Bristol Rovers v Millwall Match Preview

 

By Simon Gray

Bristol Rovers head into the final day of the League One season knowing that they have a chance of stopping their opposition from reaching the play offs.

Rovers entertain sixth place Millwall at the Memorial Stadium, who need a win to ensure a play off position.

Before defeat at Peterborough last time out, Rovers were also in with a shout of a top six finish but will have to settle for a top ten one now.

Manager Darrell Clarke is already preparing for next season, releasing his retained list this week with strikers Rory Gaffney and Ellis Harrison among those who have been offered new deals.

Cristian Montano was among eight senior players not offered new deals and Clarke spoke of his decision to let the Colombian go.

“It’s always a difficult thing to do,” Clarke explained to the Bristol Post.

 

“It was a lot easier three years ago after we got relegated. But it’s always difficult when you’ve spent time with the players, I want to thank them massively for their efforts, but football doesn’t stand still.

“Montano was a very tough decision, it was borderline really. But there has to be a freshness and a bigger freshness than we’ve had in the last couple of seasons.”

Clarke does not have any fresh injury concerns but may choose to only play the players that are going to be around next season, meaning Bob Harris and Luke James will miss out.

Millwall go into the game knowing that only a win will guarantee a play off place.

The Lions sit in sixth place at the moment on 70 points with Southend in seventh on 69 points and Rochdale in eighth on 68 points.

Millwall lost in the play off final last season to Barnsley and they will want to go one better but a draw or defeat could mean League One football next season and striker Steve Morison has called on his teammates to perform on Sunday.

“The big games call for big performances from big players,” Morison told the Evening Standard.

“We need 11 on Sunday. We let ourselves down against Oxford. We had a great opportunity to get into the play-offs but we ruined that with our performance. The main positive that we have to take out of it is that we have still got our fate in our own hands.

“We have now got a one-game season and we have got to stick it all out there. There is going to be a lot of pressure on us. It is a case of dealing with it.”

Shaun Hutchinson is Millwall’s only doubt ahead of the match after he suffered a cracked rib and boss Neil Harris had hoped he would be available.

If Hutchinson does not make the starting eleven then Jake Cooper will continue in the centre of defence alongside Byron Webster.

Stats

The last time the two sides met was back in November, Millwall won 4-0 at the Den.

The last time the two sides met at the Memorial Stadium was back in 2009 where goals from Jeff Hughes and Chris Lines ensured a 2-0 win for the Gas.

Rovers have won their last three home matches against Millwall, the scores being 2-1, 4-2 and 2-0.

Peterborough United v Bristol Rovers Match Preview

 

By Simon Gray

Bristol Rovers head to Peterborough United this weekend with the possibility of a play off place.

The Pirates looked as if their play off chase was over after a Good Friday defeat to Gillingham but with results going their way on Easter Monday, they are still in with a chance, albeit a slim one.

Rovers will have to win though to stand any chance of getting into the top six and manager Darrell Clarke knows that although Peterborough have not much to play for, it will be a difficult match.

“It’s another tough, tough game, it’s only the arrogant people that look at teams and think we can beat them because they’re there,” Clarke told the Bristol Post.

“It doesn’t work like that, you have to earn the right to win every single game so we’ll have to be at our best to beat Peterborough – as we have to be to beat any team in this league.”

Clarke has a striker problem on his hands with Luke James ineligible and Rory Gaffney doubtful, so Easter Monday match winner Ellis Harrison may lead the line on his own.

Peterborough go into the match in indifferent form but manager Grant McCann knows that his side do have the possibility of a top half finish for the first time in three seasons and could match last season’s home win total of nine with a win on Saturday.

“We want to finish our home campaign with a bang. If we win tomorrow we match last season’s number of home wins as well,” McCann told the Peterborough Telegraph.

“It’s important we finish this season well to take us into next season in good spirits.

“It’s a tough game tomorrow obviously. Bristol Rovers have enjoyed an excellent season and to still be in with a chance of back-to-back promotions is a great credit to them and a manager who knows the club well.”

“He kept a lot of last season’s successful squad and he’s added quality to it. They are a tough team to beat.

“We struggled at their place earlier in the season before we managed to win with a late goal. But we have incentives tomorrow as well. We will be having a good go at them.”

McCann will have 17-year-olds Lewis Freestone and Andrea Borg will be in the Posh squad tomorrow, but on-loan midfielder Martin Samuelsen has returned to West Ham. Central defender Jack Baldwin is also available after missing the Easter programme because of illness.

Stats

Peterborough have only won two of their last 10 matches, Rovers have won four of their last six.

Peterborough came from behind to win 2-1 when these two sides met earlier in the season, Tom Nichols scoring the winning goal in added time.

Rovers have not beaten Peterborough in any of their previous five encounters.

 

 

 

Bristol Rovers v Oldham Athletic Match Preview

By Simon Gray

Darrell Clarke’s Bristol Rovers will be looking to bounce back from Good Friday’s away defeat at Gillingham when they entertain 17^th place Oldham Athletic at the Memorial Stadium.

The Gas have not lost at home since November and will want to finish the season strongly despite the play offs being all but out of the question.

Rovers’ disappointing result at Gillingham may have ended their play off hopes but manager Darrell Clarke has insisted that they can be proud of their efforts this term.

“We should be proud of our achievement this season, it’s no mean feat. We have to decide as a football club what we want to do, we cannot keep overachieving every year,” Clarke told the Bristol Post.

“I’ve got to sit down and make sure that we keep moving forward. I think I said three years ago that this club should be competing in the top half of League One.

“Now we need to take it forward, things need to move quickly.”

Clarke will potentially reshuffle the pack after Friday’s defeat. Defender Danny Leadbitter and striker Rory Gaffney are both out of the match through injury but could return for the penultimate game of the season next weekend at Peterborough.

Oldham visit the South West also in good form having lost just once in their previous seven games.

Oldham’s win over local rivals Bolton on Saturday also opened the gap between them and the relegation zone to six points, although Port Vale do have a game in hand.

Manager John Sheridan will have Chris Taylor back after he was ineligible for the win over Bolton but defender Rob Hunt will miss the rest of the season with a groin injury. Striker Michael Ngoo will miss the match through suspension.

 Stats

The last meeting between the two sides ended in a 2-0 win for Rovers.

The last fixture between the sides at the Memorial Stadium ended in a 1-0 Rovers win thanks to a goal from Rene Howe.

This will be the 58^th meeting between the two sides, Rovers have won 24, Oldham have won 19 and there have been 14 draws from the previous 57 encounters.

Gillingham v Bristol Rovers Match Preview

 

By Simon Gray

With just four games to go in the Sky Bet League One season, two teams in very different circumstances meet at Priestfield.

Relegation-threatened Gillingham entertain play-off chasing Bristol Rovers this Good Friday in a match where both sides really need all three points.

Gillingham go into the match having not won in five and are in 20^th place sitting precariously above the relegation zone but manager Ady Pennock is ready to go to war.

“We are building a bit of momentum and are on our front foot,” Pennock told KentOnline.

“We have got four massive games and hopefully we turn up. We can’t not.

“There were a lot of words said the week before after MK Dons and at half-time.

“A lot of harsh words were said by myself – honest words – because we are in a dogfight. We are at war, at war against every team we play.”

The Gills could be without central defender Zesh Rehman for both of their Easter matches after he picked up a hamstring injury in the draw with Millwall last time out. Bradley Dack is serving the second of his two-game suspension so will miss the match against Rovers.

Bristol Rovers go into the game on the back of a 2-0 win over Shrewsbury Town and now sit just four points behind sixth place Millwall and although a chance of a play-off place is slim, it is still in reach.

But manager Darrell Clarke has said that his side are not looking at the league table.

“We don’t worry about league tables, we know where we are and we know what we’ve got to do so we’ll concentrate on our own business,” Clarke told the Bristol Post.

“Gillingham are fighting for their lives and I’d imagine it’ll be another difficult surface and the pitch will probably be quite lively.”

Clarke also, although not naming any individuals, admitted that a few players have picked up knocks this week so his team selection could prove to be an interesting one, especially with Oldham’s visit to the Memorial Stadium on Easter Monday.

“We’ve picked up quite a few knocks, to be honest with you, so we’ll assess that and see where we are come the weekend,”

“Unfortunately it’s not a good time for us to pick up injuries but we’ll get on with it. No excuses, we’ll pick a team for a busy Easter period starting with Gillingham away.”

Stats

The last time the two sides met was in October where a late Rovers comeback ensured they took all three points. The goal scorers that day were Chris Lines and Ellis Harrison.

Rovers have had two previous visits to Priestfield to forget, losing 4-1 in 2011 and 4-0 on their last visit in 2012.

Rovers’ last away win at Gillingham came six visits ago, in 1999. They have lost all five away matches since.

AFC Wimbledon v Bristol Rovers Match Preview

By Simon Gray

Two teams that have both consolidated their League One status after promotion meet with just five games to go as AFC Wimbledon entertain Bristol Rovers at Kingsmeadow.

Rovers go into the game still dreaming of a play-off place following their 2-0 victory at home to Shrewsbury last weekend.

But with Rovers will quickly have to address their away form if they want any chance of making the top six. Rovers play three of their final five league games away from the Memorial Stadium but have only won four of their last 20 away league matches and manager Darrell Clarke is keen to tackle his side’s poor form on their travels.

“It certainly needs to be addressed,” he told the Bristol Post.

“We’re looking into everything, but we’ve been unfortunate at times away from home.

“I thought we played well at Bramall Lane, and unfortunate at Southend – I thought a penalty decision cost us two points. Chesterfield away we were by far the better team, and we’ve had disappointing performances at Shrewsbury and Port Vale – we drew that one. We were also outstanding at Bolton.

“It’s fine lines – we’re addressing that between now and end of the season and into the new season.”

Clarke will probably be without Peter Hartley, although the goal scoring defender has returned to full training following an Achilles injury. Clarke may also be without midfielder Ollie Clarke who limped off during the win over Shrewsbury but striker Ellis Harrison is in contention for a starting role after he was named on the bench last time out.

Wimbledon meanwhile are four places behind Rovers, sitting in 13^th but are in fairly inconsistent form, picking up two wins, one draw and three defeats in their last six games.

The Dons won their last home game though against one of Rovers’ rivals for sixth place, scoring three goals in four minutes to beat Rochdale 3-1.

Manager Neal Ardley’s has a selection headache on his hands though with a bug hitting the squad as well as injuries.

“We’ve had a real glut of illness as three or four players have gone down with stomach bugs and I am 90 per cent sure it will rule them out of Saturday”, Ardley told the club’s website.

“We also have a couple of injuries so we are definitely going to be five key first-team players short on Saturday, which is a real blow for us, particularly when we want to respond to a defeat.

“We always look at it and think that it brings an opportunity for others. We will have a look at the personnel and look at the best way to tackle Bristol Rovers. As long as the team that we put out goes out there and gives everything and really has a proper go, showing that passion that the club deserves, no one can complain.”

Stats

Rovers’ on-loan Stoke defender Ryan Sweeney started his career at AFC Wimbledon, spending 10 years in the academy before making 13 appearances for the senior side.

The reverse fixture between these two sides ended with Rovers winning 2-0 on New Year’s Eve at the Memorial Stadium.

The last time these two sides met at Kingsmeadow ended in a 0-0 draw last season. Defender Paul Robinson was sent off after four minutes for the Dons.

Bristol Rovers v Shrewsbury Town Match Preview

 

By Simon Gray

Bristol Rovers will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing defeat at Coventry last weekend as they entertain Shrewsbury Town at the Memorial Stadium.

Rovers go into the final six matches of the League One season knowing that if they want a play off spot, then they have to win at least five of their matches, and even that may not be enough.

Manager Darrell Clarke recently celebrated three years in charge of the club but has insisted that there is certainly more to do before it reaches the second tier of English football.

“Everything is subject to change, we’ve come a hell of a long way in the three years I’ve been in charge and we’ve had a lot of success,” Clarke told the Bristol Post.

“We want to be a Championship club, but don’t get me wrong we’re still a million miles away from that at the moment. But the infrastructure we are trying to put in place now on and around the pitch will help with that.”

“Come the summer it’s about the future and what we want to do in the future. For a long time it’s been ‘rag-arse Rovers’ hasn’t it? It really has, let’s be honest. What was it? Five promotions since 1883, the determination is we are not happy to be a League One team.”

Clarke will have defensive duo Jake Clarke-Salter and Ryan Sweeney back after the pair returned from international duty unscathed but Johnny Burn may miss the match after picking up an injury in the defeat at the Ricoh Arena.

Shrewsbury head into the match just one place and one point above the League One relegation zone.

Shrews manager Paul Hurst is hoping to emulate what his opposite number has done at Rovers with Shrewsbury.

“You hope so that we can do something similar, yes,” Hurst told the Shropshire Star.

“There’s quite a few of that group that’ve come from the Conference or ones that have played League Two. I’m not saying they’re not good enough players by any stretch, because clearly they are.

“I’m sure Darrell will have his own thoughts about taking them to the next level, nobody’s going to sit there and say ‘we’re alright’ – if you do that you’re in trouble.”

Hurst has no fresh injury concerns ahead of the trip to the Memorial Stadium. Shrewsbury’s only unavailable player is Abu Ogogo, who is likely to miss the rest of the campaign with a knee injury.

Stats

Shrewsbury manager Paul Hurst was Grimsby Town boss when Rovers defeated them in the Conference Play Off final in 2015.

The reverse fixture between these sides ended in a 2-0 Shrewsbury win back in December.

Shrewsbury have not beaten Rovers away from home in the league since 1969.

Coventry City v Bristol Rovers Match Preview

 

By Simon Gray

Around 4000 Bristol Rovers fans will be travelling to Coventry this season hoping for their team to maintain their play off chase.

Rovers’ First Team coach spoke of how great it is to hear about the travelling support going into the weekend’s fixture.

“I’ve heard there will be 3,500 to 4,000 going up there, it’s fantastic”, Yates told the Bristol Post.

“Once again it shows they want to come and watch Rovers play and they know the players out on that pitch are going to give them everything.

“The support is just fantastic for the players and the club.

“My message to the fans is simply to back us as they always do. They’ve been fantastic since the Conference days when I came back here and they followed us everywhere in that season and everywhere since.

“I want everyone to get behind us as they always do.”

After last weekend’s win over Chesterfield, Darrell Clarke’s side are just three points off of the play offs but have it all to do with Millwall currently occupying sixth place and having two games in hand on Rovers but Yates has said all they can do is maintain their good run.

“All we can do is win games and see where it goes, we just want to pick up as many points as possible between now and the end of season.”

Rovers go into the game without Ryan Sweeney or Jake Clarke-Salter as the pair have both been called up by their countries for international duty with the Ireland U21 squad and the England U20s squad respectively. This means that Johnny Burn is set to get his first start since joining from Middlesbrough in January. Stuart Sinclair is back from suspension but Peter Hartley is still recovering from an Achilles injury.

Coventry head into the game on the back of a win of their own in midweek, beating relegation rivals Port Vale at the Ricoh Arena. The win is Mark Robins’ first since retaking charge of the club. The Sky Blues still remain bottom of the League One table, 14 points adrift of safety with just seven games to go.

The match may come too soon for journeyman striker Yakubu as he only returned to training this week after suffering a strain last month against Swindon Town but manager Robins spoke of his admiration of the 34-year-old.

“He’s had quality throughout the years, but we’ll need to work with him and assess him over the next week”, Robins told the club’s website, before adding, “No new injuries, we are as we were”.

Stats

The last fixture between these sides came earlier this season where Rovers ran rampant and thrashed the Sky Blues 4-1 at the Memorial Stadium in December.

This is the first time Rovers have travelled to Coventry since 1963.

It will be the 41^st meeting between the two sides. Rovers have won 16, Coventry have won 15 with their being nine draws.

 

Bristol Rovers v Chesterfield Match Preview

 

By Simon Gray

Bristol Rovers will be looking to bounce back after a shock defeat in midweek away at Bury with a win against another struggling side in the form of Chesterfield.

Rovers lost 3-0 at Gigg Lane to dent their play off chances in a match that was filled with controversy. Rovers manager Darrell Clarke has admitted that the chances of his side booking a place in the top six are now ‘a long shot’.

“It is still a long shot,” Clarke told the Bristol Post.

“We have to win six out of the eight games we have left.

“That is where we are at, but I am very proud of my players for putting us in a situation where we are looking up and not down at this stage of the season.

“We had a setback at Bury on one of those nights when everything that could go wrong did go wrong.

“There were some major decisions that didn’t go our way so we move on quickly to another game on Saturday.

“That is the sole focus because I don’t feel the lads need to respond as it wasn’t a negative performance by any stretch of the imagination.”

Clarke will be without midfielder Stuart Sinclair for the match at the Memorial Stadium after his sending off at Gigg Lane. Ollie Clarke, who returns to the side after a suspension of his own, will probably replace him.

Striker Ellis Harrison is still nursing the injury he picked up at Bolton earlier this month so it looks like he will be unavailable. Peter Hartley is still recovering from an Achilles injury so will not feature.

Chesterfield go into the game struggling to put a run together that would save them from relegation to League Two.

The Spireites replaced Danny Wilson with Gary Caldwell just after the turn of the year but the former Wigan boss has been unable to turn the club in 23^rd in the league’s fortunes around.

Chesterfield are winless in three and have just one win in their last 11 games.

But despite them struggling this season, manager Caldwell still believes his side can beat the drop.

“Because of the games that are left,” he told the Derbyshire Times.

“Because of the players and the way they’re working, the morale about the place. “I don’t see people who’ve given up, I don’t see training being lacklustre, low on energy and quality.

“I believe that they believe and as long as they believe and we have points to play for them I think it can happen.”

Stats

The reverse fixture of this match at the Proact Stadium ended in a 3-2 Chesterfield win back in November.

The last time Chesterfield visited the Memorial Stadium was in October 2013, where the two teams drew 0-0.

Chesterfield have only ever beaten Rovers away from home once in history, this being a League Cup victory in 1964.

Bury v Bristol Rovers Match Preview

 

By Simon Gray

Bristol Rovers travel to a relegation threatened team in the form of Bury this week as they continue to push for the play offs.

Rovers travel to Gigg Lane hoping to extend their nine match unbeaten run having beaten Southend United 2-0 last time out but manager Darrell Clarke insists his side are not getting carried away.

“We’re not getting carried away. People are talking about the play-offs, and that is something for the supporters to enjoy,” Clarke told the Bristol Post.

“We have to put that to one side and get in the mind-set of taking each game as it comes, as boring as it sounds.

“We’re chasing but six wins from our last nine games would get us there. You never know, but we have to concentrate on ticking the games off as they come along.”

With that win at home to Southend, Rovers now sit in eighth place and just four points off of Millwall in sixth, although the Lions have two games in hand over Rovers.

Rovers are without Ollie Clarke, who is serving the second of his two-match suspension. Fellow midfielder Stuart Sinclair missed the win over Southend after picking up a knock in training but Darrell Clarke gave no indication as to whether he would be available against Bury.

He is however boosted by the return of on-loan Chelsea defender Jake Clarke-Salter, who came on as a substitute in Saturday’s game and may play a part this week.

Bury go into the game having lost just once in the last seven games but still sit just three points above the drop zone in 19^th and had to settle for a point last time out, drawing 0-0 at fellow strugglers Oldham Athletic.

Bury manager Lee Clark though, respected the point and thought it was a fair result.

“If you can’t win we must respect the point,” Clark told the Bury Times. “We kept a clean sheet but it was a tough game in tough conditions.

“It was a local derby, it wasn’t the greatest of surfaces and I thought we were the better team in the first half.

“Oldham made a couple of tactical changes which put us under pressure early in the second half and then my lads finished strongly and had some decent opportunities.”

Bury may be without midfielder Jacob Mellis for Tuesday night’s match after he limped off at Boundary Park with a gashed leg. If he does not manage to make the game then Clark may opt to start Andrew Tutte who came on at half time or Kean Byran, after the midfielder was brought on as Mellis’ replacement.

Stats

This will be the 47^th meeting between the two sides. Interestingly, Rovers and Bury both have 17 wins each against each other along with 12 draws.

The last time these two sides met at Gigg Lane ended 2-1 to Bury in April 2014.

The reverse fixture between these two sides earlier in the season ended in a 4-2 Rovers win with goals from four different scorers, Rory Gaffney, Matty Taylor, Ollie Clarke and Peter Hartley were all on the scoresheet that night.

Bristol Rovers v Southend United Match Preview

 

By Simon Gray

Bristol Rovers will be hoping to show people that their play off dream may be on it’s way to becoming a reality as they entertain another member of the chasing pack in the form of seventh place Southend United at the Memorial Stadium.

Rovers are in ninth position and are just three points off of Saturday’s opponents as well as being seven points off of the top six and on-loan Stoke City defender Ryan Sweeney insists that the Gas have what it takes to make the play offs.

“The six draws on the spin was quite frustrating, but considering the standard of the opposition we faced we looked on them as points gained,” Sweeney told the Bristol Post.

“We are still well in the mix, but we know we need to win some games on the bounce if we are to apply some real pressure to the teams in the top six. We have a good home record and are in good form so we are well-placed.

If we can win a few on the bounce in this league there is no reason why we can’t push on up the table. We have to be wary of Southend as they drew 1-1 against Port Vale and will be looking for a response.”

Rovers go into the game having been boosted by three key players extending their contracts past the summer. Chris Lines, Ollie Clarke and Stuart Sinclair all put pen to paper on new deals and have put some fans’ minds at ease.

Rovers however will be without one of the trio for the next two matches as Ollie Clarke picked up his 10^th booking away at Oxford last time out.

This means manager Darrell Clarke will either have to change up the formation or bring Lee Mansell back into the side, Mansell replaced Ollie Clarke from the bench last weekend so looks to be the suitable replacement.

Southend go into the game on a somewhat inconsistent run. The Blues have won two, drawn two, and lost two of their last six games and manager Phil Brown has said that it is a very important week for them.

After their trip to Bristol, Southend face struggling Coventry before another tough match against eighth placed Walsall next weekend.

“It’s the most important week of the season,” he told the club’s website.

“If we’re going to do anything this season we need to get a massive points return.

“A lot of people are saying what the points total will be and how many games we need to win from the last 11, but there’s nothing better than winning your next game. That’s what we’ll be trying to do against Bristol Rovers.”

Brown will hope to have both Stephen McLaughlin and Nile Ranger available for selection but both face late fitness tests. Both were unavailable in last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Port Vale.

Stats

Rovers have not beaten Southend in their last six matches, drawing four of them.

The last time these two sides met at the Memorial Stadium ended in a 0-0 draw in March 2014.

The reverse fixture between these two sides earlier in the season ended in a 1-1 draw, Rovers led thanks to a Peter Hartley header but Simon Cox rescued a point from the penalty spot at Roots Hall.