts but still finished as the club's top scorer with 18 goals in all competitions.

The Duke, who joined Rovers for �150,000 from non-league Walton and Hersham in 1999, was plagued by injury at the start of the current campaign.

But he scored a hat-trick on Boxing Day and followed that with his heroics against Derby.

He now has 13 goals so far this season despite playing in a team badly short on confidence.

Thompson is in no doubt that Ellington has the ability to play at the top level.

"Nathan can go all the way, he's got a lot of desire and thinks nothing but football - you can't get him off the training pitch," said Thompson.

But for all the hope that Ellington's hat-trick against Derby brings to the Memorial Ground, Rovers supporters must already be fearing the worst.

Rovers have built a deserved reputation as a club with a real talent for unearthing strikers - and then selling them.

Marcus Stewart, who scored 19 goals in the Premiership last season for Ipswich, was sold to Huddersfield in 1996, the year after his strike partner Gareth Taylor, now with Burnley, had left for Crystal Palace.