Match Previews

Match Preview | Bristol Rovers v Wanderers

5th April 2024

Fresh from putting five past Reading on Easter Monday, Wanderers prepare to make the trip to the Memorial Stadium to take on Bristol Rovers in Sky Bet League One on Saturday.

With just five games remaining of the season, every point counts as the race for promotion intensifies week-by-week with Wanderers four points behind second place with a game in hand and still all to play for.

Manager quotes

Ian Evatt: "We'll go to Bristol full of confidence and know it's almost a cup final for us. We are at a stage of the season now which is high pressure, risk and reward, and we need to go there and try and win.

“There's no other result really which is okay for us. We have to win. It's down to us to perform, try to get three points and hopefully apply some pressure, but our main focus is on ourselves.

"There are three avenues at the start of the season to get promoted from this division. The first one (as champions) looks unlikely, even though it's possible, and at the moment we're very much in the other two.

“Number two (second place) is our preferred option and we're in with a real good chance there. Obviously, we need a little bit of help, but not too much. The main focus is on doing the business ourselves and we have to remember that.

“But we are in with a fighting chance and having the bodies back and if we can continue the form that we've been in I feel for a while now - and definitely on Monday - it gives us a great chance.”

Bristol Rovers Manager Matt Taylor: "The lads beat Bolton away earlier in the season. The team played well and other things went our way, and looked a real threat. But we cannot sit in, soak up pressure, and just play on the counter-attack at home on Saturday.

"We need to try to dictate the style of play a bit and it will be an interesting game because Bolton have quality all over the pitch. This is a game that requires very little in terms of preparation words, because the motivation is there to beat a team at the very top of this league.

"We want the lads who haven’t that exposure to get their opportunity on the pitch in the next six games. In that regard, there will be some changes. How we fit them all in will be difficult but I don’t want anyone to be able to say at the end of the season that they didn’t have a fair opportunity. This is a performance game and we’re all judged on our performances."

Team News

Nathan Baxter could make a return from injury after battling back from a wrist injury picked up in February.

This game may come just too soon for Dion Charles as he edges back to fitness after being sidelined in recent months with a knee problem.

Dan N'Lundulu and Caleb Taylor have returned to training whilst Randell Williams is now fully fit once again.

George Johnston has been training for a couple of weeks now and his work load will continue to be monitored after such a long lay-off.

Gethin Jones will be ruled out for the trip to the south west but should be in shape to return next weekend.

Form Guide

Sitting in 14^th position and in no real relegation danger, Bristol Rovers will be looking to finish the campaign strongly to take momentum into next season.

That would mean improving on their latest set of results which has seen The Gas winless and also goalless in their last five matches. Last time out was a stalemate at the Memorial Stadium against Shrewsbury Town on Easter Monday.

Wanderers’ Easter weekend produced four points with a point on the road at Stevenage followed by a home demolition of Reading with an Aaron Collins hat-trick and Jon Dadi Bodvarsson brace securing the win for the Whites.

The Gas ran out victors in the reverse fixture with Matt Taylor’s men claiming a 2-1 victory at the Toughsheet Community Stadium so Wanderers will be looking to avenge that on Saturday.