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

Having established themselves among the League Two front-runners with some fine recent form, Northampton Town meet mid-table Bristol Rovers at the Memorial Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Four straight league wins without conceding a goal has propelled the Cobblers into third, while Joey Barton's Rovers have come out on top just once in their last seven outings.

Match preview

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Despite a winless week in cup competition for Northampton Town, the East Midlands side are flying high in League Two, thanks to three home victories and a win at Tranmere since the middle of October.

That run sees Jon Brady's men soaring up the tightly-packed standings and into early contention for an immediate return to the third tier next spring.

After suffering relegation from League One at the end of a dismal 2020-21 campaign, the Cobblers have sought to overcome that disappointment, but results had previously been mixed.

The foundation of their recent upturn has been a miserly defence, which stands second only to Tranmere's for its ability to keep the back door shut, having conceded just 11 goals in 15 league games.

However, Brady has seen his side leak two goals twice in the past few days, as they crashed out of the EFL Trophy following a 2-1 defeat to Brighton's Under-21s last week, before being held to a 2-2 draw by Cambridge United in the FA Cup.

Ahead of their replay with Cambridge next Tuesday, Northampton will first reconvene with a club they failed to beat home or away in League One last term.

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An under-par start to the current campaign went from bad to worse for Bristol Rovers on Wednesday, as a second-string side exited the EFL Trophy with a woeful 5-3 loss to Exeter City, in which they trailed by five before the half-time break.

That followed a 2-2 FA Cup draw with Oxford United, where only a late Antony Evans strike kept the Pirates in the hat for the second round draw.

In fact, their defeat of Harrogate just prior to the pause on League Two action was the only success Rovers have enjoyed in all competitions since beating Carlisle over a month ago.

Manager Joey Barton will be dismayed by their patchy home form to date, too, as his side have lost four of their seven league fixtures at the Memorial Ground ahead of Northampton's visit.

Therefore, a repeat of the 2-0 win against the Cobblers there last October would more than welcome for Barton and company this weekend.

Team News

The home side will make a raft of changes from the much-altered team that lost in midweek, after Rovers replaced their entire starting XI at Exeter.

James Belshaw returns in goal, with his replacement Jed Ward struggling due to an injury sustained in training, while Sam Nicholson should return up front and the vastly-experienced Glenn Whelan anchors midfield.

Meanwhile, teenage defender Tyron Mbuenimo will make way after being handed his debut last time out, and Ryan Jones also drops out of the side despite scoring on his first start for the senior side.

Having had the benefit of a full week to recuperate and train, Northampton should retain the bulk of the team which drew in the FA Cup last Saturday.

Therefore, Tottenham loanee Kion Etete is expected to start in attack, supported by Mitch Pinnock and Sam Hoskins on the wings in a probable 4-2-3-1 formation.

Bristol Rovers possible starting lineup:

Belshaw; Anderson, Taylor, Harries, Brown; Evans, Whelan, Coutts; Nicholson, Pitman, Thomas

Northampton Town possible starting lineup:

Roberts; McGowan, Guthrie, Horsfall, Koiki; McWilliams, Sowerby; Pinnock, Lewis, Hoskins; Etete

We say: Bristol Rovers 1-2 Northampton Town

These sides are set to keep taking opposite paths in League Two, as Rovers have conceded more than twice as many goals as Northampton and are likely to be caught short again on more than one occasion.

The visitors also have a presentable away record, so will feel full of confidence heading down to the South West.