Bristol Rovers v Newport County
Sky Bet League Two, The Memorial Stadium, Saturday 31 January 2026, 12:30pm KO
Bristol Rovers will be desperate to return to winning ways in what can only be described as a six-pointer when they face Newport County in Sky Bet League Two.
The Pirates last claimed victory on New Year's Day, winning 3-0 at Shrewsbury Town after a fantastic Fabrizio Cavegn hat-trick and will be hoping the Swiss forward can come up trumps for them again.
Last time out, the Gas fell to a 1-0 defeat away to Milton Keynes Dons. It was a tightly fought game against the promotion hopefuls, but the hosts claimed all three points through Callum Paterson's close-range strike moments before the break.
Newport last played on Tuesday evening away at Accrington Stanley, which was an enthralling five-goal contest with a red card. The dismissal of County’s goalscorer Nathaniel Opoku in the 69th minute allowed Accrington to control the game and run out 4-1 victors at The Rodney Parade.
Read everything you need to know about the fixture below...
Tickets...
Our fixture against Newport will be ALL TICKET, with no physical ticket sales on matchday. Tickets are only available to supporters with a previous booking history. Buy your tickets in advance to secure your place at the Severnside derby!
Opposition...
Newport have been ever-present in Sky Bet League Two, 2025/26, marking their 13th successive season in the fourth tier, and this season has the potential to end their time in the league. County sit 23rd in Sky Bet League Two, just inside the relegation zone, winning only five of their 27 games, leaving them on 20 points for the campaign.
The last time the Exiles nearly left the fourth tier of English football was in the 2020/21 season, when Newport finished in fifth place and reached the playoffs. A dramatic two-legged tie against Forest Green Rovers saw Newport prevail 5-4 on aggregate after a 119th-minute winner from Nick Maynard. However, they fell at the final hurdle at Wembley, losing 1-0 to Morecambe in extra time after a goal from Carlos Mendes.
County could have gone above Bristol Rovers on Tuesday if they beat Accrington, but goals from Alex Henderson, Isaac Sinclair, Paddy Madden and Issac Heath meant Accrington Stanley would take all three points. They have improved under Premier League title winner Christian Fuchs, drawing against Barnet and beating Crewe Alexandra and Chesterfield.
Previous Meetings...
The teams first met back in 1920, with Rovers running out 3-2 winners, and it was part of the Bristol Rovers Heritage Society’s collection of matches. This would be the first meeting of what would be a big rivalry between the clubs.
The Pirates and Newport have a longstanding Severnside Derby rivalry, playing a total of 71 games. Interestingly, both teams have won 27 times, with 17 matches concluding in a draw.
The last time the clubs met was back in September 2025 at Rodney Parade. A Luke Thomas brace and an Ellis Harisson close-range header gave the Gas all three points away from home, with two late Newport goals not enough for an impressive comeback.
Rovers have won three of the last five meetings against Newport, scoring nine goals and conceding seven. Four of the meetings have come in Sky Bet League Two, and once in the EFL Trophy in 2023. Newport's last victory at The Mem came in 2021, with Dom Telford bagging a brace and Courtney Baker-Richardson also scoring.
Opening Times...
Club Store: 9am – 12:30pm and full-time - 3pm
Ticket Office: 9am - 1pm
Hospitality: 9:30am
Thatchers’ Bar: 10am
BRFC Legends Bar: 10am
Home Fanzone: 10am
Away Fanzone: 10am
Access for disabled supporters: 10:45am
Bars after Turnstile: 11am
Home Turnstiles: 11am
Away Turnstiles: 11am
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: Will Finnie
Assistant Referee: David Nicholson And Christopher Husband
Fourth Official: Niall Smith
