Bristol Rovers will have to ensure that they’re as professional as ever this afternoon as they host National League South side Weston-super-Mare in the FA Cup first round.
Eyes will be on the League One outfit to see if they’re at the wrong end of a cup-set, one that would be a particularly bitter pill to swallow with the extra factor of geography on top of the three division gap between the two sides.
Despite said gap, Weston are currently on a 16-game unbeaten run that has seen them climb to the top of the National League South table and will no doubt be heading to the Mem looking to win.
Matt Taylor stated in the build-up to this game that he plans to name a full-strength side, making the point that his position at the club isn’t secure enough for him to make wholesale changes.
Nine changes were made for the Bristol Street Motors Trophy clash with Exeter City on Tuesday night from the 1-0 League One defeat to Reading.If Taylor sticks to his word, which he surely will, then the side that starts for Rovers this afternoon will likely look similar to the one that started seven days ago.
It still feels like a tough task to accurately predict all 11 players but here is how we think the Gas might look from the off to face the Seagulls…
Goalkeeper and defence
It’s a no-brainer that Josh Griffiths will be inbetween the sticks with Taylor revealing ahead of this game that the search for a back-up goalkeeper will now likely wait until the January transfer window.
Ahead of him, there’s some debate as to how the back-four could look but it certainly seems as though we could be seeing a lot more of Taylor Moore at right-back. The centre-back has done well there of late although keeping a natural option in Jack Hunt out of the side is some going.
Taylor may opt to bring Hunt in for one of his central defenders but, as well as Moore, Connor Taylor and James Wilson were excellent against Reading last weekend and you would assume they keep their places.
At left-back, Bryant Bilongo made a significant impact from the bench against the Royals, albeit playing as a forward, and had a decent game on Tuesday night against Exeter. It seems as though he is now trumping Lino Sousa in the pecking order. However, Clinton Mola is the obvious first-choice and should get the nod once again after an outstanding game against his former employers last weekend.
Midfield
Kamil Conteh seems to be one of the first names on the team sheet at the moment and has enjoyed some strong displays of late. The debate in regards to central midfield relates to who partners the 21-year-old.
Grant Ward started against Reading with Jamie Lindsay coming on and then starting against Exeter which suggests the former might currently be edging the battle for a place but it’s certainly close.
Ahead of the duo in attacking midfield, Isaac Hutchinson has certainly done enough lately to warrant a start. The 24-year-old was Rovers’ best player against Exeter and has had some decent appearances from the bench lately. Speaking to him after that game, it sounded as though he seems himself as an attacking midfielder and therefore capable of playing anywhere across the three, even in an eight too which can’t be ruled out as a starting position.
On the flanks, Scott Sinclair seems a shoe-in to come back into the side while Luke Thomas, after a period out of the team, could well get a start up against his older brother Kieran. There is also debate for Ruel Sotiriou to keep his place but it feels as though Hutchinson deserves to keep his place while Thomas was lively on Tuesday, getting an assist. Good competition there at the moment with the suspended Shaq Forde to come back.
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Striker
Leading the line, it sounds as though Chris Martin will get a second start of the week after completing 45 minutes upon his return from injury on Tuesday night.
The 35-year-old had been out of action for two months after suffering a broken fibual against Stockport County in August and will have his minutes managed ahead of a league return.
With Promise Omochere expected to miss out with an ankle injury and Gatlin O’Donkor still out with a hamstring issue, Rovers are light for options up top. You would imagine the plan is to give last season’s top scorer more than 45 minutes this afternoon.
Bristol Rovers XI (4-2-3-1): Josh Griffiths; Taylor Moore, Connor Taylor, James Wilson, Clinton Mola; Kamil Conteh, Grant Ward; Luke Thomas, Isaac Hutchinson, Scott Sinclair; Chris Martin