Sunday's game with Forest Green Rovers now sold out Bristol Rovers are delighted to announce that the home leg of their Play-Off Semi-Final against Forest Green Rovers is sold out for home supporters. The fixture will take place at the Memorial Stadium with a 12:45 kick off as Darrell Clarke's men continue their search for promotion. Rovers would like to take this time to thank all supporters who have already purchased their tickets to cheer on the boys in the blue and white quarters. Up the Gas!
If you need some wholesome nosh on the way up the M5 you could do worse than the new Gloucester Services. Makes a change from the usual stuff you can buy on the motorway. Reasonable prices for decent grub...You can only access the services north bound. They're still building the south bound one.
I see the Gateshead manager has now become the Wrexham manager. He stated the football league club who also wanted him was Tranmere, no longer a football league now of course. He turned them down and joined Wrexham. Wonder if any of this effected his judgements vs Barnet.
The first ten minutes of this match will be fast and furious I reckon. I hope it doesn't go tits up early doors.
Could be cagey, could be fast and furious. The first goal is important, so I guess both sides will be going all out for that. Really important to keep all eleven on the pitch too, because that's the sort of thing that usually throws a spanner in the works. DC will have worked out how to beat FGR, so after the last two meetings it's going to be interesting to see the line-up and formation etc. Do you think he may switch keepers or stick with Puddy?
DC got it wrong against Dover. It was a game we had to win and we should have played an all out attacking game. He will know that after tonight's game we need to be in touching distance of FGR at the very least. I believe he wont make any more mistakes over the next three games..
Gastronomic said.........Could be cagey, could be fast and furious. For sure at some stage it will get pretty physical with so much at stake.
I think we will sit back and look to frustrate them being defensive as I have no doubts that they will go all out to get an early goal. We could play counter attacks. If we can keep them out in the the 1st half and in the 1st 15 mins of the 2nd half then push up more and take control. But if we cant keep them out and they do get a goal then that could be the best thing for the neutrals watching as that will make us attack minded. It will be a tight game me thinks. As for Puddy or Mildenhall, both have made mistakes, both have kept clean sheets, both have made great saves. I would say keep Puddy in but the threat they pose in the air maybe Mildenhall will be better to start. Plus more experienced head. A tricky one.
In the last 12 seasons, only 3 times have a team who finished 2nd won the play offs in this league. The last time was just last season when Cambridge did it. Prior to 12 seasons back, only the champs got promoted and was no play offs.
Bristol Rovers have announced that due to system crash yesterday it showed more tickets sold than actually had. So if you thought you had missed out get online quickly.
A quick look at tonight's opponents! Bristol Rovers go into tonight's fixture looking to gain a good advantage going into the second leg of the play-off semi-final at the Mem this weekend. Rovers: Darrell Clarke's men will be looking to get a vital win in the first game of the play-offs. Team News: Only Jermaine Easter and Neal Trotman are long term absentees for the fixture. Darrell's View: "The whole changing room are looking forward to it, we missed out on automatic promotion by a point but we will 100% be ready to go against Forest Green. "I've always worked on focusing on the next project and we've got Forest Green away in the first leg and we will just be focusing on that and previous results will mean nothing. "We will go there in a confident mood but at the same time having respect for Forest Green because they've got very good players that can hurt you. "They've been in the top five all season so it is going to be a very tough task but we will be going into the game looking forward to the challenge. Opposition: Forest Green Rovers secured their play-off spot on Saturday but limped in with a goalless draw with Dover Athletic at the New Lawn. Ady Pennock's men finished the regular season with 79 points and before last weekend's draw they had won their three previous fixtures against Chester, Macclesfield and Gateshead. Dangerman - Jon Parkin: The journeyman forward is Forest Green's top goal scorer this season with 25 goals in the league with the most recent coming against away at Gateshead two weeks ago where the striker scored a brace with the second coming from the penalty spot. Last Time Out: 10 man Rovers suffered their first home defeat of the season as Danny Coles 15th minute header was enough to secure all three points at the Mem back in October.
