Bristol Rovers v Cobham Next Gen
EFL Trophy, The Memorial Stadium, Tuesday 25 August 2026, 7pm KO
Bristol Rovers will start their EFL Trophy campaign against Cobham Next Gen (CNG) at The Memorial Stadium on Tuesday night.
The Pirates earned their first victory of the campaign on Saturday, beating Newport County 5-3 in a breathless Severnside derby at The Mem. The Gas conceded early on but came out on top in a dominant performance, with Ben Purrington and Bobby Kamwa scoring alongside a brace from Fabrizio Cavegn and an own goal from Lee Jenkins.
Last season, Rovers reached the Round of 16 in the EFL Trophy, losing a 4-3 thriller against Plymouth Argyle at The Mem. The competition also started with a dramatic fixture against Tottenham Hotspur U21s, with the Gas coming from 3-0 down to draw 4-4 before winning on penalties.
CNG, previously known as U21s before changing their name ahead of the 2026/27 season, lost 2-1 to Bournemouth U21s in the Premier League 2 in their first outing of the campaign.
Read everything you need to know about the fixture below...
Tickets...
Tickets are still available for our fixture at home to Chelsea U21s!
This season we introduced new benefits for Season Ticket Holders, which includes free entry to the match against Chelsea U21 on Tuesday 25 August.
Claim your free ticket by logging into our eticketing website and selecting the 'Season Ticket Comp' ticket type.
Opposition...
CNG had a successful season in the Premier League 2 last term, with the Young Blues winning 14 of their 20 fixtures to finish top of the regular-season table.
Harry Hudson's men beat Middlesbrough to reach the quarter-finals of the play-offs before falling to London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, with current Rovers man Reiss Russell-Denny netting in a 3-1 win for Spurs.
CNG finished bottom of their EFL Trophy group last term, collecting one point from their three matches, losing to Shrewsbury Town and Northampton Town before a goalless draw with Walsall.
Previous Meetings...
Rovers have faced CNG three times in the EFL Trophy. The first meeting was in September 2019, with the Pirates claiming a 2-1 victory thanks to goals from Victor Adeboyejo and Tom Nichols, with Charlie Brown breaking the deadlock for the young Blues. Clinton Mola captained Chelsea in the midfield.
One year later, the Pirates beat Chelsea 4-3, with Brandon Hanlan, Stuart Nicholson, Zain Westbrooke and Josh Hare scoring for the Gas. Premier League regulars Tino Livramento and Levi Colwill started the fixture alongside Napoli midfielder Billy Gilmour.
CNG's only win over the Pirates came in November 2021, when they claimed a 2-1 victory at The Mem
Staying safe at The Mem...
Bristol Rovers wants all attendees to enjoy football in a safe and inclusive environment.
Seated tickets come with an allocated seat and row number, and supporters are kindly reminded to sit only in the seat that comes with the ticket.
Furthermore, Bristol Rovers must ensure we operate in full accordance with EFL ground regulations. A particular issue that has been fed back by some fans is persistent standing. Supporters wishing to stand for matches are kindly advised to locate themselves in one of the available terraces.
Additionally, Bristol Rovers would like to remind all supporters that throwing objects onto the pitch or entering the field of play is strictly prohibited. Both offences are criminal acts under UK law. Anyone involved can face arrest, fines and potential banning orders. We ask all fans to support the team responsibly and help us maintain a safe and respectful matchday environment.
Bristol Rovers is committed to removing and eliminating any direct or indirect discrimination of any form or kind within club structures and will, under no circumstances, condone unlawful discriminatory practices. To discover how to report any incidents of discrimination, click here.
Match Officials...
Referee: Ross Martin
Assistant Referee: Stuart Kane and Matthew Joyce
Fourth Official: Declan O'Shea
