npower League 2
, Feb 18, 2012
Ground: The Memorial Stadium
, Kickoff: 15:00 , Att 6,512
Team news
Duo missing for Rovers Mark McGhee will be without defenders Gary Sawyer and Aaron Downes as he looks to bounce back from his first defeat as Bristol Rovers manager with victory against Oxford in npower League Two.
Rovers slipped up 1-0 at Shrewsbury on Tuesday, ending McGhee's 100 per cent record since taking over at the Memorial Stadium last month, and the Rovers boss will have to contend with the absence of Sawyer and Downes.
Sawyer is set to spend three weeks on the sidelines with a hamstring problem, while on-loan Downes has been ruled out of action for as long as another five weeks after suffering knee cartilage damage during the 2-1 victory over Bradford on January 28.
Adam Virgo (knee) and Wayne Brown (ankle) remain long-term casualties.
Oxford will be without several first-team regulars.
Striker Jon-Paul Pittman has been ruled out with a hamstring injury, while veteran defender Tony Capaldi's knee and back troubles have kept him from making his U's debut since arriving from Morecambe in the summer.
Forward Tom Craddock is also struggling with a knee complaint which is set to sideline him for up to a month and midfielder Alfie Potter is out for the season after breaking an ankle in training.
Oxford manager Chris Wilder could hand a first start to on-loan Swindon frontman Mehdi Kerrouche alongside James Constable, while defender Damien Batt is available once again after serving a two-game suspension.
Bristol Rovers vs Oxford Utd
Last modified 17:57 18/02/12
Rovers grateful for Poke Bristol Rovers goalkeeper Michael Poke made several fine saves to ensure his side claimed a goalless draw against Oxford.
The best saw him dive full length to fingertip a Liam Davis shot around a post nine minutes into the second half.
Poke also made brave stops at the feet of James Constable and Mehdi Kerrouche, while Rovers went close with second-half shots from Lee Brown and Chris Zebroski.
Oxford edged the first half and almost went ahead after 43 minutes when Andrew Whing's header from a right-wing corner was cleared off the line by Brown.
Rovers failed to test their former keeper Ryan Clarke in the first period and were grateful to centre-back Cian Bolger for blocking a close range shot from Scott Rendell.
Both sides battled hard on a soggy pitch, which passed a 1.30pm inspection by referee Phil Gibbs.
| Player rating out of ten | Player name | Substitution | Did they score? | Player's disciplinary record | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | Michael Poke | 8/10 | |||
| 4 | Dan Woodards | 7/10 | |||
| 37 | Tom Parkes | 7/10 | |||
| 5 | Cian Bolger |
|
7/10 | ||
| 17 | James Paterson | 7/10 | |||
| 14 | Lee Brown | 6/10 | |||
| 34 | Andy Dorman(sub 60) |
|
5/10 | ||
| 8 | Mathew Gill | 6/10 | |||
| 23 | Matthew Lund | 6/10 | |||
| 16 | Joe Anyinsah(sub 66) |
|
6/10 | ||
| 26 | Chris Zebroski(sub 81) |
|
7/10 | ||
| Substitutes | |||||
| 1 | Scott Bevan | ||||
| 6 | Craig Stanley | ||||
| 10 | Scott McGleish(sub 81) |
|
5/10 | ||
| 11 | Mustapha Carayol(sub 60) |
|
7/10 | ||
| 18 | Eliot Richards(sub 66) |
|
5/10 | ||
| Player rating out of ten | Player name | Did they score? | Player's disciplinary record | Substitution | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ryan Clarke | 7/10 | |||
| 16 | Andrew Whing |
|
7/10 | ||
| 5 | Michael Duberry | 7/10 | |||
| 6 | Jake Wright | 8/10 | |||
| 26 | Liam Davis | 7/10 | |||
| 2 | Damian Batt | 7/10 | |||
| 20 | Peter Leven | 6/10 | |||
| 24 | Mark Wilson(sub 66) |
|
5/10 | ||
| 23 | Scott Rendell | 6/10 | |||
| 9 | James Constable | 7/10 | |||
| 39 | Mehdi Kerrouche(sub 60) |
|
|
5/10 | |
| Substitutes | |||||
| 3 | Anthony Tonkin | ||||
| 14 | Asa Hall | ||||
| 19 | Oli Johnson(sub 66) |
|
5/10 | ||
| 22 | Harry Worley | ||||
| 27 | Lee Holmes(sub 60) |
|
5/10 | ||
| Team | Bristol Rovers | Oxford Utd |
|---|
