Carabao Cup Preview - Bristol Rovers v Cheltenham Town

9 August 2021

Rovers host Cheltenham Town in the first round of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday evening.

The game will see the return of fans to the Mem for a competitive fixture for the first time since the pandemic struck in March 2020 and marks the first of three home games on the spin for the Gas, ahead of league meetings with Stevenage and Oldham in the coming weeks.

12 former winners of the competition enter this season's Carabao Cup campaign at the first-round stage, with Rovers' taking on the Robins in a copy of a first-round tie that the Gas won in 2019.

Manager's Preview

Rovers Manager Joey Barton shifted focus towards Tuesday's game shortly after the final whistle on Saturday.

Casting his attention on team selection for Tuesday's game, Barton told reporters about his thinking behind who will and who won't be available for the midweek clash, "It probably will be everyone who didn’t play on Saturday in some form or fashion.

"We’re not going to rotate, we don’t have the bodies to do that at this moment in time.

"We’ve got a training ground game happening to get Rodman, Nicholson and Finley minutes in the afternoon behind closed doors, so they may not feature in the game, but hopefully with an eye on getting them through safely and being involved against Stevenage."

Opposition View

Cheltenham Town boss, Michael Duff, spoke with the press ahead of Tuesday's meeting.

Duff was a teammate of Rovers Manager,Joey Barton at Burnley.

Ahead of the tie, Duff told ctfc.co.uk, "They've brought a lot of players in and I know it's been a revamp in terms of personnel."

"But knowing Joey (Barton) as I do he'll want to win the game.

"They were disappointed at the weekend so they'll be looking to get off to a winning start, but we're still looking for our first win as well.

"There will be changes to the team but that's not devaluing the competition."

Referee Watch

Lee Swabey takes charge of Tuesday's contest. Swabey officiated 29 games last season, handing out 67 yellow cards and not a single red card. He took control of Rovers on two occasions last season, in our home defeats against Oxford United and Peterborough. He averages just shy of 26 fouls per game.

Stat Attack

Cheltenham head to the Mem on a steak of 4 games without a defeat. The Robins totalled 21 clean sheets last season that aided their promotion push. Both Andy Williams and Alfie May ended last season with 8 goals apiece

Cheltenham have not progressed further than the second round of the EFL Cup, losing out in the second round stage against the likes of Newcastle United, West Ham United and Brighton in recent years.

Rovers' recent highlight of the Carabao Cup would be a recent trip to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea during the 2016/17 season. Between 2016 and 2020, the Gas progressed beyond the first round stage four times on the spin, defeating Cheltenham Town in the progress during the 2019/20 season.

Familiar Faces

Liam Sercombe is part of the Cheltenham squad that won promotion to Sky Bet League Two last term. Sercombe made over 100 league appearances for Rovers during a three-season stint at the Mem.

Betting Preview

EFL sponsors Sky Bet have the Gas priced at 7/5 to record a victory on Tuesday evening - with the price of 5/1 offered on Rovers winning the tie on penalties. Cian Harries is offered at 33/1 to open the scoring on Tuesday night - with Luke Thomas matched at 23/10 to be on the scoresheet at any time during the tie.

To bet with Sky Bet please click HERE. Please bet responsibly.

How to Follow the Game

Due to broadcast regulations, Carabao Cup games are only available as audio match passes. To purchase an audio match pass, or an audio monthly pass, please click HERE.

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Tickets

Tickets for Tuesday's encounter can be purchased online HERE.

Print at home tickets can be scanned at the turnstiles.

Tickets can be purchased in store at the Club Superstore and will be available from the match day ticket office on the evening of the game.

Feature

Updated - Return of Fans FAQ's

Match Previews

Match Reports

Match Report - Bristol Rovers 0-2 Cheltenham Town

10 August 2021

Rovers exit the Carabao Cup at the first-round stage, after a defeat at the hands of Cheltenham Town at the Mem.

Ellis Chapman came the closest to breaking the deadlock in the first half, as his long-range strike bounced back off the frame of the Rovers goal.

Alfie May grabbed the tie's first goal as the game approached the hour, finishing from close range after being found by Wright's delivery into the Rovers area.

Substitute Kyle Vassell added a second goal for Cheltenham inside the final twenty minutes of the tie - ensuring it was the Robins who progressed to the Second Round stage.

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Ahead of the tie, Rovers made five changes to face the Robins.

Connor Taylor and James Belshaw both were named in the starting XI for their Gas debuts - with Alfie Kilgour, Jack Baldwin and Ben Liddle also listed as changes to the side that faced Mansfield on the opening day.

Early chances were at a premium, with only Callum Wright's speculative volley from outside the area the only opportunity of note inside the opening ten minutes.

Rovers enjoyed the majority share of possession, with the mainstay of the play focused in the middle of the pitch. A short corner routine involving Thomas and Westbrooke saw the latter drill a low cross into the congested area that narrowly ran out of the reach of Harvey Saunders at the near post.

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On the half-hour mark, a long-range strike from Ellis Chapman kept low and skidded across the plush Mem surface, bouncing back off the inside the Rovers upright, in what a fortunate left off for the Gas.

As the first half progressed, Rovers had appeals for a penalty turned away when Saunders and Tozer collided inside the Cheltenham area. Shortly after, Anderson aimed a curling effort towards that target that came close to forcing Flinders into action.

With the deadlock in place at the interval, Rovers had a disallowed goal early on in the second half when Harry Anderson was judged to have been offside when latching onto a useful through ball and lifting a finish beyond Flinders.

The game's first goal came just on the turn of the hour. A searching ball over the top from Callum Wright found the run of Alfie May, who kept his balance to chip a composed finish over the onrushing Belshaw.

Cheltenham made a double change after going in front, introducing Kyle Vassell for his debut and also Liam Sercombe, who received a warm welcome on his return to BS7.

Rovers made a double change of their own - with a debut for the Academy's Jamarni Langlais and Sion Spence coming off the bench.

It was the Cheltenham substitute who had an instant impact, as Kyle Vassell was in the right position at the far-post to react to the ball pinballing around the Rovers penalty to convert home from close-range.

Rovers' third and final change saw Ryan Jones called into the fold, with the youngster also making his EFL debut.

Rovers host Stevenage at Mem in Sky Bet League Two on Saturday.

Rovers: James Belshaw, Connor Taylor, Alfie Kilgour, Nick Anderton, Jack Baldwin, Luke Thomas (77' Ryan Jones), Harry Anderson, Zain Westbrooke (75' Sion Spence), Ben Liddle (75' Jamarni Langlais), Josh Grant, Harvey Saunders,

Subs: Jed Ward, Cian Harries, Luca Hoole, Joe Budd.

Cheltenham Town: Scott Flinders, Ben Tozer (c), Alfie May (65' Kyle Vassell), Callum Wright, Sean Long, George Lloyd, Grant Horton, Taylor Perry (65' Liam Sercombe), Ellis Chapman (79' Chris Hussey), William Boyle, Lewis Freestone.

Subs: Owen Evans, Charlie Raglan, Elliot Bonds, Callum Ebanks.

Match Reports

Ticket News

On Sale - Cheltenham Town

2 August 2021

Tickets are now on sale for our Carabao Cup tie at the Mem against Cheltenham Town.

Rovers entertain Cheltenham in the first round of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday, 10th August (KO - 7:45 pm).

Tickets are now on sale for 2021/22 Season Ticket holders, with members (Club members, Helpline and Supporters Club members) able to purchase tickets from 10am on Wednesday, 4th August.

Tickets will go on general sale from 10am on Friday, 6th August.

Please note, only certain areas of the ground will be open for this fixture - with the full map of available tickets available on Ticketmaster.

Ticket prices for the tie can be found below.

Seated	£16
Standing	£11
U16's	£6

Tickets can be purchased online HERE.

If you haven't already activated your online ticketing account with Ticketmaster, you will need to do so to purchase tickets for this game. Find a step by step guide HERE.

Tickets will be on sale on the day of the fixture.