Fleetwood Town v Bristol Rovers
Sky Bet League Two, Highbury Stadium, Saturday 9 August, 3:00pm
Bristol Rovers will look to secure their first victory of the 2025/26 Sky Bet League Two season when they travel to Fleetwood Town on Saturday.
The Pirates started their campaign in the fourth tier with a narrow defeat to Harrogate Town at The Memorial Stadium. With a packed crowd supporting the Gas on Darrell Clarke's return to the home dugout, Rovers dominated the early exchanges, with Promise Omochere seeing a low shot pushed around the post by James Belshaw before Taylor Moore thumped the bar with a header.
However, the Sulphurites survived the pressure and netted the winner in the second half through Stephen Duke-McKenna, who chipped a clever effort over Luke Southwood and into the net.
Fleetwood beat Barnet on the opening day of the campaign, with Will Davies breaking the deadlock before Elliot Bonds scoring the second after the break.
Tickets...
Tickets will be available on the day of the fixture by card payment only.
Travel...
By car, head north on the M5 motorway before joining the M6 northbound. Continue up the M6 to Junction 32, then merge onto the M55 heading towards Blackpool. Stay on the M55 until Junction 3, then exit onto the A585 toward Fleetwood. As you reach the outskirts of Fleetwood, go straight over the roundabout near Blackpool & Fylde College, then turn left onto Copse Road.
After passing the Fire Station, take another left onto Radcliffe Road, which parallels Copse Road. Finally, turn right onto Stanley Road, where you’ll find Highbury Stadium at the end on your left.
Opposition...
Fleetwood spent ten successive seasons in Sky Bet League One before being relegated from the third tier in the 2023/24 campaign. The Fisherman had a steady season in the fourth-tier last term, scoring 60 goals, conceding 60 goals and accumulating 60 points on their way to finishing in 14th position.
The Lancashire club have been busy in the transfer market, especially in the attack, adding Ched Evans, James Norwood, and Will Davies, with the latter of the trio netting on his debut against Barnet.
Denver Hume, who played 45 times for Grimsby Town last term, moved to the club to add depth at left-back, with Toby Mullarkey also coming in from Crawley Town.
Assessing Fleetwood's outgoings so far, two players have moved up the pyramid to Sky Bet League One, with Phoenix Patterson going to Stevenage and Brendan Sarpong-Wiredu moving to Plymouth Argyle.
There will also be a familiar face in the Rovers ranks for Fleetwood fans, with Omochere returning to his former club after moving to the Gas last summer.
Previous Meetings...
Rovers have a good record away to Fleetwood and are unbeaten in their last five trips to Highbury Stadium, with their last defeat on their travels coming in April 2018.
The Pirates' last victory on the road against the Fisherman came in 2023, where Lewis Gibson and Grant Ward scored to help the Gas come from behind to secure a 2-1 triumph.
Rovers' most emphatic win in recent history away at Fleetwood came in January 2013, where Ellis Harrison started in the attack for the Pirates. Danny Woodards, Eliot Richards and John-Joe O'Toole netted the goals on that day.
Referee: Sebastian Stockbridge
Assistant Referee: Joe Simpson And Matt Archibald
Fourth Official: Alex Gray
