Dale Eve, the Bermuda goalkeeper, made several important saves to help Forest Green Rovers reach the final of the Gloucestershire Senior Challenge Cup on Tuesday night.

The 21-year-old was kept busy in goal for Forest Green during their 4-3 victory away to Bristol Rovers in a thrilling semi-final at the Memorial Stadium.

For those players not involved in Forest Green’s 1-1 draw away to Braintree in the Vanarama National League last weekend, it was an opportunity to stake a claim ahead of the last three games of the regular season.

And for the Academy players, and Eve who is on a short-term deal, it was a chance to show they are worth professional or longer contracts.

Eve pulled off a fine save to deny Rory Fallon’s effort from a well-worked corner kick before blocking a shot from Jay Malpas, who went through one-on-one after robbing Joe Stokes early in the first half.

The opening goal started from a Rovers attack as Blake Davies turned away from Macaulay Dobson and looked certain to score but Eve made a superb block and as the striker tried to get a second shot away he went down looking for a penalty in a tangle of legs with Dobson.

However, his appeal was turned down and the visiting side cleared, with Brett Wiliams, the Forest Green striker, finding himself through on goal before placing his shot past goalkeeper Will Puddy.

Williams added his second just before half-time, bringing down Jack Holmes’s crossfield pass before cutting in from the left and drilling the ball into the far corner of the net.

The home side pulled a goal back in the 51st minute when Ryan Broom chipped in from the left byline, the loose ball falling for Davies to finish into the roof of the net from ten yards.

Davies then struck his second to equalise, side-footing in off the post, after a strong run into the box by Jake Gosling.

Forest Green regained the lead soon after when Anthony Jeffrey crossed from the left for big striker Kieffer Moore to head home.

Moore scored again three minutes later when he found himself in space on the edge of the box and fired left-footed into the top corner.

Bristol Rovers responded by bringing on substitute Olly Mehew who pulled a goal back with four minutes remaining with a close-range finish.

Eve was Forest Green’s hero in last month’s previous round of the competition, saving three penalties as his side defeated Shortwood United 4-3 in a shoot-out at home.

The game finished 1-1 after Kurtis Guthrie gave Forest Green the lead just before half-time with Ed Weeks equalising for the Southern League side eight minutes into the second half.

Eve then saved spot kicks from Liam Meredith, Marley Thomas and Nick Humphreys.

The former Dandy Town youth-team player signed for Forest Green until the end of the season after being released by Barclays Premier League team Stoke City in February.

He had a spell on loan at Forest Green in October, playing in the televised 2-1 victory away to Margate in the FA Cup fourth-round qualifying match.

The 6ft 4in goalkeeper, who played for Bermuda in last month’s preliminary-round Caribbean Cup qualifying matches, has previously had loan spells at Fleetwood Town, Nuneaton Town, Newcastle Town and Congleton.