Match Previews

Match Preview | Bristol Rovers v Colchester United

31st August

Bristol Rovers v Colchester United
Sky Bet League Two, The Memorial Stadium, Tuesday 1 September 2026, 7:45pm KO

Bristol Rovers will be looking for their third straight win in Sky Bet League Two when they welcome Colchester United to The Memorial Stadium on Tuesday night.

Steve Evans' side come into the game after a stellar away performance against Crawley Town on Saturday, as the Gas ran out 2-0 victors at the Broadfield Stadium, with goals coming from a stunning Tom James free-kick and a clever touch and finish from in-form winger Bobby Kamwa.

The Pirates also beat Newport County 5-3 in their previous outing at The Mem, the Gas' ninth straight home victory and their longest run in the Football League since winning a joint club-record ten in a row from February to August 2016.

The U's will head to Rovers with confidence as they picked up three points in their last fixture against Rochdale, with substitute Jaden Williams netting a late winner.

Read everything you need to know about the fixture below...

Tickets...

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

A streamlined pricing structure means a single price band is now operating at Bristol Rovers for the 2026/27 Sky Bet League Two 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.

Get your tickets here!

Opposition...

Danny Cowley’s Colchester side have enjoyed a steady rise in form since he arrived at the club in 2024. When he and his brother Nicky Cowley joined the U's, they found themselves struggling in the relegation places in League Two.

Since his arrival, the club have moved up the table with 10th and 12th place finishes in the last two seasons, and they will be hoping this is the year they push into the potential promotion spots.

After losing key man Owura Edwards to Peterborough United, Kyreece Lisbie to Reading and Arthur Read to York City in the summer window, Cowley has set out to strengthen his side. Permanent signings include Sean Raggett, Jake Leake and Paul Digby from EFL and Scottish league sides, with loan signings of Leon Chiwome, Oscar Thorn, Bradley Ihionvien and Moses Sesay adding to the attack.

Colchester have started the league campaign in strong style, picking up seven points from their first three fixtures. The U's started with an entertaining 2-2 draw away at Accrington Stanley before back-to-back home wins over Oldham Athletic and Rochdale.

Colchester goalkeeper Thimothee Lo-Tutala

Previous Meetings...

Rovers have won just two of their previous nine Football League matches against Colchester (drawing three and losing four), with both victories coming at The Mem. However, the Gas did lose the last meeting at BS7, with Edwards scoring a stunner with five minutes left to play.

It was Colchester's second win in three away at Rovers, losing the other one, after failing to win any of their first 13 in the EFL between 1950 and 2010,

Rovers' previous home victory against the U's in Sky Bet League Two was back in 2022, with now Manchester City man Elliot Anderson scoring the winner with a super strike from the left side of the box.