Next Up: Bristol Rovers Away

After the frustration of a good performance yielding another 1-0 defeat, City’s 6th home league defeat of the season, Paul Tisdale’s side looks to complete a double over surprise strugglers Bristol Rovers on Saturday. Matt Gill remains a doubt having tweaked a hamstring at Torquay, while he would love to put one over his recent employers Saturday may be too soon for a return, so Matt Grimes is set to continue in midfield. Arron Davies and Jake Gosling are pushing for starts, while Danny Coles is another player set to miss out on a return to his former club as he continues his recovery from the injury picked up before Christmas. Tom Nichols, nominated for the League Two player of the month award, will expect to continue up front alongside Alan Gow.

Given the recovery in the second half of last season, the pundits predicted a continued upturn in form for Bristol Rovers, installing the Gasheads as one of their promotion favourites. John Ward’s side, however, has struggled with form and injuries and go into Saturday’s match only outside the relegation zone on goal difference. Whereas City’s malaise is at home, however, Bristol Rovers have been appalling away from home, their only victory coming at Oxford (a side with a markedly similar home record to City this season!). Rovers are unbeaten at home since mid-October, although they have drawn too many for their home form to effectively negate their away woes. City will hope to catch a tired Rovers side with their eyes on a bigger prize after Wednesday night’s late comeback win at Crawley in the FA Cup 2nd round replay – Rovers face Birmingham next week with the winners lined up to face Premier League side Swansea in the 4th round, and it will be interesting to see whether Ward views Saturday’s match as more important than the FA Cup tie on Wednesday and therefore whether he decides to rest a few weary legs. Key to Rovers’ fortunes is midfielder John-Joe O’Toole, not only is he a driving force in midfield but he is also the club’s top scorer with six. Striker Matt Harrold has endured a stop-start season but has still contributed four goals, while Scotsman David Clarkson is likely to be a handful up front.

City’s 2-1 win on the opening day of the season was regarded as something of a surprise given the pundits’ pre-season predictions – Danny Coles scored against his former club, Elliot Richards equalised only for Sam Parkin to crown his City debut with the winner. Last season saw Rovers take all six points from this fixture – a 2-1 win at the Park (Clarkson and Richards, Cureton equalising for City) and a 2-0 win at the Memorial Stadium on a night to forget for Artur Krysiak – Norburn and Brown on the scoresheet. City hold the slightest of leads in the Football League head-to-head, 25 wins to Rovers’ 24, with 26 draws.

Match Officials: http://www.exeweb.com/2014/01/07/match-officials-bristol-rovers-away-2/

Our Ground guide to the Memorial Ground. http://www.exeweb.com/2012/06/17/the-things-you-need-to-know-memorial-ground/