Bristol Rovers get their EFL Trophy campaign underway at home to Cheltenham Town on Tuesday evening

With Bristol Rovers poised to miss a fortnight of league play after their trip to Reading on Saturday was postponed due to international call-ups, it was critical to enter this temporary international break with a win against Lincoln after back-to-back defeats.

The draw against the Imps gives the Gas a modest point-per-game ratio to begin the season, but it will need to improve substantially if they are to move closer to the top of the league. It’s still early days, though, and Rovers’ first six league games have provided plenty of positives as well as points to learn from.

The focus now shifts to the EFL Trophy, with Joey Barton’s side hosting fellow League One and West Country team Cheltenham Town in the first group stage fixture on Tuesday night.
Gasheads will be hoping for a first home win since April 7 and the third of 2023, with the Mem’s form this calendar year in desperate need of improvement. On New Year’s Day, they won one of their two home games this year, against Cheltenham.

Furthermore, following a difficult start to the season that has left Wade Elliot’s team bottom of League One and yet to score a goal, it’s a great chance to grab a much-needed win while experimenting with players.

Predicting how many changes Barton will make is frankly a lottery, having said after the Lincoln draw: “There are a lot of lads who are frustrated at the minute not playing the minutes they want because we’ve got more than 11 good players. So a lot of lads will get an opportunity Tuesday night to show us what they’re about.”
Nineteen players have started at least one game for the Gas so far this season but there are still a handful waiting for their first start, making tomorrow evening an excellent opportunity to break well into the 20s. So who should be in line for a start against the Robins?

Harvey Valley
Vale, in my opinion, should be one of the first names on the team sheet tomorrow. The 19-year-old is one of only five players with a goal this season and deserves his first start in blue-and-white quarters for his bench efforts.
After failing to score on his debut against Charlton Athletic and being put into a difficult game at Cambridge, the offensive midfielder scored home a perfect finish against Wycombe Wanderers and also looked to make things happen during his cameo against Lincoln. A poor challenge, on the other hand, deserved the yellow card flashed in his direction.

Chelsea fans have spoken highly of the loanee, and there is an opportunity for him to become a regular starter with goals being difficult to come by at the present.

With four outings in blue and white, the kid has already had a more productive loan stay than his half-season at Hull City last season, but he came to the Mem to play, and his parent club expects him to. He now has the opportunity, and he deserves it.

McCormick, Luke
It’s a shame McCormick has only played 19 minutes of football this season, all of which have come from the bench, after scoring the game-winning goal against Charlton in the 98th minute.

The 24-year-old hasn’t been included in the past two matchday squads which he certainly deserves to feel aggrieved about, especially given that he’s contributed more already than some regular starters.

Whether he plays as a midfielder or in a more advanced position similar to where he’s played when coming off of the bench, the Englishman deserves a start and should be accommodated accordingly.

Moments like McCormick’s goal at Charlton are an anomaly in regard to the circumstance, but it would be a shame if that’s the one and only enjoyable moment the Englishman has individually on the pitch this season.

Matt Hall

Yet to play for Rovers in a competitive or friendly match, Hall is also a player who needs minutes in case he is called upon as a result of Matt Cox potentially being absent.

Although he did play in this competition away at Exeter City for Southampton U21s last season, the 20-year-old is technically still yet to make his first senior appearance outside of non-league, having had loan spells at Totton, Harrow Borough and Melksham.

If Barton is adamant that James Belshaw is no longer part of his plans going forward, despite missing out on a move out of the club, then he needs to give Hall an opportunity and that, realistically, will only come in the EFL Trophy.

Josh Grant

Following a torrid spell with injuries, it’s been great to see Grant back playing football on a weekly basis. Now, the management of his fitness needs to go up a gear with a start now the logical next step.

The 24-year-old hasn’t played more than 26 minutes from the bench in a single game and really he needs the opportunity to show he can complete a half of football at the very least.

Moreover, scoring the equaliser late on on Saturday was a heart-warming moment after everything the versatile midfielder has endured which also puts him onto an elite list: players who have scored for the Gas this season.

It was mentioned in the Lincoln verdict how most of Rovers’ goals have come from substitutes this season which is a concern but this game is a perfect opportunity to give those substitutes their just rewards.

Mr. Antony Evans
Despite having three starts so far this season, Evans has been extremely unlucky not to have received more minutes in the early stages of the season.

Providing the assist for Grant’s equaliser last weekend, the 24-year-old has looked one of the Gas’ most creative outlets so far this term with his performance against Barnsley one of the best individual showings of players in blue-and-white quarters of the season.

It will be a struggle to hold onto a preferred number 10 position consistently this season but Evans has shown he can operate in an eight role and hopefully is one excellent display in the cup away from knocking on the door to start in the league again