Tip-Top Town Represent Tough Test For Rovers

Bristol Rovers will host and in form Swindon Town at the Memorial Stadium on Saturday in League 2, hoping to put to bed the shortcomings that see them languishing in the lower reaches of the fourth tier, though they will have to put in the performance of the season to overcome the rocking Robins.

The form

Both sides come into the game on the back of excellent FA Cup victories, Rovers thrashing non-league AFC Totton 6-1, while Swindon caused a minor upset, dumping League 1 Colchester out to set up a home tie against Premiership Wigan in the third round.

The Wiltshire side are currently on a 13 game unbeaten run, inclusive of the whole of October and November, the most impressive of those results coming in the FA Cup first round, where they dismembered League 1 high-flyers Huddersfield 4-1 at the County Ground.

This stunning form has seen Swindon rise from 11th up to a comfotable 6th in the League 2 standings, as well as guiding them to the area final of the Johnstones' Paint Trophy with victory over table topping Southend. They will clash with Barnet over two legs for a place in the Wembley showpiece, potentially their second final at the national stadium in three seasons.

42 goals in 26 all matches to this point in the season makes them a sizable threat, though the scoring duties have been shared around in recent games, Algerian striker Mehdi Kerrouche is the leading marksman with eight for the season.

The key men

Despite his goalscoring prowess Kerrouche has started just one of Town's last five games, being substituted after just 26 minutes of the cup game at Colchester, as well as receiving some constructive criticism from his manager this week. Raffaele De Vita and Alan Connell have worked in rotation up front along with Birmingham loanee Jake Jervis.

A one time Rovers target under Paul Trollope's management, Jervis possesses a fine physique, standing at 6'3", while also being fleet of foot with the turf ahead of him. The additional tricky feet make the 20 year old a potent threat to any defence in League 2.

Joining at the back end of September means that only one of Jervis' 11 appearances has been on the losing side - that was his debut game away at Macclesfield - the four goals he has bagged in that time displaying his burgeoning talent.

If Rovers are able to keep Jervis and the rest of Swindon's dangermen at bay, then they will have to work their way past towering centre back Aden Flint to take the win.

The lanky defender, signed for an undisclosed fee from Alfreton Town at the turn of the year, has been a rock in the Robins defensive line, dominating the aerial duties when is called upon, leaving Paul Buckle with a tactical weight on his mind come match day.

The gaffer

If you don't know about the latest rider on Swindon's managerial roundabout, which rock have you been hiding under; the focal point for much of the media's coverage of Town this season has been ever-controversial boss Paolo Di Canio.

The County Ground hot seat is the Italian's first job in football management and, after battling through a rocky start, he seems to be coming good. Di Canio has produced a multinational squad containing Spaniards, Italians, an Algerian and even a Namibian, a rare sight in the British dominated bottom rung of the Football League.

The continental approach instilled into his squad is paying dividends, the Reds now playing an attractive brand of slick, passing football, the pace of the forwards and widemen a menace to opposing defences.

In-keeping with the former West Ham striker's character, there have been differences with players, the touchline dispute with Leon Clarke was well publicised at the time, and it is fair to say that opposing fans have centred their attention on Di Canio, often taking pressure away from his team inadvertently.

The history

The close proximity of the two clubs, both in terms of locale and league positions, has created a simmering rivalry, never more apparent than in recent seasons.

Every year since Swindon became the first Premier League era side to be relegated to the basement division, they and Rovers have met in league fixtures. Rickie Lambert scored a scorching 40 yard half volley at the Memorial Stadium that season to help Rovers into the play-offs, from which they were promoted.

The Robins have edged the record since then, winning four of the eight games, although the Gas did manage an emphatic double in 2009/10, thumping Swindon 3-0 at home before humiliating them 4-0 at the County Ground. Will Hoskins opened the scoring in last season's corresponding fixture, which ended 3-1 in favour of the home side.

Surprisingly, it may be Jeff Hughes that Rovers will miss the most. The midfielder, now with Notts County, had scored in each of the last four tussles between the clubs.

The verdict

Rovers will have to be on the top of their game to snatch all three points in this one; Swindon are riding on the crest of a wave. The Pirates will need to remain tight, compact and not get sucked in by Town's passing rhythm, while breaking incisively themselves.

Aden Flint will most likely monopolise the aerial challenges, so getting the ball out to Mustapha Carayol and Jo Anyinsah on the wings will be way forward.

Matt Ritchie's suspension will be a blow to Swindon, the wideman has scored seven this term, as well as creating numerous others. It may, however, open up a space in the centre midfield for Simon Ferry, who will need to be kept under wraps by his quartered counterparts - bringing Craig Stanley back into the side may be advisable.

New Venue, New Champions?

That remains to be seen, but what we do know is that all five reigning Hong Kong Open champions will return to the Pearl of the Orient to fight for title retention. They will not, however, be making their way back to the Queen Elizabeth Stadium.

Instead the badminton world's finest will take to the court at the Hong Kong Coliseum, a far larger venue that means that an extra day for qualifying and first round ties no longer needs to be facilitated.

Men's Singles

Lee Chong Wei, winner of the tournament's previous two editions, will begin his title defence against Spaniard Pablo Abian, the world number 23 whose search for form looks unlikely to improve come November 15th. Abian failed to advance past the opening rounds of the last two Super Series events in Denmark and France, a pair of disappointments, especially after he reached the third round of August's World Championships, scoring a victory over European number two Marc Zweibler on the way.

Chong Wei has been shaky in his own right, falling short at the final hurdle at three of his last four tournaments. After losing a pulsating World Championship final to Lin Dan, Lee lost two consecutive Super Series finals to Chen Long, though he put that ghost to bed in France, knocking his newest nemesis out at the semi-final stage.

If he is to face Chen Long once again it will be in the final, as the Chinese starts his first tournament as the world's second ranked player. Hsuan Yi Hsueh stands between him and the second round, where he will be reward with either of the two potential qualifiers who face-off in round 1.

Home hopes rely on Wong Wing Ki, who notched a famous victory over Lin Dan at the Danish Open. If he can find his way past Japan's Takuma Ueda he could square off with Lin once again, providing the World Champ beats Kashyap Parupalli.

First round games to watch:

[MAS] Lee Chong Wei (1) V [ESP] Pablo Abian
[CHN] Lin Dan (3) V [IND] Kashyap Parupalli
[GUA] Kevin Cordon V [DEN] Peter Gade (4)

Women's Singles

Despite having been toppled at the top of the rankings Wang Yihan goes into the tournament as the number one seed in the women's singles.

She will open up against Ayane Kurihara, though the young Japanese shuttler, taking her first crack in Hong Kong, should prove little fare for Yihan, looking to add to her Korean, Indonesian and Japanese titles thus far this season.

Her namesakes, Wang Shixian and Wang Xin, face testing tasks in their openers, matching up against talented youngsters Tai Tzu Ying and Sung Ji Hyun respectively. Sung, winner of September's Chinese Taipei Open, proved victorious the last time the pair met; that was in the Korea quarter-finals, the home player coming out on top in three games.

17 year old Tai broke into the top 20 for the first time in April and looks set to become a star of the future. Having captured her first international title in the US back in July the upstart remains on a high, especially after reaching the French Open semis, beating Wang Yihan on the way.

Saina Nehwal, the current holder of the Hong Kong trophy, will have the local crowd on her back as she starts against Chan Tsz Ka.

First round games to watch:

[GER] Juliane Schenk (6) V [JAP] Ai Goto
[CHN] Wang Xin (3) V [KOR] Sung Ji Hyun
[TPE] Tai Tzu Ying V [CHN] Wang Shixian (2)

Men's Doubles

Defending champions Ko Sung Hyun/Yoo Yeon Seong will enter the Coliseum as fourth seeds, battling Chen Hung Lin/Lin Yu Lang of Chinese Taipei, ranked a full 20 places behind them. Their road into the quarter-finals should not be too steep, as they would play either Michael Fuchs/Oliver Roth or a qualifying pair in round two.

Their Korean counterparts, Jung Jae Sung/Lee Yong Dae, open up against the Chinese pair of Hong Wei/Shen Ye, a combination they knocked out of the World Championships and hold a 3-0 record over.

Top seeds Cai Yun/Fu Haifeng have yet another Korean pair to challenge them in the first round. Kim Ki Jung/Shin Baek Chol may be way down in 48th place of the latest world rankings, though that may be deceptive. They have only played eight tournaments together since forming their partnership back in June, their results showing they are still working out the creases of their new line-up.

First round games to watch:

[MAS] Koo Kien Kieat/Tan Boon Heong (5) V [JAP] Hiroyuko Endo/Kenichi Hayakawa
[DEN] Mads Conrad-Petersen/Jonas Rasmussen V [IND] Alvent Yulianto Chandra/Hendra Aprida Gunawan (7)

Women's Doubles

With eleven consecutive tournament finals and gold from the Sudirman Cup to boot Wang Xiaoli/Yu Yang look set to continue their domination of the women's doubles category. They took gold twelve months ago and begin their tilt at retention against Sandra Marinello/Birgit Michels, the rest of their potential opponents until the quarters providing similarly average.

Teammates Tian Qing/Zhang Yunlei should have no problems in defeating lowly Chan Tsz Ka/Cheung Ngan Yi, despite the having the crowd against them.

The field for the women's doubles event looks fairly poor on paper, with seven pairs from the home nation, alongside two from Macau, though world number threes Mizuki Fujii/Reika Kakiiwa will look to build on their success at the Bitburger Open.

First round games to watch:

[CHN] Wang Xiaoli/Yu Yang (1) V [GER] Sandra Marinello/Birgit Michels
[IND] Jwala Gutta/Ashwini Ponnappa V [DEN] Christinna Pedersen/Kamilla Rytter Juhl (8)

Mixed Doubles

In-form Joachim Fischer/Christinna Pedersen will be looking to make it a hat-trick of Super Series final wins when they start up against Toby Ng/Grace Gao of Canada. The titles in Denmark and France went the way of the Danes and with Robert Mateusiak/Nadiezda Zieba the other seeds in their quarter of the draw they stand a good chance of making the semis, where their likely rivals will be Xu Chen/Ma Jin, though Hirokatsu Hashimoto/Mizuki Fujii look dangerous floaters.

Top seeds Zhang Nan/Zhao Yunlei have a Hollywood clash in the first round with Lee Yong Dae/Ha Jung Eun, while Kim Ki Jung/Jung Kyung Eun and Chris Adcock/Imogen Bankier are also in the top five ties of what is expected to be a highly contested category.

Adcock/Bankier have overtaken British rivals Nathan Robertson/Jenny Wallwork in the rankings as they start their first Super Series as seeds.

First round games to watch:

[CHN] Zhang Nan/Zhao Yunlei (1) V [KOR] Lee Yong Dae/Ha Jung Eun
[GBR] Chris Adock/Imogen Bankier (6) V [CHN] He Hanbin/Bao Yixin
[GBR] Robert Blair/Gabriel White V [CHN] Xu Chen/Ma Jin

Rovers Search For Form Against Shrews

Matt Harrold in a previous life, wearing Shrewsbury Town Colours

When your luck is out the last thing you need is a questionable refereeing decision. That's exactly what Bristol Rovers were handed at the weekend.

With literally seconds of stoppage time to go Michael Flynn spoiled the Pirates' northern jaunt by slotting away his second penalty of the game to level the scores at 2-2. The first spot kick was a stonewaller, there could be no protestations from the gas contingent. It was the second award from the officials that had players in uproar. Jamie Devitt broke into the box only to fall under minimal contact from Rovers full back Lee Brown, the linesman flagging, referee Miller pointing to the spot.

Had the decision not gone Bradford's way it would have seen a run of three league games without a win halted, it wasn't to be. Instead Rovers go into Tuesday's game with high-flying Shrewsbury looking for a change in fortune, that may be hard to come by against one of the divisions form teams. Having handed Plymouth what remains their only point of the season on the opening day the Shrews kicked off the season in tortoise-slow fashion, there was to be one further point from their next two games. What has transpired since has seen the club propel upwards and into the automatic promotion spots.

Four straight wins, not to mention a shock Carling Cup victory over Swansea, have boosted the mood at the Greenhous Meadow, their last game finishing in a 3-1 triumph over local rivals Hereford. Marvin Morgan was at the double in that match, outmuscling his defender for the first and slotting coolly home to put the game beyond the Bulls late on.

Those strikes came either side of a goal from Mark Wright, a former Rovers player himself, who left the the club after a largely unfruitful season under Paul Trollope. His attitude made him a bete noir among the Bristolian faithful though since dropping down to the fourth tier Shrews his form has been stunning. The former MK Dons winger netted 14 goals last term and was a major part of Town's run to the play-offs, he already has braces of both goals and assists this season.

There could also be a possible Memorial Stadium return for left back Joe Jacobson, who started in the XI that faced Hereford. Tuesday will also give Matt Harrold an opportunity to give Shrewsbury, the club that sold him to Rovers in the summer, just what they are missing out on.

Rovers hold the lead in the overall record between the two sides, holding 27 wins to their opponents meagre 15. It will be the first time the clubs will have met since 2006/07, a season which saw them become well acquainted with each other. In the four games that season Rovers came out on top three times, drawing the other, most importantly in front of over 61,000 spectators at Wembley when they ran out 3-1 winners in the League 2 play-off final. It was their tenth unbeaten game in succession, a run from which they snatched sixth place on the final day of the season and disposed of Lincoln for the end of season showpiece.

Stewart Drummond headed the Shropshire side into a 3rd minute lead though Rovers refused to lay down quietly. Richard Walker produced a fine finish to equalise before exquisitely lobbing Chris Mackenzie for the half time lead. Shrewsbury spent the second half probing for a way back into the match and won a corner in the final minute for which Mackenzie made his way into the opposing penalty area. The corner was swung in but the danger removed, allowing Pirates midfielder Sammy Igoe to pick up the loose ball, run half the length of the field and slip the ball into the unguarded net, securing promotion and inciting delirium among the nigh on 40,000 Gasheads that had made the trip to the capital.

Team news for Tuesday sees Gary Sawyer unavailable, the full back missing out as he slowly returns to fitness following a hernia operation.

Captain Matt Gill has been feeling fatigued of late but manager Paul Buckle is hopeful that he will be available.

Shrewsbury will be without ex-Rovers defender Carl Regan who is lost his place in the side following a quadricep injury.

Striker Terry Gornell is suspended following a straight red card in the win over Hereford. While he serves a three match suspension Tom Bradshaw and James Collins will be fighting for the vacated spot.

The space on the bench could go the way of defender Connor Goldson or one of the wing pair of Steve Leslie and Jon Taylor.

Hope Is Not Enough

27 Years, that's how long it has been since the national football team of Wales claimed victory over their senior counterparts from England and, in all honesty, they should not be changing that fact when the the two sides meet for the second Anglo-Welsh clash this year.

It took just fourteen minutes in March for England to wrap up victory at the Millennium Stadium, Frank Lampard converting a penalty and Darren Bent slotting home from close range.

The past twelve months have been a torrid time for Welsh football, John Toshack stepped down as manager of the side following a qualifying defeat to Montenegro a year ago, leaving the FAW board with the task of finding and appointing a successor capable of turning the tide of a sinking ship.

Since ending 2007 in a vaguely respectable 57th place on the FIFA rankings there has been an irreversible slide that has seen the Welsh drop, almost stonelike in fashion, down to 117th, below the likes of the Central African Republic, Antigua and the Faroe Islands. In the latest table they remain just two points ahead of Grenada.

Following Toshack's departure Brian Flynn, coach of the under-21 side, was handed the reins in a temporary spell as a test of his calibre, he didn't get the job, the task eventually falling into the lap of Gary Speed, inexperienced at club management, let alone international.

The barren spell was not arrested by fresh blood, the Welsh lost to Ireland in the Carling Nations Cup before one of the biggest games the country had seen for nigh on five years, England were coming to town. We all know how that one finished and Speed would have to wait another two games before claiming his first win, beating a woefully understrength Northern Irish line-up in a scarcely populated Aviva Stadium, Dublin, just 529 people turning up for the game, less than 200 of those were actually supporters of either country.

And then, salvation. Cardiff City Stadium, now one of the national team venues that are used in rotation, played host, not least because of the paltry crowds that turned the Millennium Stadium from a cauldron into a cave. Montenegro, daring to challenge England atop qualifying group G, were the visitors and Wales gave them one hell of a ride. Where the spirit and vigour for such a performance came from we can't be quite sure but wherever it was it couldn't have come soon enough for supporters. Steve Morison opened his international account before captain Aaron Ramsey doubled the advantage, not even a Stevan Jovetic consolation could take the shine off Speed's first competitive win.

A modicum of pride has been restored to Wales, though it should prove to be no more than a cruel build up of hope once the trip to Wembley is done and dusted.

The history doesn't stack up well for Tuesday's Wembley visitors either, just once in five trips to England have Wales come up trumps, that was in 1977, while the last time any venue saw a victory for the Dragons was 1984. History, form and the squads, on paper at least, do not seem to favour Wales, neither do the bookies. England are 1/7 to win, their opponents are way out at 20, does any more really need to be said?

The star of the show, Craig Bellamy, picked up a yellow in Friday's win, thus ruling him out of this one. No rest for the wicked.

"Hopefully we'll nick a result over there." Was the resoundingly uneasy comment to come from Gareth Bale pre-match. Hope springs eternal, it does for Welsh football at least, but to dispose of England, regardless of their form at Wembley, a little more than hope is required. Wales will have to play at their best, England, not so much so.

Will it be the formality that Britain, nay, the entire footballing world expects? I wouldn't want to be seen as writing them off completely, but...

Paul Buckle Untroubled By Slow Start

Despite an inconsistent start to life at Bristol Rovers Paul Buckle is confident that he and his squad can get the results, it just won't happen overnight.

Spirits amongst supporters dropped after a dismal display on Saturday saw the Gas come away with nothing but a 4-1 defeat to title favourites Crawley to show for their troubles, a result that left Buckle disappointed, not only in the performance of his players, but in his own showing.

"Everyone wanted to get off to a cracking start and be top of the league, but it is a long, long season." Commented the former Torquay boss.

"If we were sitting in the play-offs now, you wouldn't catch me jumping around saying we were the finished article and I am certainly not going to stand here now a few games in and be worried.

"We have a long way to go until we get the rebuild right. Saturday was not nice for us, the players know that, and we put a few things right yesterday, and tomorrow night will be another opportunity to get on the front foot and try and win the game.

"On Saturday we played a good side who have been together for a while, and they are the bookies favourites for a reason. The one thing that disappointed us is that we know we can play a lot better. We didn't perform Saturday; me, the staff and the players."

Buckle continued by bemoaning the injuries that have prevented him from sending out a settled side on a regular basis, a factor that lead to Rovers conceding three goals from set pieces at the Broadfield Stadium.

"I have signed some excellent people, we have all come together very quickly, that is not an excuse, but we need a bit of time to understand each other.

"We have had a lot of injuries, we still have good players to come in, it is always an opportunity for other players to come in and do well, but ultimately the sooner we can get an 11 on the pitch on a regular basis, then the understanding will come.

"I am not saying we didn't try on Saturday, we did, we had a go, we were just very loose on set plays. We have been watertight up to then, two clean sheets in the last two league games.

"We got tested to the max at Macclesfield, but on Saturday we came unstuck. Teams don't have to do an awful lot on games these days to get something if you are not switched on in the 18 yard box.

"They had six shots on our goal and scored four goals. We know that we have got to be better in the 18 yard box, and that is something I will instill at the club."

Sunday saw the Rovers squad called in for extra training by their gaffer, though he insists it was not so much a disciplinary action as a chance to evaluate what has passed so far this season.

"It wasn't a punishment, I think that if you have to punish people, you need to get rid of them. It was a case that we needed to have a chat as a group, the players need to know where I am coming from, and what we expect.

"Basically it was to have a look at what we have achieved so far, there was lots of good, and a few bits that weren't so good.

"We are trying to build something at the club, we are trying to get wins, but we are also trying to build a mentality which was not here before we got here."

It was then revealed that two players picked up knocks on Saturday that could prevent them from lining up against Wycombe in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy on Tuesday night. There was, however, good news about full back Gary Sawyer who has spent the opening weeks on the sidelines recovering from a hernia operation.

"We are hoping Gary Sawyer will be back today. Joe Anyinsah is a no, and Adam Virgo is struggling with his calf. Chris Zebroski got a whack on Saturday.

"At the moment it seems to be one step forward and two back in terms of getting players back on the training field. But that is life, that happens.

"The place is very healthy, I am delighted with a lot of things. We had a harsh result in the week, the players gave so much and we lost by the odd goal."

Questions then moved to the loan window which opens up again in midweek, Buckle claiming to be caught in two minds as to whether any new faces needed to join his squad.

"It is catch 22. I am speaking to 'Kitey' [physiotherapist Phil Kite] all the time in regards to how long the players are going to be. Right now if you offered me two players, of course I would like two players to come into the squad.

"But, in a week's time I have got players coming back, you have a dilemma there. I would have brought players to the club to play, and it is going to be a period of time for them to settle in and find their feet, so I don't really want to overload.

"We have taken a hit with injuries at the moment, it is not a good time to go to Crawley, but we will take it on the chin. We were not good enough on Saturday, and we will be working very hard to put it right."

Before moving on to his next training session Buckle saved the last word for the fans, over 900 of whom made the journey to Sussex, only to witness defeat.

"The biggest plus again for me was the supporters. I know so many clubs where they would have booed us off, but they didn't do it. They weren't happy, I could see that, we are not happy. But if we stick together we will come out on top."

Rovers Hope For A Change In Luck

It's times like these that have fans split down the middle as to whether the distraction of cup football is a help or a hindrance. Without a ninety minute win in five games Bristol Rovers had their pride damaged by a 4-1 defeat away at Crawley Town on Saturday, the Reds one of the sides they were supposedly competing with for the League 2 title.

The early season tips of promotion have thus far been found wanting as Rovers sit 14th in the division, not languishing in the grand scheme of things but for a set of supporters whose hopes were raised by the high calibre of pre-season performances and the encouraging words that rolled off Paul Buckle's tongue their start has been none to impressive. Out of the last 270 minutes of football played only 45 have been up to the expected standard, though by that time they were already 2-0 down to Leyton Orient.

The entirety of the team are yet to perform in sync this season, when the defence have held firm the forwards have been found wanting and vice-versa. When the Pirates do hit their rhythm and produce that elusive complete performance you feel that they will be hard to handle, what remain are the questions of when such a display will be produced and whether it can be built upon in time for a tilt at promotion, play-off or otherwise.

This will be the fourth week in a row that the Gas have played Saturday-Tuesday games, the postponement of their first round Carling Cup tie can field the blame for that, and while fatigue should not be a major factor at such an early stage of the season it could end up being a key element against a Wycombe side who will come into the game refreshed, having not played for ten days. Saturday's League 1 fixture with Preston was postponed due to the number of Deepdale based players on international duty, giving Gary Waddock's men a break from competition.

Having started their league season unbeaten in three the Chairboys have proceeded to lose their last two on the trot as well as receiving a 4-1 thumping by Nottingham Forest in the League Cup. The only side they have managed a victory over this term are bottom of the table Leyton Orient who only claimed their first point last weekend in a basement clash with Chesterfield.

Wanderers have shared their nine goals around, only Joel Grant and Scott Donnelly making it past the lonely one while Rovers can boast only one man who can claim such an accolade, former Wycombe striker Matt Harrold netting three goals.

Harrold is not the only player who has played in the sky and navy blue quarters either, both Scott McGleish and Chris Zebroski have been a part of Wycombe line-ups in seasons gone by. On the other side the Chairboys squad contains no less than two ex-Gasmen, wing back Andy Sandell spent a season at the Memorial Stadium, winning promotion via the League 2 play-offs in the process, while central defender James Tunnicliffe was a member of the Rovers squad that was relegated from the third tier last season.

Since then, and since last years Johnstone's Paint Trophy tie, the two clubs have switched both divisions and seasonal targets, Rovers looking for promotion while Wycombe will attempt to stave off the drop come May. That JPT game, also played at Adams Park, saw the Pirates address a poor run of form with an enthralling 6-3 away win, Jo Kuffour scoring a hat-trick in the process, Scott Rendell snapping up the three Wanderers goals on that occasion.

Kuffour is unlikely to trouble Wycombe in this seasons meeting though, the striker looking to orchestrate a move away from Bristol, closer to his London home, Wanderers one of the clubs linked with the tricky forward on a seasons loan deal.

Left back Gary Sawyer could make his first appearance of the season in Buckinghamshire as he looks to have recovered well from a hernia operation. Joe Anyinsah will be missing, once again with a hamstring injury, while Adam Virgo is a doubt with a calf strain. Defender Cian Bolger is definitely out with an ankle ligament injury while Chris Zebroski could be on the sidelines having taken a big hit against Crawley.

Out Of Form Rovers And Reds Look For Boost

It is the game that will have League 2 punters keenly watching their computer screens for minute-by-minute updates, Crawley Town, favourites for the fourth tier title, hosting the team tipped to be their closest rivals, Bristol Rovers. It is not, however, the top of the table clash that many predicted, though the new season is still in it's infancy.

Having taken three wins and a draw from their opening four league fixtures it looked as though newly promoted Crawley were set to live up to the hype, sitting as they did atop the division following a 3-1 victory away at Torquay. Since then the good form has began to slip away as the Red Devils have tasted defeat in their last three, though two of those games were in cup competitions. The loss in the league came away at Cheltenham Town, Kaid Mohamed, Marlon Pack and Jeff Goulding giving the Robins a 3-0 half time lead. Three half time substitutions by Crawley boss Steve Evans could only rescue a consolation goal, the gaffer seething about his sides first half display when interviewed post-match.

Don't get too confident just yet, Rovers fans, all those losses were on the road and when it comes to home league games the Reds are unbeaten in 17, Newport County the last team to overcome the home team at Broadfield Way, and you can almost guarantee them a goal, too. It was the opening game of last season, in a defeat to Grimsby Town, the last time Crawley drew a blank on home turf.

A midweek Carling Cup match against Leyton Orient ended in defeat for Rovers, though not for a lack of effort on their part. 2-0 down after 23 minutes the Gas pulled the game level in second half stoppage time, only for the Londoner's to deliver a sucker punch in the shape of a Stephen Dawson winner just seconds before the final whistle. It was the first defeat away from the Memorial Stadium for Rovers but the spirit shown will be pleasing for fans and club officials alike.

It hasn't all been positive away from home for Rovers, though, only an opening day win at AFC Wimbledon have given the Pirates three points in their two trips, a 0-0 stalemate at Macclesfield the other result. With four games since claiming victory in any game for the Gas it leaves two highly thought of teams in relatively poor form, a win for either giving a potential platform from which they can push on.

Pablo Mills (ankle) and Jamie Day (back) will miss out for the home team while Scott Shearer, Scott Davies, Wes Thomas and Tyrone Barnett could be in line for recalls having been dropped for the JPT loss to Southend.

Wantaway striker Jo Kuffour is highly unlikely to feature in the Rovers squad, the former Swindon man looking for a new club closer to London.

Cian Bolger (ankle), Jo Anyinsah (hamstring) and Matt Harrold look set to miss out as they continue to recover from respective complaints.

Another Thrashing In The Offing?

During their four year stint in League 1 the best result Bristol Rovers managed came in an emphatic 6-1 win over Hereford, taking no pity on a side destined for relegation back to the Football League's basement division at the first attempt, and they will be hoping for a just as convincing scoreline when they face the Bulls on Saturday.

Rovers are yet to settle into the rhythm expected from them during pre-season, they lost just one of their first team friendlies, but that is not to say that have started poorly. The Gas sit ninth in the table with seven points, their last league game ending in stalemate away at Macclesfield last weekend, though they will be buoyed by a battling display against Championship Watford on Tuesday night, holding Shaun Dyche's men to a 1-1 draw over 120 minutes before finishing them off in the resultant penalty shootout.

With striker Matt Harrold starting the season the fine form, the ex-Shrewsbury marksman having netted three goals Rovers five games, and a squad packed full of attacking talent in terms of pace, flair and experience the blank drawn at Macclesfield is likely to be an irregular occurrence wherever Rovers take to the pitch, most notably at home in front of a vociferous home crowd.

In complete contrast to the promotion hopefuls Hereford have much lesser ambitions in League 2 this term, the highest finishing position seen since the relegation from the third tier three seasons ago being sixteenth, the Bulls ending up just three points away from the drop into non-league in May. The cumulative drop in League positions since the 2008/09 season looks to be continuing as Jamie Pitman's side currently find themselves in the bottom two just four games in, only collecting their first point with a 1-1 draw away at Wimbledon on Saturday. That result continued a run of nine away games without a win for Hereford, March the last time they took all three points on the road.

It will be a return to Bristol for a pair of former Rovers players. Ryan Green spent three years with the club and claimed an assist in the 2007 play-off final win at Wembley while Harry Pell, also a loanee at Edgar Street last year, played ten times for the West Country side before turning down a new contract in search of first team football.

The home side will be without Stuart Campbell, the player-coach suffering with a hamstring injury, while Gary Sawyer is still recovering from a hernia operation. Cian Bolger tweaked his ankle ligaments in Tuesday's Carling Cup tie and will miss out against Hereford. Chris Zebroski was also withdrawn from the field against Watford as a precaution but has been back in training and will be in contention as is Harrold, another Pirate subbed off last time out. Joe Anyinsah could make a return to the starting line up having fought back from a hamstring tweak.

There are potential debuts in the offing for Bulls loan duo Will Evans and Thomas Barkhuizen. Wiltshire born Evans comes to the West Midlands from Swindon Town having made one appearance in senior football, as has Barkhuizen, moving down to Hereford from Blackpool until January. Another loanee, Simon Clist, was cup-tied for the midweek game at Aston Villa on Tuesday but could return to to the side at the Memorial Stadium while Rob Purdie faces a fitness test on his thigh.

Stopper Adam Bartlett, saver of two penalties in a Hereford shootout win the last time the two sides met, is definitely out with a thigh injury with central defensive pair Stefan Stam and Beniot Dalibard both out with hamstring problems.