Preview: Fleetwood Town vs. Bristol Rovers – forecast, squad updates, expected lineups
Fleetwood Town’s quest to climb out of the League One relegation zone persists as they host Bristol Rovers at Highbury Stadium on Tuesday evening.
Currently positioned 22nd in the League One standings, the home side trails 20th place by seven points. Meanwhile, Bristol Rovers sit in 12th place, 11 points adrift of the playoff spots as the season approaches its crucial stages.
Fleetwood extended their unbeaten streak in League One to four matches after a goalless draw with Stevenage on Saturday, earning six points from their last four league outings.
Despite remaining unbeaten since their 2-1 loss to Barnsley on February 17, Fleetwood has struggled to secure victories, winning only once in League One since the beginning of last month.
Charlie Adam’s side currently sits in 22nd place in the standings with 32 points from 37 league fixtures, trailing 20th-placed Burton Albion by seven points, although Burton has a game in hand.
Defensive woes have plagued Fleetwood this season, conceding 60 goals, the second-worst record in the division behind Carlisle United (63). Additionally, Fleetwood boasts the second-worst home record in League One this season, earning just 15 points from 18 matches.
Fleetwood will aim to complete a league double over Bristol Rovers this season, having secured a 2-0 victory when the two sides met at the beginning of February.
Meanwhile, Bristol Rovers head into this encounter following a 3-0 defeat at home to Derby County on Saturday, halting their two-game winning streak in League One.
Despite the setback, the Pirates have been in good form lately, securing victories in three of their last five league matches. They currently occupy 12th place in the standings with 49 points from 36 games.
Manager Matt Taylor’s team sits 11 points adrift of sixth-placed Stevenage, making a playoff finish from their current position a challenging prospect, though not entirely out of reach.
Bristol Rovers have demonstrated strength on the road this season, accumulating 23 points from 18 away matches, including seven wins. They will be encouraged by Fleetwood’s struggles at home during the 2023-24 campaign.
Although Bristol Rovers fell to Fleetwood in their previous encounter at the beginning of last month, five of their last eight League One meetings with Fleetwood have ended in draws.
Team News:
Fleetwood will have to adjust their defensive setup due to injuries and suspensions. Elijah Campbell’s absence, resulting from an injury suffered in the previous match, will necessitate a change in the back three. Additionally, Harrison Holgate’s suspension following his red card will further disrupt the defensive line.
Shaun Rooney and Harry Boyes are expected to step in to fill the void left by Campbell and Holgate. However, apart from these adjustments, the rest of the lineup may remain unchanged from the previous game, with Jayden Stockley leading the attack as the team’s top scorer.
On the Bristol Rovers side, despite their recent defeat, head coach Taylor is likely to stick with the same lineup, preferring continuity over drastic changes. Chris Martin, who has been instrumental in their attack with 15 goals in League One, will spearhead the forward line once again.
While John Marquis is pushing for a starting spot after coming off the bench in the last game, he may have to settle for a substitute role once more.
Possible starting lineups:
Fleetwood Town: Lynch; Sarpong-Wiredu, Boyes, Rooney; Johnston, Kilkenny, Lawal, Mayor, Patterson; Graydon, Stockley
Bristol Rovers: Ward; Hoole, Taylor, Baggott, Gordon; Finley, Conteh; Vale, Evans, Sinclair; Martin
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