September Newsfile

Newsfile Archive

Quite simply we cannot afford to lose. Bristol Rovers are top of the table we are 17th. A win for us would lift us towards the mid table area, defeat will leave all thinking we are relegation material. It would be typical of City to go to the Memorial Ground tomorrow and do a smash and grab raid and come away with 3 points (in my dream anyway).

On the playing front City welcome back Matt Brazier, Russell Perrett, Craig Middleton, Jon Hallworth etc to the squad. Fringe player Lee Phillips pulled a hamstring in the friendly on Wednesday so he is not in contention. Scott Young looks to be ruled out after another infamous training ground injury (from memory he joins, Phil Owen Jamie Hughes, Jason Fowler and others who have suffered in such incidents).

Jason Bowen is hoping to shake off a knock and play in the game.

It will be a big game for three players with strong Bristol connections. Jason Fowler is a Bristol lad and started his career with Rovers. Mike Ford is born and bred Bristol and Kevin Nugent signed for City from Bristol City and he still lives in Bristol.

Match preview from The Bristol Evening Post.
Bristol Rovers’ on-loan keeper Stuart Taylor will make a quick return from international duty to face Cardiff City at the Memorial Stadium tomorrow.

The Arsenal youngster is part of England’s Under-21 squad against Denmark at Bradford this evening.

But he will travel south tomorrow morning to rejoin his Rovers team-mates for their Severnside derby game against the Welshmen.

And with Trevor Challis having recovered from the hip injury that saw him limp out of last weekend’s victory over Blackpool, it means Ian Holloway should be able to field an unchanged side.

The manager is warning his top-of-the-table team to expect a tough test from Frank Burrows’ side, who were promoted last season.

“Cardiff are a very good team going forward and I expect them to come and attack us more than some of the other sides we’ve faced at home this season,” said Holloway.

"I see this as a very tough fixture for us and we can’t expect to have everything our own way – but we are at home and we have to make the most of our home fixtures this season if we are going to do anything.”

Holloway believes the backing from what is expected to be the biggest gate at the stadium so far this season could be a big factor.

“To hear seven and a half thousand of our supporters singing their heads off in the rain for us last weekend was fantastic,” said Holloway.

“These people are going to be getting the roof they need soon, and they deserve it. I don’t know if they realise what a difference their support makes to us on the pitch, but their backing can be crucial and we need them right behind us again tomorrow.

“It’s a derby game and that is bound to create a bit of passion.”

Holloway is stressing that he wants a riproaring start from his team, who are unbeaten on their own soil since early April.

“I thought we were a bit flat in the opening 20 minutes against Blackpool, and I want us to be brighter right from the start tomorrow,” he said.

“We went 3-0 up last weekend but then took our foot off the gas a bit, and we need to keep our concentration and our focus over the whole 90 minutes.”

Burrows feels Cardiff haven’t had the results they have deserved in recent weeks. “We have been getting a lot of compliments from people and playing some glorious football, but we haven’t been picking up results consistently,” he said. “We have to be tighter at the back.”