Preview: Bristol Rovers vs. Port Vale - prediction, team news, lineups

Meanwhile, the Vale come into this game off the back of two consecutive wins and could move into the playoff places with another victory here.

Match preview

In their first season back in League One, Bristol Rovers have exceeded expectations, losing just one third-tier game since the start of October and sitting safely in 15th place.

However, despite an excellent run in the league and progressing through to the last 16 of the EFL Trophy, Joey Barton cut a frustrated figure as Rovers succumbed to National League side Boreham Wood in the FA Cup two weeks ago, before sharing the spoils with Bolton Wanderers last weekend in league action.

Josh Coburn's fifth Gas goal was a perfect response to the club's home FA Cup exit to Luke Garrard's side, but Dion Charles came off the bench to score a dramatic late equaliser for the Trotters in a 1-1 draw to deny Barton's side all three points.

Barton will be eager to see his side bounce back here, as Bristol could potentially move as high as 10th in the table with a victory, and they are only six points adrift of the playoff places.

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Meanwhile, the visitors made it three wins on the spin in all competitions last time out, with a 2-0 victory over Plymouth Argyle.

James Wilson's second-half double for the Vale gave them all three points, ending the Pilgrims' nine-match winning home run in the process.

Darrell Clarke's side are currently in ninth place in the table, having amassed 29 points across 20 fixtures, and they are just two points adrift of the playoff places.

Victory here could move them into the top six should other results go their way, and Clarke will be confident his side claim a victory, as they have one of the better away records in the division - the Vale have picked up 14 points from their 10 games on the road so far this season.

Bristol Rovers League One form:

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D

L

D

W

D

Bristol Rovers form (all competitions):

W

D

W

W

L

D

Port Vale League One form:

L

W

D

L

W

W

Port Vale form (all competitions):

D

L

L

W

W

W

Team News

Barton made three changes to the side that started in last Sunday's FA Cup defeat to Boreham Wood against Bolton, as Sam Finely, Jordan Rossiter and Trevor Clarke replaced Lewis Gordon, Glenn Whelan and Ryan Loft, so he could shuffle the pack again here.

Harry Anderson should be in contention to make his first Bristol Rovers appearance since the end of October after travelling and training with the first team before the League One draw at the University of Bolton Stadium.

As for Port Vale, Clarke named an unchanged side against Plymouth from the one that beat Charlton Athletic, so he could be tempted to stick with a winning formula.

However, the game against Argyle came too soon for top scorer Ellis Harrison, and midfielder Funso Ojo, who both missed the clash through injury.

Will Forrester returned to the squad and was named on the bench against Steven Schumacher's side, so he could be involved here.

Bristol Rovers possible starting lineup:

Belshaw; Thomas, Gibson, Connolly; Sinclair, Whelan, Rossiter, Evans, Gordon; Collins, Coburn

Port Vale possible starting lineup:

Stevens; Smith, Hall, Jones; Worrall, Garrity, Butterworth, Conlon, Benning; Massey, Wilson

We say: Bristol Rovers 1-2 Port Vale

With both sides being in similar veins of form, we think this will be a tightly-contested affair.

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