Two sides towards the bottom of the League One table come together on Tuesday evening when Bristol Rovers play host to Shrewsbury Town at the Memorial Stadium.
The hosts are 18th in the table with 13 points from 11 games, while the visitors are 21st in the standings with just eight points from their opening 12 fixtures.
Match preview
© Imago
Bristol Rovers have gradually improved their standing in the League One table since their promotion back to the third division after finishing third in League Two in the 2021-22 season.
They placed 17th in their first year back in 2022-23, ending with 53 points from 46 outings, and climbed to 15th last campaign, with 57 points from their 46 league games.
Bristol Rovers would have been hoping for another slight improvement in their league position ahead of this season, but they have experienced a mixed start to the 2024-25 campaign.
A challenging start to the season saw them secure only two victories from their first 10 matches across all competitions, and despite initially bouncing back with two consecutive wins, they have since suffered back-to-back losses heading into this match.
Those results leave them 18th in the League One table with just 13 points after 11 outings, from four wins, one draw and six losses, while they are also out of the EFL Cup and bottom of their EFL Trophy group.
Matt Taylor, who has been in charge since December 2023, will be aiming to put an end to their losing streak with a positive performance and result against a struggling Shrewsbury side.
Shrewsbury narrowly secured their survival in League One last season as they finished 19th in the table, just four points above the relegation zone, and they look likely to be fighting for their safety once again this term.
The Shrews currently occupy 21st in the standings after 12 outings with just eight points, from two wins, two draws and eight losses, while they have also played at least a game more than those around them.
Paul Hurst's men started the campaign with three successive league defeats before eventually triumphing against Leyton Orient, but followed that up with four losses and two draws in the subsequent League One fixtures.
They recorded a potentially crucial 5-3 victory against Crawley Town to put an end to that poor run, but were unable to build upon that result in their last outing as they fell to a 2-0 loss to Exeter City.
Hurst will be hoping his side can pick up just their third win of the season when they face Bristol Rovers on Tuesday, though the Shrews have triumphed just once in the last six meetings between these two.
Team News
© Imago
Gaitlin O'Donkor remains a doubt for the hosts after being substituted in the 39th minute of their 4-0 defeat to Swindon Town in the EFL Trophy, resulting in his absence from the last match against Huddersfield Town.
Elsewhere, Taylor has named a similar side in each of Bristol Rovers' last three league matches, and the manager could decide to name an unchanged lineup once again here.
As for the visitors, despite suffering a 2-0 loss to Exeter City in their last outing, a promising performance could lead to Hurst deciding to name a similar side here.
George Lloyd and John Marquis have scored five league goals between them this term, and the strikers are likely to continue their partnership in attack once again.
Bristol Rovers possible starting lineup:
Griffiths; Wilson, Moore, Mola; Hunt, Lindsay, Conteh, Ward, Bilongo; Omochere, Sinclair
Shrewsbury Town possible starting lineup:
Savin; M. Feeney, Nsiala, J. Feeney; Gilliead, Rossiter, Ojo, Benning; Castledine; Lloyd, Marquis
We say: Bristol Rovers 2-1 Shrewsbury Town
Both teams have faced difficulties during the early stages of the 2024-25 season, but given Bristol Rovers' home advantage and their stronger record in recent meetings, we believe they will win this one.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Ellis Stevens
