Match Previews

Match Preview | Bristol Rovers v Barrow

11th September

Bristol Rovers v Barrow
Sky Bet League Two, The Memorial Stadium, Saturday 13 September 2025, 3:00pm KO

Bristol Rovers will be looking to secure their fourth successive victory in Sky Bet League Two when they host Barrow at The Memorial Stadium on Saturday.

After a difficult start to the campaign, the Gas are now unbeaten in their last four fixtures in the fourth tier, drawing 0-0 with Oldham Athletic before beating Cambridge United, Grimsby Town and Newport County.

Back-to-back away wins have displayed Rovers' spirit on the road, with Darrell Clarke's men overcoming the Exiles in a five-goal thriller last weekend. After a quiet first half, a brace from Luke Thomas and a header from Ellis Harrison put the Pirates in a commanding position before Newport struck twice late on to set up a tight ending.

Barrow lost 3-1 to promotion hopefuls Swindon Town in their last outing, with Aaron Drinan, Paul Glatzel and substitute Princewill Ehibhatiomhan netting for the Robins before Lewis Shipley got a late consolation.

Tickets...

Tickets are still available for our fixture at home to Barrow!

A streamlined pricing structure means a single price band is now operating at Bristol Rovers for the 2025/26 Sky Bet League Two season, with Early Bird pricing available for online purchases up until the start of kick-off!

Get all the information about the pricing structure here!

Tickets purchased in person at our Matchday Ticket Office will include a minor price increase of two pounds across the board, implemented to encourage supporters to purchase tickets in advance and help the Club to forecast required staffing and stewarding appropriately.

Get your tickets now here!

Opposition...

Barrow have enjoyed a steady rise up the English football pyramid and are currently in Sky Bet League Two for the sixth straight season. After four campaigns in the National League between 2015 and 2020, the Bluebirds gained promotion to the fourth tier after 48 years away from the EFL, earning the league title at the end of the 2019/20 term as they were top of the league by four points when the coronavirus pandemic suspended the season.

Two seasons successfully battling against relegation were then followed by two campaigns inside the top half, before a comfortable 16th-place finish in the previous term.

So far this season, Barrow have won two of their seven fixtures, beating Notts County and Colchester United, losing the other five matches. Andy Whing's side made several notable additions in the transfer window. Tom Barkhuizen and Rekeem Harper came in from Derby County and Port Vale, respectively, with the duo adding experience from the Championship.

Barrow also strengthened their attacking line, with Kane Hemmings and Tyler Walker headlining their incoming frontline additions, with midfielders Ben Whitfield and Scott Smith also coming in from Sky Bet League One sides.

Previous Meetings...

Rovers' only two EFL meetings with Barrow came in Sky Bet League Two in the 2021/22 season. The Gas drew 1-1 with the Bluebirds on the road, with Sam Nicholson breaking the deadlock for the Pirates before a leveller from Ollie Banks. However, Rovers secured all three points at The Mem, with Antony Evans scoring a spectacular long-range winner.

Before then, the last meeting between the two sides was in 2016, with Barrow eliminating the Gas from the FA Cup in the second round. It came ten years after Rovers beat Barrow in the same competition, with the Gas winning 3-2. Richard Walker and Craig Disley scored for the Pirates before current Academy Manager Byron Anthony got the third.