Bristol Rovers (H) League One, 21 Jan 3pm

[Welsh_Saddler]

We welcome the Pirates (or Gasheads) to the Banks's for a League One game where hopefully Jon Whitney and the squad will have analysed last Saturday's performance against Sheffield United and will be able to duplicate it. Rovers are currently 9th in the League One table 5 points ahead of ourselves, but if there is one feature of their season that could give us cause for optimism it is that they've leaked 13 more goals than we have ... Manager Darrell Clarke is quoted as saying that his defence is becoming a "soft touch" - this after doing what we did, losing at home in the F.A. Cup to a non-league side (Barrow, in their case). There aren't any current Rovers players with Walsall pedigree, but previous managers include Kevan Broadhurst (joint caretaker manager 2004) and the fondly remembered Ray Graydon (2002-2004). Rovers' recent league One form:

17 Dec Shrewsbury Town (A) Lost 2-0
26 Dec Coventry City (H) Won 4-1
31 Dec AFC Wimbledon (H) Won 2-0
2 Jan Charlton Athletic (A) Lost 4-1
7 Jan Northampton Town (H) Won 5-0
14 Jan Fleetwood Town (A) Lost 3-1

You might think based on these recent results that Rovers do not travel all that well, but as always it's a matter of consistency, or the lack of it. They have 3 away wins in League One to date, at Swindon Town, Northampton Town, and Oldham Athletic - and one or two quite spectacular defeats (4-0 at Millwall, and a home performance to rank alongside some of ours in losing 1-5 to Charlton Athletic). We came away with a point in the reverse fixture earlier this season in a 1-1 draw which saw Erhun Oztumer score for us, while Adam Chambers conceded what many thought was a highly dubious penalty......

Speaking of Erhun Oztumer, it is to be hoped that JW will have seen the light (and the wisdom) of starting him rather than warming our bench. With no reports of any significant injuries we could well see the retention of a highly mobile and fluid midfield with Oztumer combining with Flo and Isaiah, and on the principle that "you don't change a winning team" I wonder whether Scott Laird will automatically get a game? We shall see......

On the basis that Bristol Rovers are not unbeatable (47 goals conceded, compared to Sheffield United's 26 before we met them last Saturday), and with our defence having found some real cohesion of late, I think a 2-0 home win is definitely on the cards. Bakayoko and Jackson (as late sub) for us.

UTS :D

[cumbria-saddler]

Should be a decent crowd again for this, Bristol have sold out their allocation of over 1,900.

3-2 Walsall - Bakayoko, O'Connor and Makris.

[coop63]

A well supported team the Gas and with them predictably selling around 2000 tickets a decent crowd is on the cards..

Hopefully JW has now realised that playing his guys in the right positions is the way forward so if we can be injury free I'd be happy for the same starting line up as last week..

I'm going mad this week and predict a 3-1 win with Bako to get another, Ozzy and Morris to add to it! UTS

[saddla]

I hope I can get a better parking spot than last week. Turned up early (1:30) only to find the railway car park already full :twisted:
Had to pay the extortionate £4 to park on the club car park with a consequent 40 minute wait to get off it after the game :evil:

[windowman]

park on the retail park

[saddlerphil]

Recently they have been tight encounters between the two of us. Low scoring affairs, therefore I will go for:........

3-3 (5423)

WALSALL
Aaron Lescott
Andy Tillson
Mark Wright

Brizzle
Andy Rammell
Pedro Matias
Craig Stanley

UTS

[saddla]

park on the retail park

Have they stopped giving out fines now?

[scott_powell]

I hope I can get a better parking spot than last week. Turned up early (1:30) only to find the railway car park already full :twisted:
Had to pay the extortionate £4 to park on the club car park with a consequent 40 minute wait to get off it after the game :evil:

Park on Morrisons. Takes 10 minutes to get off and it's free. Me and my dad have parked there for years.

[Whaleoilbeefhooked]

3-0

Ama with 2 & Flo to chip in.

[SaddlerSteve]

I hope I can get a better parking spot than last week. Turned up early (1:30) only to find the railway car park already full :twisted:
Had to pay the extortionate £4 to park on the club car park with a consequent 40 minute wait to get off it after the game :evil:

Turn up before 12 and you can park in the train station for free. :wink:

[chunkster]

I hope I can get a better parking spot than last week. Turned up early (1:30) only to find the railway car park already full :twisted:
Had to pay the extortionate £4 to park on the club car park with a consequent 40 minute wait to get off it after the game :evil:

i always park it outside the rac building or there abouts, some of those factories don't work on a saturday so you can park outside them :wink:
onto the match prediction, after last week i really couldn't say :mrgreen:

[Wragbyred]

I hope I can get a better parking spot than last week. Turned up early (1:30) only to find the railway car park already full :twisted:
Had to pay the extortionate £4 to park on the club car park with a consequent 40 minute wait to get off it after the game :evil:

Turn up before 12 and you can park in the train station for free. :wink:

This has always puzzled me, this is a free rail station car park, so why does anyone pay?

I never have

[saddla]

I hope I can get a better parking spot than last week. Turned up early (1:30) only to find the railway car park already full :twisted:
Had to pay the extortionate £4 to park on the club car park with a consequent 40 minute wait to get off it after the game :evil:

Turn up before 12 and you can park in the train station for free. :wink:

This has always puzzled me, this is a free rail station car park, so why does anyone pay?

I never have

It's free providing you are using the train. (according to the notice at the gate)
The saddlers club has an arrangement with the rail company that they pay them to use part of the car park on match days. The saddlers club charge cars £2 to park there in their section. Not the back row nearest the station which is reserved for rail travelers on matchdays.

[SoccerHQ]

A well supported team the Gas and with them predictably selling around 2000 tickets a decent crowd is on the cards..

Hopefully JW has now realised that playing his guys in the right positions is the way forward so if we can be injury free I'd be happy for the same starting line up as last week..

I'm going mad this week and predict a 3-1 win with Bako to get another, Ozzy and Morris to add to it! UTS

Yes I noticed on the highlights they packed out the terrace at Fleetwood.

Rovers have terrific support (arguably better than their neighbours certainly in what they take away) but a bit like Brighton a decade ago hamstrung by having such an inadequate ground for the modern era.

As for the game...bold prediction but it won't be 0-0. Rovers been in many high scoring games this season so should be an end-to-end game.

2-2.

[dobbster71]

3-0 Saddlers
Makris hat-trick (then gets loaned to Wrexham!)

[BathSaddler]

Bristol Rovers have lost their last five away games but according to Gas friends that I know, they have not really played badly in those games. They score regularly, but also concede, particularly on their travels, so there should be some goals in this one. They have made defensive reinforcements this week in a keeper and defender (both only 19) , with the former, on loan from QPR, likely to start.

I expect us to start with the same line up as last week (unless Laird comes in), ride the initial storm (I think they will come at us) and then counter attack them to death. Fingers crossed that Osbourne is fit.

We have a good record against Bristol Rovers, aside from that 5-0 drubbing at our place a few years ago, so 2-1 to us in front of another 6,000 crowd, including 1,900 Gasheads.

[Welsh_Saddler]

Elsewhere, two games postponed (frozen pitches):

Southend United v Bolton Wanderers

Charlton Athletic v Scunthorpe United

(More headaches for Jolly Johnny) :mrgreen:

[Welsh_Saddler]

Starting line-up against Bristol Rovers:

Etheridge

O'Connor
McCarthy
Preston
O'Connell

Edwards
Chambers
Osbourne
Cuvelier

Oztumer

Bakayoko

Substitutes: MacGillivray, Laird, Dobson, Jackson, Morris, Roberts, Makris

About to kick off, and the exchanges have Rovers as slight favourites......

[SaddlerCrewe]

15 minutes of play and not a shot on target for either side.
No goals in the rest of League One either

[Welsh_Saddler]

20 minutes gone, and not a single goal in League One........

There's one at Carrow Road though :lol:

[Welsh_Saddler]

Spoke too soon ... Rochdale 0 Oxford United 2 now, 31 minutes

Sheffield Utd 1 Gillingham 0

MK Dons 2 Northampton Town 0 (43 min)

Bristol Rovers yellow card, 21 minutes (Lee Brown, midfield)

[Welsh_Saddler]

On the stroke of half-time!!!!!!

Walsall 1 Bristol Rovers 0 :D :D :D :D :D (O'Connell .... of all people .... welcome to the club!!)

[Super Gabor]

On the stroke of half-time!!!!!!

Walsall 1 Bristol Rovers 0 :D :D :D :D :D

O'Connell :D

[Welsh_Saddler]

2nd half under way... (no substitutions from JW)

Swindon Town 0 Peterborough Utd 1

Rochdale 0 Oxford Utd 3 :shock:

Sheffield Utd 2 Gillingham 2 now, (64 min)

Bradford City 0 Millwall 1

MK Dons 4 Northampton Town 1

Bristol Rovers substitution (injury), 54 min ... and another substitution (tactical) 59 min

[Whaleoilbeefhooked]

Come on boys, let's get another one and see this out.

How are we playing? BBC sport doesn't paint the picture of a free flowing end to end game.

[Welsh_Saddler]

Today's attendance 6,029

Walsall's 1st substitution, 65 minutes....... Simeon Jackson replaces Amadou Bakayoko

Bradford City 1 Millwall 1

Shrewsbury Town 1 Oldham Athletic 0


WALSALL 2 BRISTOL ROVERS 0 !!!!!! :D :D :D :D Jackson, almost immediately after coming on.

[Welsh_Saddler]

WOULD YOU BELIEVE 3-0 ????????? :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D Joe Edwards, 73 minutes ... Whitney...errrrmmm... IN ???

Rochdale 0 Oxford Utd 4

MK Dons 4 Northampton Town 2

[Ancient Moaner]

3-0 Saddlers
Makris hat-trick (then gets loaned to Wrexham!)

You had to be right eventually Dobster! Pity Makris seems never to get a chance to score that hatrick though :D

Loving the Rochdale score! Serves them right for humiliating us!

[Welsh_Saddler]

Makris on for Oztumer, 77 minutes

Walsall 3 Bristol Rovers 1 (82 minutes .... still time to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory :roll: )

Dobson on for Cuvelier, 80 minutes

[Ancient Moaner]

Makris on for Oztumer, 77 minutes

Walsall 3 Bristol Rovers 1 (82 minutes .... still time to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory :roll: )

You've been reading too many of my posts Welshie, :oops: Calm down and give us the scorer of our fourth goal soon! :lol: :lol: