Preview: Bristol Rovers vs Harrogate Town - prediction, team news, lineups

Following their relegation from England's third tier last time around, Bristol Rovers will begin life back in League Two at home to Harrogate Town on Saturday.

They head into the campaign back under the management of Darrell Clarke in search of an immediate return to League One, while their visitors begin a sixth straight term in the fourth tier.

Match preview

Bristol Rovers head into their first League Two outing since 2022 on Saturday, having suffered relegation from England's third tier last season.

The Gas looked all but safe in mid-March, but a dismal end to the campaign saw them drop into the bottom four having only earned one point from their final 10 games, including three straight defeats to end the term and a final-day 4-1 beating to Blackpool.

That drop spelled the end of Inigo Calderon's brief tenure in the dugout, and they have since turned back to Darrell Clarke, who occupied the hot seat between 2014 and 2018 and led the Gas to back-to-back promotions to England's third tier in that tenure.

They head into the term on the back of a pleasing pre-season schedule, having recorded victories over Chippenham Town, Bath City and Yeovil Town alongside defeats to Stockport County and Coventry City, before finishing with a 1-0 away win over Oxford United thanks to a Micah Anthony goal.

Now aiming to make an immediate return to League One, as they did when they last dropped for the 2021-22 campaign, Bristol Rovers will aim to kick off life back under Clarke with a home win on Saturday.

In their way stand a Harrogate Town side who kick into their sixth consecutive season in League Two at the weekend.

Indeed, the visitors head into the 2025-26 term aiming to improve on last year's 18th-placed finish and tally of 53 points, having failed to crack the top half in any of their five terms in England's fourth tier thus far.

Last season culminated in a 2-1 away victory over Morecambe in early May to beat MK Dons to 18th spot, and the Sulphurites have since experienced a tricky pre-season run, despite beginning with a 1-0 away win over Guiseley.

A draw with Ilkeston Town followed, and Simon Weaver's side have since gone on to suffer 3-0, 3-0 and 2-0 losses to Rotherham United, Barnsley and Carlisle United respectively ahead of Saturday's curtain-raiser.

Now hoping to crack the top half of League Two for the first time in their 17th season under Weaver's tutelage, Harrogate Town will look to make a positive start when they visit the Memorial Stadium on Saturday.

Team News

Bristol Rovers head into League Two with a new-look squad, having seen Jamie Lindsay, James Wilson, Luke McCormick, Grant Ward, Jevani Brown, Chris Martin and Scott Sinclair all depart over the summer.

The Gas have strengthened, though, with goalkeeper Luke Southwood arriving alongside defenders Jack Sparkes, Macauley Southam-Hales and Alfie Kilgour, midfielders Josh McEachran and Ryan Howley and attacker Ellis Harrison having arrived.

The latter is unlikely to feature through injury, though, leaving Ruel Sotiriou, Gatlin O'Donkor and Promise Omochere to compete to lead the line.

Harrogate Town have also undergone change in the off-season, with Dean Cornelius, Matty Daly, James Daly, Matty Foulds, Josh March and Josh Falkingham no longer with the Sulphurites.

Weaver has bolstered his ranks with the additions of defenders Tom Bradbury, Bobby Faulkner and Lewis Cass, midfielder Jack Evans and attackers Reece Smith and Mason Bennett.

Bennett may be relied upon to lead the attack with veteran Jack Muldoon, following the exit of March who led the squad with nine goals last season.

Bristol Rovers possible starting lineup:

Southwood; Southam-Hales, Moore, Mola, Sparkes; McEachran, Hutchinson, Conteh; Omochere, Sotiriou, Thomas

Harrogate Town possible starting lineup:

Belshaw; Asare, Bradbury, O'Connor, Burrell; Morris, Fox; Duke-McKenna, Taylor; Muldoon, Bennett

We say: Bristol Rovers 2-0 Harrogate Town

Bristol Rovers arrive back in League Two with hopes of bouncing back to the third tier in convincing fashion this season, and we back a strong Gas squad to get the better of Harrogate Town at the Memorial Stadium on the opening day.

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