Bristol Roversvs.Northampton

The two sides finished 15th and 14th respectively last term with the visitors three points better off than their hosts.

Match preview

Bristol Rovers will kick off their first full season under the management of Matt Taylor on Saturday, with the aim of kicking on from last term's 15th placed finish.

Taylor arrived at the Memorial Stadium with the Gas sat on 24 points from 18 matches and oversaw the final 28 outings, leading them to 10 victories alongside 15 defeats

That large unwanted tally was largely down to a dismal end to the campaign in which they earned just eight points from their final 11 outings to finish on 57 points, three behind Saturday's visitors and five outside of the top half in their second season back in the third tier.

Taylor's first pre-season campaign was a busy and largely successful one for the Gas, who have turned out in seven friendlies, picking up five victories along the way over Melksham Town, Bath City, Yeovil Town, Portimonense and Plymouth Argyle, before bowing out with a 2-0 home defeat to Cardiff City last Saturday.

Now aiming to build on two secure mid-table finishes and stage a more sustained bid for a top-half finish in League One, Bristol Rovers will look to start with a home victory at the Memorial Stadium on Saturday.

Their visitors head into the campaign in a similar position with the aim of cracking the top half following a pleasing return to the third tier under the tutelage of Jon Brady last time around.

After winning promotion from League Town in the 2022-23 term, Northampton Town looked set for a top-half finish last time around, having moved onto 59 points from 43 outings with back-to-back wins in April, only to drop to 14th spot as a result of a dip in form to end the campaign.

Consecutive defeats saw them fall behind, and the Cobblers were then, at least, able to finish with a creditable 1-1 draw away at Barnsley, as Louis Appere drew them level deep into injury time after Herbie Kane looked to have fired the hosts to a 1-0 win at Oakwell.

Brady's men then kicked off their new pre-season campaign with a 3-0 defeat to Norwich City and a 2-1 victory over Brackley Town, before playing out a 2-2 draw with Kings Lynn Town and finishing their preparations off with a 2-0 loss away at Cheltenham Town last Saturday as Ryan Bowman netted a first-half brace for the hosts.

Now heading into a second straight season with the aim of building on the positives from last term despite plenty of changes to their squad, Northampton Town will bid to get off the mark at the Memorial Stadium on Saturday.

Bristol Rovers form (all competitions):

L

W

L

W

W

L

Northampton Town form (all competitions):

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