Fleetwood Town are looking to bounce back from their narrow defeat last time out as Bristol Rovers head to Highbury on Easter Monday.
Fixture: Fleetwood Town v Bristol Rovers
Competition: Sky Bet League One
Date (kick-off): Monday 10 April (3pm)
Venue: Highbury Stadium
Fleetwood Town
With six games left, and the Cods on a 50-point tally, they will want to make it the result they would have wanted at the Abbey Stadium on Friday this time out, with head coach Scott Brown coming out after the game and saying the performance wasn’t good enough against Cambridge United.
From start to finish, it wasn’t Fleetwood’s day down south as Jack Lankester converted the first effort on goal in the game just three minutes in, with Sam Smith slotting a controversial spot kick past Jay Lynch to double their lead, making Junior Quitirna’s debut goal just a consolation.
Before that, Fleetwood were on a four-game unbeaten streak, beating high-flyers Derby County at the first time of asking at Pride Park and Lincoln City at home in that time, and picking up draws against Port Vale and Exeter City as well during the run.
Bristol Rovers
It wouldn’t be a Rovers preview without mentioning the comeback of former head coach Joey Barton, who we’re sure will receive a positive reception from his time at the club, taking Town to the play-offs during the 2019/20 season.
Since the Pirates’ promotion last season to League One, they have been comfortable with the step up and currently find themselves in 15th position in the table and safe for another season after their 1-0 win over Charlton Athletic on Good Friday, thanks to a John Marquis penalty kick.
It’s been an up-and-down couple of months for the Gas since the turn of the new year as, after winning the opening two games of 2023, they went on a seven-game winless streak, until they put three past Oxford United. Since then, they’ve registered two more wins and a draw in five outings.
What the gaffer had to say…
Head coach Scott Brown spoke to the media after his side fell to a narrow 2-1 defeat to Cambridge United on Good Friday – here’s what he had to say:
“It was a disappointing start as after five minutes, we were one-nil down; it’s a mentality thing because we are safe, we don’t want to focus, do our jobs, and take responsibility which is a hard thing to take because the players have really started to express themselves.
“We’ve had three very disappointing performances away from home recently but, overall, they probably deserved the win as they wanted it more. I know they are in a relegation battle and we’re safe, but that still shouldn’t matter, we have to be bigger and better than that.
“Today, we were nowhere near good enough, not one person in that team will get passing marks and once Monday comes around, it’ll be a totally different team with a lot of changes. That’s judged on that performance there - there are plenty of players who want the chance to play.”
iFollow information ahead of the Gas clash
With the return of Joey Barton to Highbury, and the chance for the Cods to redeem themselves after their Cambridge performance on Friday, it’s set to be a brilliant fixture for supporters whether they’re at Highbury or watching from afar.
All supporters of the Cods will be able to purchase either a Video Match Pass for £10 or an Audio Match Pass for just £2.50 so you can get behind the lads online and from the comfort of your own home – buy your iFollow passes HERE!
Commentary for both streaming services will be provided by Phil Gittins from BBC Radio Lancashire, live from Highbury, as he will be watching the game next to the Club’s media team in the press box.
If you want to view these passes or even the seasonal ones which will run until our clash against Ipswich Town at the start of May, click HERE – make sure you don’t miss anything from Fleetwood Town from now until the end of the season!