Fleetwood Town Vs Bristol Rovers, Npower League 2, Saturday 12th January 2013, KO 3:00pm please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Fleetwood Town At A Glance Club Info Nickname: Cod Army Founded: 1997 Stadium: Highbury Stadium - Capacity: 5,094 (2,550 seated) Address: Park Avenue, Fleetwood, Lancashire, FY7 6TX Manager: Graham Alexander Current League Position: 7th PLD 26 W 10 D 10 L 6 GD 9 PTS 40 Official Website http://www.fleetwoodtownfc.com/ Last Five Games Gillingham A D 2-2 Morecambe H W 1-0 York City H D 0-0 Port Vale A W 2-0 Northmapton Town A L 3-1 Last And Only Meeting Bristol Rovers 0-0 Fleetwood Town How Will It Go Fleetwood have taken 8pts from there last 15 and sit in the last play-off place they've had an excellent season so far having only been promoted last season. So another team at the top that Rovers will face in January having lost to league leaders Gillingham last Saturday and Exeter and Rotherham still to come this month its hard to see how The Gas can possibly get any points from these games without a proven goalscorer its going to be very difficult to away with 3pts from any of these games. Fleetwood however did fall to defeat and Northampton last weekend so either they might start rocking a bit and Rovers can nick a surprise win or they will be back bang on form. IMO if we don't have a striker and maybe another couple of editions by game day I can only see a Fleetwood win I think the best we can hope for is a draw if are defense can hold out that is. Final Score - Fleetwood Town 1 - 0 The Gas (I hope I'm wrong)
Not bad for a little club formed in 1997 please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image
i go with a score draw. have we scored a goal under ward that is from open play yet? aldershot 2-2 - 1 was a penalty, cant remember the other goal??? plymouth 2-1 - both goals from corners gillingham 0-2 - no goals scored
Without Calamity Kenneth and a return of Clarkson this weekend a postive result could be on the cards. A bit more guile in the final third of the oppositions half,rather than the huff and puff of last Saturday and we may come away with the spoils especially as they have a good playing surface and will be expecting to win. COR
Bristol Rovers boss John Ward struggling to bolster squad ahead of Fleetwood trip John Ward admits that Bristol Rovers' position at the bottom of the Football League is hampering his bid to strengthen a threadbare squad. The manager this morning confirmed that he has missed out on a couple of potential deals over the last 48 hours and could go to Fleetwood on Saturday without any new faces on board. Ward, however, remains in the market for a striker and his need to fill the void increased after he revealed this morning that David Clarkson will miss his third successive game with an ankle injury and that Joe Anyinsah is '50/50' because of a hamstring complaint. A defender is also still on the radar after Garry Kenneth was ruled out for the remainder of the season with a knee injury earlier this month, but Ward said: We've managed to bring a few in over the last couple of weeks, but this week we've just drawn a blank. "I've had something like 77 phone calls in and out in the last couple of days in an on-going bid to improve the squad, but we've not been able to do it. "I've had one message back this morning regarding a player I'd made an offer for and the club in question has turned it down, but I'm always hopeful that my next phone call will be the one that says we can do something. "These things happen in the game and certainly it is tough to persuade players to come to a club that is in our current predicament. Players are looking at that and wondering where Bristol Rovers are going to be in six months. "There are always players that think they can do better at this time of the year. It is really a case of sifting out the necessities for us and identifying what type of player is right for this football club at this moment in time. "It might become a little easier towards the end of January, but then I'd have to decide whether a player only wants to come here because he has not got anywhere else to go. "Time is also at a premium for us because we are running out of football matches from which to get the points we need. There is a chance that we will go to Fleetwood without any new players, but I want people to know I'm still trying very hard to get people in." Ward, meanwhile, still hadn't given up all hope in the possibility that Stoke midfielder Matt Lund could return on loan, when saying: "I haven't given up on that yet. "Matt has to make a decision on his own future, but we're training up at Stoke on Friday and people like John Rudge and Tony Pulis have an affinity with this football club and are keeping me in touch with that situation." Ward, meanwhile, welcomed the positive developments this week surrounding Rovers' plans to build a new stadium at Stoke Gifford after councillors recommended that Sainsbury's should be given permission to build a new supermarket on the Memorial Stadium site in Horfield. The decision is set to be made one way or the other at a planning meeting on January 16, but Ward warned: "The new stadium is very important for the future of the club. "Every Bristol Rovers supporter and even my chairman would probably agree when I say the most crucial thing for me to focus on at this moment in time is to stay in the Football League. "I don't think anybody would enjoy the prospect of having a fantastic new stadium on the horizon if Bristol Rovers is not playing in the Football League." Rovers continue their bid to lift themselves of the foot-of-the-table against a big-spending Fleetwood Town side, who are currently embroiled in the battle for play-off places. "Everybody we are playing seems to be in the top six or seven at the moment," said Ward. "We played the leaders last week and, although they were ultimately too strong for us, we gave them a decent game. "Fleetwood are of a similar standard. They have some strength and depth and will certainly be a tough opponent for us."
Fleetwood Town: Kidderminster's Jamille Matt set for Cod Army Fleetwood Town will complete the signing of Kidderminster's Jamille Matt on Friday, subject to the striker passing a medical at Highbury. The 22-year-old only signed a new contract with Harriers on 1 January. However, Fleetwood met a release clause in his new deal, meaning he was free to discuss terms with the League Two club. A scorer of eight goals in eight league games this season, Matt is likely to make his debut for the Cod Army against Bristol Rovers on Saturday. Matt only returned to action in November, having not played since February because of issues over his work permit. Kidderminster chairman Mark Serrell was surprised the former Sutton Coldfield Town man would be leaving Aggborough so soon after agreeing a new deal. "We included a clause within Jamille's new agreement. "It was designed to offer the club a little more security and, in our view, hopefully keep him with us for at least the foreseeable future," Serrell told the club website. "We had not envisaged at all that any club would meet the criteria of that clause quite so soon, but Fleetwood Town have done so. "Their officials made an approach properly and through the correct channels which we commend. "Naturally we do not wish to lose Jamille's services, but accept that this move is potentially a very fruitful one for him and we wish him well with whatever he decides to do."
Possible Line Ups The Gas Mildenhall Smith_Parkes_McChrystal_Brown Richards_Norburn_O'Toole_Clucas_Broghammer Hitchcock Fleetwood Town Davis McLaughlin_Atkinson_Goodall_Howell Johnson_Marrow_McGuire_Brown Ball_Titchiner
TEAM NEWS Fleetwood Town could give a debut to striker Jamille Matt, who has joined the Cod Army from Kidderminster for an undisclosed club record fee. Matt scored eight goals in eight games for Harriers in the Blue Square Bet Premier this season. Bristol Rovers will check on the fitness of striker Joe Anyinsah and defender Jim Paterson, who have both been struggling in recent weeks. Forward David Clarkson (ankle) will definitely miss out. VIEW FROM THE TRAINING GROUND Fleetwood Town manager Graham Alexander told BBC Radio Lancashire: "He's [Jamille Matt] someone that the scouts at the club have been watching for a while. "He's something that we haven't had at the club. He was our number one target to fill that void, and luckily for us, we've got him. "I think we're lucky to have him, and it's a great club for him to join and further his career." Bristol Rovers manager John Ward told BBC Radio Bristol: "I'm very happy with the attitude of the group I've got. "There's not enough of them - we've been struggling to fill the bench - but the approach I've had has been very positive. "If that's the case on Saturday, then we will go with them. I know they'll give their all with their hearts on their sleeves."
With Clarkson out I may have to revise my prediction of a win today. I cannot see where the goals will come from but will stick with a Rovers win COR
As well as Anyinsah, no Broghammer (knee) or Paterson (hamstring) today, after both were injured in training
Typical all the bottom teams are winning still at least we will keep in touch with them if we win as well!
