Bristol Rovers face a difficult top of Sky Bet League Two showdown against Barnet.
Sat fifth and second respectively on 15 points and a single point off the summit, victory could see Bristol Rovers or Barnet go top if results elsewhere swing in their favour.
Team News
Alfie Kilgour is available for Bristol Rovers after he recovered from a minor knee injury scare during their 4-1 Jersey Mike’s Trophy defeat at Wycombe Wanderers on Tuesday evening.
Fabrizio Cavegn (knock) could return but Jack Aitchison and Riley Harbottle remain ruled out with hamstring injuries.
Barnet have no fresh injury concerns after their 0-0 draw at AFC Wimbledon in the Jersey Mike’s Trophy on Tuesday night.
Nik Tavares could return if he can sufficiently recover from a hand injury to be fit enough for selection.
When is Kick-Off?
Bristol Rovers host Barnet at the Memorial Stadium on Saturday 10 October at 3pm BST, untelevised live in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Bristol Rovers have won just two of their last nine League Two meetings against Barnet (W2, D2, L5).
- Barnet have won just two of seven previous league visits to Bristol Rovers (W2, L5).
- Bristol Rovers have conceded seven goals in their last three league meetings against Barnet without reply (L3).
- Steve Evans’ Pirates are yet to lose at home in the league this season (W4).
- Five of Barnet’s 15 points in their first seven league games this season were gained away from home.
Prediction
Despite only one win in their last four league matches (W1, L3), Bristol Rovers crucially are still yet to taste a fourth-tier defeat at home this season which has to give them some belief coming into this tricky test after a wasteful defeat at Crewe Alexandra last weekend.
Barnet meanwhile had three weeks off since their last league outing but held their own on Tuesday night at AFC Wimbledon which should please Dean Brennan, but they now need to continue that focus as they return to league matters having lost their spot at the summit last weekend.
This clash though is a proper test of the Bees’ promotion credentials against Steve Evans’ Pirates who are unbeaten in their last nine league matches at home, so I can see this being a close contest and honestly a point apiece would be a fair result.
Prediction: Bristol Rovers 1-1 Barnet