Rovers welcome Walsall to the Memorial Stadium
Joey Barton's Rovers side continue their Sky Bet League Two campaign against Matt Taylor's Walsall side. Its been a solid start to the season for this visitors as they find themselves sitting comfortably in midtable, in contrast Rovers sit not far above the relegation and will be desperate for a change of fortune in 2022.
When the two sides met at the Bescot Stadium earlier in the season it was Sion Spence's injury time winner that grabbed The Pirates an important league win. Kieran Phillips' 32nd minute goal gave The Saddlers a half time lead before Connor Taylor scored late on to equalise and Spence's strike. The only other time the teams have met in recent years was another 2-1 win for Rovers, this time in the FA Cup. Jack Baldwin and Brandon Hanlan both scored in the first half to give The Gas a 2-0 half time win before Caolan Lavery grabbed a late consolation but it was too little too late for the West Midlands side.
About Bristol Rovers
Nicknamed The Pirates and The Gas, Bristol Rovers Football Club were established in 1883 and currently play in the EFL League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club plays its home matches at the 12,300 capacity Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of Bristol. Having been bought by billionaire Jordanian Waed al-Qadi and his family in 2016, Rovers have struggled to live up to expectations and will be looking to prove doubters wrong in the 2021/22 season.
Bristol Rovers have played in the English football league since 1920, with their best-ever finish being in both 1956 and 1959 when they secured sixth place in the second tier of English football, then known as Division Two. Having suffered relegation to League Two in 2011 and then into the Conference in 2014, they managed to bounce straight back with two consecutive promotions in 2014/15 and 2015/16 to regain their League One status in 2016/17, where they remained for 4 years before their relegation back to League Two last season.
The club's honours include the 1990 Football League Third Division title when they finished 2 points ahead of arch-rivals and that seasons Runners-Up, Bristol City. Find Bristol Rovers' full 2020/21 fixture list here.