Preview: Bristol Rovers

31 August 2021

For the second time in the opening month of the season Cheltenham Town visit Bristol Rovers for a cup fixture this evening (kick-off: 7pm).

Earlier in August it was in the Carabao Cup, whereas this time it's the Papa John's Trophy which sees the two clubs go head-to-head again.

That meeting at the start of the month was just the second match of the season and Cheltenham came out on top with a 2-0 victory.

Now for Tuesday's contest in the first Papa John's Trophy group fixture of the season, there will be plenty of changes to both team's for the first of three group matches.

Team news

The exit of George Lloyd on a season-long loan move to Port Vale rules the academy product out, though Monday arrival Mattie Pollock is available having completed a loan transfer from Watford.

Felix Miles and Joe Hunt (pictured) have been recalled from their work experience spells at Evesham United, as is the case with Will Taylor who was under agreement with a similar period at Cirencester Town.

Opposition

Bristol Rovers picked up their first draw of the season on Saturday with a point from a 1-1 stalemate in Cumbria at Barrow.

They'll no doubt, like Cheltenham, use this first Southern Section Group E clash as a chance to make some changes with the likes of Alfie Kilgour, Sion Spence and former Robins loanee Cian Harries contenders to feature alongside some of the others in Joey Barton's set-up who have been featuring in League Two so far.

After facing Cheltenham, Rovers take on Chelsea under-21s in mid-October and end their group campaign with a visit to Exeter City in November.

Tuesday's oppositions best performance in the competition came in the 1989/90 and 2006/07 campaigns where they reached the final only to finish as runners up to Tranmere Rovers and Doncaster Rovers.

Elsewhere in the group

Fellow Southern Section Group E counterparts Exeter City and Chelsea under-21s have already played their first fixture.

Played last week, it ended as a 1-1 draw after 90 minutes, and as is the rule with the competition it headed straight for a penalty shootout which saw Chelsea triumph 4-3 on spot kicks.

Tickets & travel

Ticket prices for the match are £16 for adults and £6 for under-16s.

The Travel Club coach heading to the game has unfortunately been cancelled.

Tickets for the game have been incorrectly printed with a '3pm' kick-off on them. Please note kick-off is at 7pm on the night.

Coverage

Social media: Follow @CTFCofficial on Twitter for team news and updates, CTFC on Facebook for score updates and @CTFCofficial on Instagram.

Website: Read the match report post-match and see reaction to the result from inside the camp.

Radio: Tune in to live commentary on BBC Radio Gloucestershire and on iFollow.

Highlights: Watch extended highlights on iFollow and YouTube.

Match Reports

Report & highlights: Bristol Rovers 2-0 Robins

31 August 2021

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Bristol Rovers v Cheltenham Town - Extended highlights - Tue 31st August 2021

Extended highlights of Bristol Rovers v Cheltenham Town, Tue 31st August 2021 in the Papa John’s Trophy

Cheltenham Town's Papa John's Trophy campaign got off to a losing start at Bristol Rovers.

A mix of first team and scholars made the Robins' second trip to the Memorial Stadium in the space of a month with two second half goals doing the damage.

There were senior debuts handed to 17-year-old duo Joe Hunt and Will Taylor, with Monday signing Mattie Pollock also debuting in the middle of the back three.

Sam Nicholson's header and Harvey Saunders well-taken finish proved to be the difference in the first of three group fixtures.

It was the hosts who dominated the first 45 minutes, creating a number of half-chances that Aaron Collins and Connor Taylor couldn't find the target from.

A Cheltenham break forward resulted in a first shot on target for the evening, but Rovers stopper Jed Ward saved comfortably from Andy Williams' attempt against his former club.

Williams then spurned another good opportunity midway through the half. Taylor Perry did well on the left, but Williams saw his sweeping shot go over the bar.

Harry Anderson and Sion Spence produced further attempts towards the end of the first half but couldn't find a way through leaving the night goalless at the interval.

Early in the second half Saunders saw his header go wide while under pressure for Rovers, though the next time they forced an aerial attempt towards goal it would prove to be the opener.

A Spence cross from the right was met in the box by Nicholson, who was able to get up and head in past Owen Evans.

Lewis Freestone hammered over a great chance to level when substitute Ellis Chapman's header dropped down to him, only for Rovers to double their lead on 70 minutes when Saunders powered through and finished across goal.

Ward ensured he kept hold of his clean sheet when he saved well from Perry, while Williams volleyed over under pressure from Bonds' dinked cross.

A forward dash from Perry as the clock ticked towards 90 proved to be the closest Michael Duff's men would come as the Wolves loanee smashes a shot against the crossbar in the closing stages.

BRISTOL ROVERS: J Ward, A Kilgour, C Taylor, C Harries, H Anderson, H Saunders, J Grant, S Finney (Z Westbrooke 73), S Spence (C Hargreaves 73), A Collins, S Nicholson (R Jones 73)

Subs not used: J Belshaw, M Hughes, N Anderton, Z Walker

ROBINS: O Evans, G Horton, M Pollock (C Jakeways 75), L Freestone, J Hunt (E Chapman 60), W Taylor, E Bonds, C Thomas, T Perry, F Miles (K Vassell 60), A Williams

Subs not used: S Flinders, W Armitage, B Denness-Barrett

Referee: Will Finnie

Attendance: 889 (128 Cheltenham)

Ticket News

Tickets & travel: Bristol Rovers

26 August 2021

Tickets and away travel for the Papa John's Trophy group stage fixture on Tuesday 31 August at Bristol Rovers are on sale.

It's the first match for the Robins in this season's competition and the second away trip down to the Memorial Stadium in the opening month of the season.

The two clubs previously faced one another in the Carabao Cup first round.

Kick-off on the night is at 7pm and tickets can be bought from the ticket office and online.

Ticket prices for the game are as follows:

Adults £16
U16 £6

A seat on the Travel Club coach is priced at:

Non Members - £12 / £10
Members - £10 / £8
Junior Robins - £4

The coach leaves from the Jonny-Rocks Stadium at 4.30pm.

Tickets for the game have been incorrectly printed with a '3pm' kick-off on them. Please note kick-off is at 7pm on the night.