Bristol Rovers vs. Northampton: Prediction, Preview & Betting Tips

These two teams had very similar seasons last year, finishing just a place apart in the bottom half. This could make for a competitive match with not much to split the pair, but we are backing the home side Bristol Rovers to take all three points.

Defensively, Northampton have struggled against Bristol Rovers in recent history, not keeping a clean sheet in 12 previous meetings, therefore the hosts could be set up for attacking success. They have also not managed to record a shutout in four pre-season games. Promise Omochere stands to be the leading man for the Pirates after featuring plenty in pre-season. Last season, he averaged 1.4 shots per game with 0.6 on target, so look for him to record a shot on target in this one.

Rovers scored in all but two of their seven pre-season games, so will look to continue this form. Northampton midfielder Sam Hoskins scored 15 goals last season and will likely be his side’s biggest threat, however it will not be enough to take home a positive result – Bristol Rovers 3-1 Northampton

Northampton travel to Bristol Rovers in their first game of the new League One season. Both teams will be hoping to improve on mid-table finishes.

• Date: 10/08/24
• Kick-off time: 17:30
• Venue: Memorial Stadium

Bristol Rovers finished last season in 15th place, a position they will look to improve on. They are competing in League One for the seventh time in the past eight seasons, and this will be their third consecutive campaign in the division.

This will be the first full season for manager Matt Taylor, who took over the club last December following the departure of Joey Barton. Overall, they scored 52 goals in 46 games, but also conceded 68, which was the fifth worst in the league. Going forward, their attack is spearheaded by Chris Martin, who netted 16 times last season. Their next highest scorer was Antony Evans with six goals, though he has since left for Huddersfield. The Pirates have brought in a number of attacking reinforcements, including Ruel Sotiriou from Leyton Orient and Promise Omochere from Fleetwood. The pair combined for 17 goals last season for their respective clubs.

They may, however, get plenty of success in this game, as they come up against a side in Northampton who finished just a place ahead of them and conceded only two fewer goals. The Cobblers have conceded nine goals in pre-season with zero clean sheets, highlighting their vulnerabilities at the back. This will be their second season in League One following their promotion in 2023 and fifth under manager Jon Brady.

Sam Hoskins topped their scoring charts with 15 goals, and he will be expecting another strong season. Keiron Bowie also contributed nine goals on loan from Fulham. They have also added several players to their squad, providing some much-needed depth in attack. Most notably, they have signed Cameron McGeehan from Colchester, the midfielder scored nine goals last year. Tom Eaves and James Wilson have also joined from Rotherham and Port Vale.

There is plenty of history between these two sides, with 108 previous meetings. Though, there is not much to split the pair at all, with Bristol Rovers edging the matchup with 40 wins to Northampton’s 39. The hosts have been the dominant team in recent years with just one defeat in the last 12 games, however, that one loss came in the most recent fixture in February of this year. Northampton were 3–1 winners on that day, taking the lead after just three minutes through Patrick Brough. Mitch Pinnock and Marc Leonard were also on the scoresheet, with Chris Martin netting for Rovers. This was their first win against their opponents since August 2015.

Bristol Rovers vs Northampton will be available to watch on Sky Sports+.

Bristol Rovers

Bristol Rovers used a lot of their squad in the final pre-season game to keep them fresh heading into the opener. There were no major injury concerns to come from it, and they should have everyone to choose from, including new signings Ruel Sotiriou and Promise Omochere.

Northampton

New signing Liam McCarron made his debut in the last pre-season game with a brief 10-minute cameo, but he will be hoping for bigger involvement this weekend. They picked up no injuries in this game, so hope to have a fully fit squad to choose from.

Bristol Rovers:

In their last five games, Bristol Rovers have won three and lost two. It has been a solid stretch for Bristol Rovers as they prepare for the upcoming League One season. Last time out, they took on Championship side Cardiff City and lost 2-0.

This followed two consecutive wins, firstly against Portugal’s Portimonense. Promise Omochere scored his first goal for his new club, before the game was put to bed late on by Luke Thomas from the penalty spot. They returned home to face Plymouth, beating them 2-1. The hosts were up two at half-time, as Omochere netted once more, before Jack Hunt followed suit.

Their other defeat came against Bromley, as they lost 2-1. This run of games started with a comfortable 3-0 win at Yeovil, with Scott Sinclair, Kofi Shaw and Luke McCormick all on the scoresheet.

Northampton:

In their last four games, Northampton have won one, drawn one and lost two. It has been a mixed stretch for Northampton heading into the new season. Their latest game was a trip to Cheltenham, in which they lost 2-0 to conclude their pre-season preparations.

This followed a 2-2 draw with King’s Lynn, as they blew a two-goal lead to the National League North club. A trialist and James Wilson put them ahead at the break, but they could not hold on. They were able to get a win, however, in the game before against Brackley Town. They played out a tight game, though they came out 2–1 winners.

It was the ideal response to a 3-0 loss against Norwich. They fell behind after just four minutes, and the deficit was doubled shortly after. The Canaries grabbed a third late on.

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