Substitute Leon Clarke scored within 90 seconds of his Bristol Rovers debut to earn a 1-0 League Two victory over Crawley at the Memorial Stadium.The 36-year-old striker was introduced at the start of the second half and made an immediate impact, finding space in the box to head home from fellow debutant Antony Evans’ 47th-minute cross.Goalkeeper James Belshaw then protected Rovers’ ...Full Story »

Tom Davies scored an 89th-minute winner as Tranmere beat Hartlepool 1-0 to secure their first league victory since the opening day of the season.Davies headed home after Pools had dominated the contest, with Rovers finishing strongly to steal all three points.Hartlepool threatened in the first half with Jamie Sterry striking a post and the dangerous Tyler Burey a constant threat.David Ferguson h...Full Story »

Bristol Rovers are again set to be without goalkeeper Anssi Jaakkola for the visit of Crawley in Sky Bet League Two.The Finn is still troubled by an Achilles problem and manager Joey Barton has indicated Saturday’s game may come too soon.It remains to be seen if Rovers’ latest signings Antony Evans, Junior Brown and Leon Clarke – all brought in before Tuesday’s transfer d...Full Story »

Tranmere could hand debuts to several new signings when Hartlepool visit on Saturday after recruiting five players this week in an attempt to arrest their poor start to the campaign.Micky Mellon’s men have scored only once in Sky Bet League Two this term and lost 1-0 in their last two games.It contributed towards Rovers bringing in four players on transfer-deadline day with forwards Nicky ...Full Story »

Barrow had captain Mark Ellis sent off for violent conduct but still held Bristol Rovers to a 1-1 draw in Sky Bet League Two.Mark Cooper’s side lost Ellis to a straight red card in the 31st minute following an off-the-ball incidentAnd the Cumbrians fell behind in the 43rd minute of a fiery opening half as Sam Nicholson’s shot gave Rovers a deserved lead.But Joey Barton’s visito...Full Story »

Luke James is expected to be out of action for Barrow as they take on Bristol Rovers.The striker, who spent the 2016-17 season on loan with Rovers, has picked up a foot injury and is expected to be out for the next three to four weeks as he recovers.Barrow are still without a number of players including Matt Platt (back), Jamie Devitt (thigh), Mike Jones (Achilles) and Tom Beadling (cruciate lig...Full Story »

Nine-man St Johnstone’s European journey ended in some controversy with a 2-0 home defeat to LASK at McDiarmid Park.Following an encouraging 1-1 draw in the first leg of the Europa Conference League play-off in Austria last week, Saints were on level pegging with the visitors at the goalless interval.However, in the 71st minute, substitute Husein Balic fired the ball in from 14 yards and t...Full Story »

Harry Bunn has added to Scunthorpe boss Neil Cox’s problems ahead of the clash with Tranmere.The 28-year-old forward pulled up during the warm-up before the 1-1 draw against Sutton last week with a groin issue and is expected to be sidelined.Midfielder Cameron Wilson is a doubt after he was taken off at half-time of Tuesday’s defeat to Manchester City Under-21s in the Football League...Full Story »

Bristol Rovers boss Joey Barton was at a loss to explain his side’s 4-1 hammering by a rampant Exeter at St James Park.Rovers found themselves 4-0 down inside 24 minutes as Matt Jay (two), Tim Dieng and Harry Kite all scored – and it could have been worse had Exeter taken more of the chances they created.The Pirates were much improved after the break, and Sam Finley curled a belter i...Full Story »

Tranmere failed to score for the third league game in a row as Alex Fisher gave Newport a 1-0 win at Prenton Park.Newport’s Joe Day was the busier goalkeeper in the first half and had to be alert to prevent a freak own goal when Sam Foley’s low cross looped goalwards off defender Priestley Farquharson.Rovers should have led when Liam Feeney broke from deep but saw his pull-back side-...Full Story »

Tranmere boss Micky Mellon said he could not fault his players despite a 1-0 home defeat by Newport that saw Rovers fail to score for the third league game in a row.The visitors were full value for their win, earned by striker Alex Fisher’s bundled effort on the hour.It was the first goal Tranmere had conceded in the league but it is at the other end of the pitch that Mellon has more reaso...Full Story »

Exeter hammered a dire Bristol Rovers 4-1 with a devastating first-half display in which they scored all of their goals.Exeter made a superb start and opened the scoring inside three minutes. Padraig Amond’s shot was saved by James Belshaw and Matt Jay finished the rebound from close range.It was 2-0 after 15 minutes and it was Jay again, the diminutive frontman getting across his man and ...Full Story »

Exeter have Sam Nombe available for the Sky Bet League Two visit of Bristol Rovers.The forward is back after a period of self-isolation following a positive Covid-19 test.Archie Collins (knee) remains sidelined with fellow midfielder Josh Coley also absent.Defender Sam Stubbs could be back following his own knee issue.Bristol Rovers will be able to call upon captain Paul Coutts.The midfielder is...Full Story »

Tranmere have Chris Merrie back from suspension for the visit of Newport in League Two.Midfielder Merrie has completed a three-match ban after he was sent off on the opening day against Walsall.Callum MacDonald and Scott Davies are set to miss out again through injury.But Elliott Nevitt recovered from an ankle problem to come on as a late substitute in the 0-0 midweek draw with Swindon.Newport c...Full Story »

Joey Barton insists Bristol Rovers are “moving in the right direction” after ending an eight-match losing streak with a 1-0 win over Oldham.A 35th-minute header from Harvey Saunders, his first goal for the club, proved enough for a deserved three points.It was Rovers’ first home goal in well over eight hours of football at the Memorial Stadium and the first-half display, in par...Full Story »

Manager Micky Mellon hailed goalkeeper Joe Murphy as Tranmere maintained their record of not conceding a league goal this season with a 0-0 draw at Swindon.Murphy made two superb saves to claim his third clean sheet in as many matches.Mellon said: “I think it’s every credit to both sets of players. They both went at it from the first whistle.“A 0-0 draw does not reflect how the...Full Story »

A first-half goal from Harvey Saunders proved enough to give Bristol Rovers a 1-0 League Two victory over Oldham at the Memorial Stadium.Saunders broke the deadlock in the 35th minute, powerfully heading home Harry Anderson’s left-wing cross, with the ball taking a deflection on its way in.The strike ended an eight-match losing streak for Joey Barton’s men, stretching back to last se...Full Story »

Goalkeeper Joe Murphy was the hero as Tranmere’s early-season run of not conceding continued as they saw out a 0-0 draw at Swindon.Murphy made two excellent saves to register his third clean sheet in as many league games.In the 69th minute, Harry McKirdy was played in one-on-one by Jack Payne before being denied brilliantly by Murphy.Seven minutes later, Murphy kept out McKirdy again after...Full Story »

Bristol Rovers are expected to be without striker Brandon Hanlan again as they bid for their first win of the season against Oldham.Rovers are reported to have turned down a bid from Lincoln for Hanlan, who has not appeared for the club this season due to a knee injury.Boss Joey Barton is short of strikers, with summer signing Brett Pitman’s club debut still on hold due to an ankle injury....Full Story »

Darrell Clarke could not hide his frustration after his Port Vale side had failed to find a breakthrough in their goalless League Two draw at home to Tranmere.The Valiants had created by far the better chances but a combination of poor finishing, good saves by Rovers goalkeeper Joe Murphy and plain bad luck denied them a first victory of the season.And the Vale boss admitted he was much happier ...Full Story »