Bristol Rovers will be looking to make it four games unbeaten in the league when they host playoff-chasing Wycombe Wanderers at the Memorial Stadium on Tuesday night in League One.
The Pirates have adapted to life in the third tier well since promotion last year, whereas their visitors Wycombe are wanting to escape into the Championship after playoff heartbreak last season.
Match preview
© Reuters
Bristol Rovers recorded their second-straight away maximum in League One on Saturday afternoon as they beat relegation-threatened Forest Green Rovers 3-1 at The Bolt New Lawn.
It was a meeting of two managers who were as hard as nails during their playing careers in Nailsworth - Duncan Ferguson and Joey Barton - with the Pirates mounting a comeback after Charlie Savage put the hosts into a first-half lead.
Pirates' forward John Marquis bagged his sixth and seventh goals of his League One campaign in the victory, with 33-year-old Scott Sinclair also getting in on the goalscoring action for the visitors.
That victory has moved Rovers up to 13th in the League One standings, and considering Barton's men are now 12 points ahead of the relegation places, Bristol Rovers have enjoyed a commendable first campaign back in the third tier following a dip into League Two last season.
The playoff positions may have escaped the Pirates this term, but a top-half finish is still very much achievable for a club who had to endure a period of fourth-tier and National League football not too long ago.
© Reuters
Wycombe missed the chance to gain crucial ground on the playoffs after falling to a 2-1 defeat at Burton Albion on Saturday afternoon, with first-half goals from Dale Taylor and Joe Powell proving enough to earn the Brewers maximum points.
The Chairboys have been plagued with inconsistency since the departure of legendary boss Gareth Ainsworth to Championship outfit Queens Park Rangers last month, having only collected four points from the quartet of matches under Matt Bloomfield.
After losing the League One playoff final to Sunderland at Wembley last season, Wycombe are in a position now where another top-six charge is their only realistic hope of earning a place in the Championship next term, with Bloomfield's men currently seventh in the standings.
Ipswich Town, Barnsley, Derby County and Bolton Wanderers are the teams sitting inside the playoff spots at the moment, meaning Wycombe are going to have to battle against sides with more Championship pedigree if they are to make their promotion dreams a reality.
Wycombe are unbeaten in their last four encounters with Bristol Rovers, keeping clean sheets during their last two visits to the Memorial Stadium - a statistic that Bloomfield's men will be desperate to continue on Tuesday.
Team News
Bristol Rovers boss Barton singled out midfielder Luke McCormick for criticism following the win at Forest Green on Saturday - the 24-year-old gave away a penalty after coming off the bench and was replaced just nine minutes into his cameo.
Barton was unhappy with the overall impact of his substitutes at The New Lawn, meaning the 40-year-old is expected to name a very similar team against Wycombe to the one that started on Saturday afternoon, although Antony Evans is pushing for a start.
Wycombe welcomed midfielder Josh Scowen back into the matchday squad on the weekend after the player's hamstring injury, with the Englishman possibly replacing Nick Freeman in the starting XI on Tuesday.
Wanderers boss Bloomfield revealed his side picked up a few more knocks in their loss at Burton, meaning the visitors on Tuesday are expected to rotate their starting team, with Tjay De Barr a candidate to start after scoring off the bench at the Pirelli Stadium.
Bristol Rovers possible starting lineup:
Belshaw; Hoole, Quansah, Gibson; Sinclair, Bogarde, Ward, Gordon, Collins; Marquis, Evans
Wycombe Wanderers possible starting lineup:
Stryjek; McCarthy, Grimmer, Forino-Joseph, Jacobsen; Wing, Scowen, McCleary, De Barr, Campbell; Vokes
We say: Bristol Rovers 2-1 Wycombe Wanderers
Barton has been quick to keep his men on their toes despite a successful afternoon at Forest Green on Saturday, and the Pirates will be confident of continuing their unbeaten run at home in this one.
Wycombe are beginning to lose key players to knocks during a congested period of fixtures, and we expect Bloomfield's side to struggle at the Memorial Stadium on Tuesday night.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
