Preview: Fleetwood Town v Bristol Rovers

5 February 2021

Fleetwood Town face Bristol Rovers on Saturday 6 February at Highbury Stadium in Sky Bet League One, and we have all you need to know ahead of the 3pm kick-off in our match preview.

Fixture: Fleetwood Town v Bristol Rovers

Competition: Sky Bet League One

Date: Saturday 6 February 2021

Kick-off: 15:00

Venue: Highbury Stadium, Park Avenue, Fleetwood, FY7 6TX

Match officials: Sebastian Stockbridge (Referee), Paul Graham & Graeme Fyvie (Assistant Referees), Mark Cunliffe (Fourth Official)

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FLEETWOOD TOWN

Town are heading into Saturday’s game at Highbury with a new Head Coach at the reigns, as Simon Grayson looks to take all three points in his first game at the helm.

Last time out, Fleetwood had the cards stacked as they lost 1-0 to Oxford United at the Kassam Stadium. Charlie Mulgrew received a red card after bringing Matty Taylor down as the last man early in the game, and soon after, the home side then took the lead through full-back Josh Ruffels. Even though Town pressed until the final whistle, they were unable to forge a comeback.

In the game before that, Fleetwood created chances throughout their game against Northampton Town and looked the most likely to break the deadlock but couldn’t seem to find a way past Jonathan Mitchell between the sticks in the Cobblers goal, with the game finishing 0-0 at Highbury.

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BRISTOL ROVERS

The Gas head into the clash at Highbury after winning just one of their last ten games in all competitions, with that being a 2-1 victory over Blackpool at the turn of the year.

Rovers headed to another side in Lancashire last time out as they faced Accrington Stanley, but that game didn’t go their way, as they lost 6-1 on the night. Sam Nicholson cancelled out an early Joe Pritchard goal but a hat-trick from Dion Charles, and a race from Colby Bishop sent Paul Tisdale’s side back to Bristol empty-handed.

They didn’t have much more luck in the game before as they lost 2-1 at home to Rochdale. They went behind after quarter of an hour, through an Alex Newby goal but, Luke Leahy drew The Gas level ten minutes before the half. Dale secured the winner midway through the second half, yet again, through Newby and took all three points.

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ONE TO WATCH: SAM NICHOLSON

One to watch from Bristol is midfielder, Sam Nicholson. The 26-year-old has had an interesting career so far, as he has played in three countries in the last four years.

Nicholson started out his career at Hearts, after coming through the youth ranks in August 2012, and would spend the next five years playing for the team from Scotland. He had to wait 17 months for his first goal for his boyhood club, but it was a pivotal one as he completed the comeback in a 3-3 draw against St Johnstone. He would eventually win the Scottish Championship with the side before moving on three years later.

In 2017, the Edinburgh-born winger made the move to the United States, joining Minnesota United in their inaugural season in the MLS. He only spent a season and a half in Minnesota but managed to make 20 appearances and score two goals in that time, before being traded to Colorado Rapids in May 2018.

Nicholson would reach his first major milestone in Colorado as he went on to play 50 games over three seasons for the side based in Denver. It was rare for him to find the net in his time there as he averaged two goals a season and was eventually sold, to League One side Bristol Rovers in July 2020.

The tricky winger has already made 19 appearances for The Gas in his first season at the Memorial Stadium, finding the back of the net on five occasions, with the last one coming in the side’s last outing against Accrington.

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WATCH TOWN ON iFOLLOW!

Supporters can now purchase video match passes for Fleetwood Town’s Sky Bet League One clash against Bristol Rovers on Saturday.

With fans still unable to attend games, the iFollow match pass is your best option to watch the Cod Army play.

Simon Grayson's side are set to face The Gas in a league clash at Highbury on Saturday, with Town looking to get back to winning ways - and you can watch the game for just £10!

If you'd like to purchase your match pass, click HERE.

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Match Previews

Match Reports

Report: Fleetwood clash with Bristol Rovers ends in stalemate at Highbury

6 February 2021

Fleetwood Town were held to a goalless draw with Bristol Rovers at Highbury Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Town started out the better side, creating multiple chances but none that were able to get past goalkeeper Joe Day. The visitors then grew into the game, forcing a couple of saves from Alex Cairns, but he kept them out and secured another clean sheet.

The first chance of the game fell to Fleetwood as Danny Andrew’s effort from range was deflected, leading to a corner. New signing Dan Batty whipped it into the box, but Callum Connolly’s shot was saved by Day.

Town continued the pressure as Batty found Janoi Donacien on the right-wing, he drove forwards and found Paddy Madden in the middle, whose shot was saved and pushed clear. Callum Camps latched onto the loose ball but struck over.

Fleetwood certainly looked the better side in the opening stages. In the 10^th minute, the Cod Army almost broke the deadlock as Donacien linked up with Madden, yet again, but the latter’s header went just wide of the near post.

Bristol R had their first attempt of the game 14 minutes in as Cairns’ clearance went straight to the oppositions attack. They played the ball to Sam Nicholson, who dragged his shot well wide of the target.

Rovers seemed to break the offside trap set by the Fleetwood defence five minutes later as Brandon Hanlan latched onto an over-the-top ball, with the forward firing wide soon after.

The game seemed to calm down as both sides created half-chances, but none of them worried either goalkeeper. The Gas had shouts for a penalty as they thought Hanlan was pulled to the ground by Danny Andrew around the half-hour mark, but the referee dismissed those claims.

Rovers had the last real chance of the half as Nicholson lined up a strike from 25-yards, but it didn’t trouble Cairns, as it went high and wide of Town’s goal.

Fleetwood started the second half, much like the first one, on the front foot. The first chance started at the feet of Harrison Holgate, who played a long ball to Kyle Vassell, who turned and played the ball back to Madden, who forced a diving save out of Day.

A chance for either side soon followed as Donacien cut inside from the right and his near post shot was easily saved, before Alfie Kilgour drove down the other end and tried his luck from 40-yards, with his effort missing the target.

Camps’ last impact on the game, before being substituted for Mark Duffy, was a free-kick from the left-hand side as he hit the ball with venom towards the Rovers goal, but Day was a match for it as he pushed it clear.

With 20 minutes to go, The Gas’ substitute Luke McCormick dribbled past Andrew, by playing the ball through his legs, and played a low ball into the box towards Hanlan, who struck just wide of the near post.

The visitors carried on the pressure late on in the day as full-back Luke Leahy managed to pick out Nicholson, inside the Town penalty area, but he places his effort into the side netting.

The game dwindled out at the end as both sides tried to create chances, but neither could get the ball out of the midfield. At the end, both sides take a point from the game.

Town XI: Cairns (GK), Andrew, Connolly, Camps (Duffy 65’), J.Morris (McKay 80’), Rossiter, Madden (C), Vassell (Saunders 65’), Donacien, Batty (Biggins 80’), Holgate.

Subs not used: Coleman (GK), Hill, S.Morris.

Gas XI: Day (GK), Leahy, Grant, Ehmer (C), Liddle (McCormick 65’), Hanlan (Ayunga 84’), Nicholson, Kilgour, Daly (Rodman 72’), Baldwin, Williams.

Subs not used: van Stappershoef (GK), Tutonda, Harries, Oztumer.