Bristol Rovers (A) Match Preview

Right listen here "you f*cking bag of sh*ts..."

If that makes no sense to you, click here.

United are back in action, this time down in the West Country home of Bristol Rovers for the first time in 5 years as they look to get back to winning ways. 1 win and 4 losses out of the last 5 do not back for brilliant reading, but three of those defeats did come against some very strong opposition. So this seems like an opportunity to get some points on the board and try and control a game for once (maybe).

But, as is the case in this division, when a game like this comes along, you know full well Rovers will be thinking the exact same thing. Currently teetering on the edge of the relegation spots in 21st, the blue and white of Bristol will be looking to take advantage of what they might consider one of the league's "weaker" and "smaller" sides. It won't be easy, but we'd want to come out of it with something at least. And if you thought our recent form was poor, Rovers' doesn't make for much better reading...

Expected line-up

Centre half is a hard area of the pitch to call for the U's at the moment, but we don't see Taylor doing 90 back to back so either one of Rossi or Okedina should find their way back into the side. We'll plump with Rossi for this who might be slightly fresher. Injuries seem an unknown too, so this is really a stab in the dark.

Mitov; Dunk, Jones, Rossi, Williams; Digby, May; Brophy, Knibbs, Smith; Ironside

Opposition preview

Newly promoted Rovers haven't quite jumped to life back at League One level so far and find themselves 21st in the league. They've got an interesting squad, from bagsman John Marquis to 38 year old Glenn Whelan, but maybe they haven't quite found the perfect formula just yet.

Who is their player to watch?

Hard to look past Marquis who has 70 goals at League One level under his belt in spells at Donny, Pompey, Lincoln and now Rovers. Despite recently being dropped to the bench for a few matches (possibly an injury worry), it looks like he'll be an important player to stop if United are to get anything.

Who’s in the dugout?

Joey Barton. Less said about him the better.

What’s their recent form like?

W0, D2, L3

Any ex-United players?

Nope.

Last time out

Our record at the Mem is poor, losing the last 3 visits. One of them being that calamitous 3-0 defeat as Rovers charged to promotion back to League One, resulting in that infamous Derry outburst. This one was in the League Cup was the last time we visited - best forgotten about in all honesty.

A matchday album to listen to

Hot Chip - Feakout/Release. They never disappoint.

The UTAS team’s terrible Moosenet predictions

2-1 U's, Smith

From the archive

Lovely pixelated footage of the U's seeing the millenium in in classically depressing style.