Bristol Rovers v Cambridge United
Vertu Trophy, The Memorial Stadium, Tuesday 2 December 2025, 7:00pm KO
Bristol Rovers will be looking to progress to the Vertu Trophy Round Of 16 when they welcome Cambridge United to The Memorial Stadium for the third time this season.
The Gas will be looking to start December strongly after a disappointing end to November, losing 1-0 to Notts County despite dominating most of the contest. The Pirates hit the post twice, the bar once, and forced Magpies goalkeeper Kelle Roos into five saves before conceding five minutes before the end, with Matthew Dennis' deflected strike beating Luke Southwood.
The Pirates are unbeaten in the Vertu Trophy this term and earned a home draw in the Round Of 32 after finishing top of the Southern Group B. Darrell Clarke's men started the competition with a victory on penalties over Tottenham Hotspur U21s before back-to-back 1-0 wins over Cheltenham Town and Plymouth Argyle saw them seal first position.
The U's were unbeaten in November and came from behind to win against Crewe Alexandra in their previous match. The Railwaymen took the lead through Emre Tezgel's header before Mamadou Jobe levelled eight minutes before the end. It looked like the game was going to finish with the points shared, but Ben Knight netted in the seventh minute of stoppage time to seal the victory for Cambridge.
Read everything you need to know about the fixture below...
Tickets...
Tickets are still available for our fixture at home to Cambridge!
A streamlined pricing structure means a single price band is now operating at Bristol Rovers for the 2025/26 season, with Early Bird pricing available for online purchases up until the start of kick-off!
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.
Opposition...
Cambridge are pushing for promotion in Sky Bet League Two and are in sixth position. The U's are only three points behind Milton Keynes Dons in third place, with Neil Harris' men enjoying strong form in November. Back-to-back goalless draws against Salford City and Barnet gave them a foundation to build on before wins over Barrow and Crewe pushed them from 12th to sixth.
Rovers' upcoming visitors got an away draw in the Vertu Trophy after finishing second in the Southern Group H. Cambridge started the competition with an impressive 3-1 win over Sky Bet League One outfit Luton Town before losing a five-goal thriller to Barnet. They then secured their passage into the next stage after beating Brighton & Hove Albion U21s 1-0, with Adam Mayor scoring the only goal.
Cambridge also reached the knockout stages of the Vertu Trophy last season, losing away to Cheltenham Town in the Round Of 32.
Previous Meetings...
Rovers are facing Cambridge at The Mem for the third time already this season, with the team's level at one win each heading into the third encounter. The U's got the better of the Gas in the first tie, with Louis Appéré and Ryan Loft scoring in a 2-0 victory in the Carabao Cup.
However, the Pirates got revenge 11 days later in Sky Bet League Two. Ellis Harrison provided the decisive moment, latching onto a flick from Alfie Kilgour to score his first goal for the Gas since returning to the Club in the summer.
Overall, the Pirates have a strong record against Cambridge, winning nine of their last 11 fixtures against their upcoming opponents across all competitions.
Officials...
Referee: James Durkin
Assistant Referees: Andrew Ellis and Ryan Whitaker
Fourth Official: Steven Plane
