Bristol Rovers host struggling Barrow this afternoon looking to make it four wins in a row in League Two
Daniel Hargraves Bristol Rovers reporter
07:00, 13 Sep 2025
Dan Hargraves
Dan Hargraves is the Bristol Rovers reporter for Bristol Live. He joined the title in July 2023 having previously worked for Reach PLC as a freelance football writer in April 2022 while a journalism student at the University of Derby. He has also reported on a number of football matches across European competition, the Premier League and EFL and covered the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in 2022. In his role as covering the Gas, he wants to leave no stone unturned and cover every angle of the football club for Gasheads' enjoyment.
Luke Southwood pictured in action for Bristol Rovers(Image: Steve Taylor/PPAUK)
Bristol Rovers are in a good place, and often when a team is in a good vein of form, the starting line up tends to pick itself.
Over the course of their three league wins in a row, Darrell Clarke has made just four changes, three of which were enforced when Luke Southwood (international duty), Ruel Sotiriou (injury) and Ellis Harrison (illness) dropped out of the starting line up for last weekend's 3-2 win at Newport County, having started the 1-0 victory against Grimsby Town the week prior.
Unless he has further injuries to contend with, it's tough to see Clarke making any more than a few changes this afternoon when Rovers host Barrow, seeking four straight wins in the league for the first time since March 2022.
The Gas should have a couple of players back in the fold too after international duty. Southwood (Northern Ireland), Ollie Dewsbury (Wales Under-19s) and deadline day signing Joel Cotterill (Wales Under-21s) were all away with their countries when Rovers faced Newport last weekend.
One obvious change is expected, but I may be repeating myself a fair bit for the rest of this piece. Regardless, here is how I'm predicting Rovers to set up this afternoon...
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Goalkeeper and defence
He didn't do anything obviously wrong last weekend, but the plan was always for Brad Young to come in for just the one game while Luke Southwood was away. It would have been a good experience for the 23-year-old, who made his league debut for the Pirates, and is encouraging ahead of October and November international breaks where Southwood may well be called up again.
Ahead of the Northern Ireland goalkeeper, there is virtually no argument towards changing the defence in any way, unless there is an injury to deal with. Once Stephan Negru is available, perhaps there will be temptation again from Darrell Clarke to switch things up, but having conceded just two goals in their last four league games, making a tweak to the back-four of Macauley Southam-Hales, Kacper Lopata, Alfie Kilgour and Jack Sparkes wouldn't make sense.
Last weekend also showed where Rovers' depth is at a bit. Clarke took accountability for the enforced changes but the Gas lost their momentum and ultimately had a bit of a ropey conclusion to deal with. You can confidently say that, in Joel Senior, Rovers have solid back-up at right-back but, as things stand, it is difficult to argue that that is the case elsewhere in the backline. Happily, and if needed hopefully, proven wrong though.
Midfield
This is where Bristol Rovers still particularly look light in numbers with Ryan Howley expected to miss out with the injury that kept him sidelined last weekend. Isaac Hutchinson's loan departure adds to that, but at least Rovers now have deadline day signing Joel Cotterill available and ready for debut.
Like the defence, unless enforced there is no obvious reason to change the midfield trio that worked well last weekend, particularly in the sort of diamond shape. Kamil Conteh and Josh McEachran have been delightful to watch of late while Alfie Chang thoroughly impressed on debut and fit into the side like a glove.
With Ruel Sotiriou's best shot of getting into the team currently seemingly in a role behind the striker, last season's top scorer is yet to hit his stride this season. We could sit here and speculate whether he expected to leave during the summer, but that would be a waste of time. He's still here and has played far better for this club in a higher division than he has done so far this term but now has clarity over his situation. To his credit though, seeing someone of his qualities as an option to come on and impact the game is certainly encouraging.
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Forwards
Based on recent exemplars, Darrell Clarke seems to have found a great balance up top with the front three. Luke Thomas and Promise Omochere out wide have been excellent in recent matches while Fabrizio Cavegn and Ellis Harrison are interchangable. Perhaps finding a way to have the two playing alongside each other will be beneficial considering how different the two strikers are from one another and can therefore compliment each other, but it's near-impossible to drop one of Thomas or Omochere right now.
If the latter can get his first goal from open play this season today, there probably won't be a more popular goalscorer, unless perhaps Cavegn gets off the mark in the league himself. The Irishman has been a nightmare for League Two defenders, offering a lovely blend of physicality and trickery and is starting to look like the player that convinced the club to spend the money they did on him last summer.
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As for Thomas, two goals last weekend gave the 26-year-old his first career brace while also matching his goals tally from the entirety of last season which says a great deal about the campaign he had. He seems to be in a good spot and is one of many benefitting from Clarke's man management.
In regards to the man in the middle, it is a really tough call. Once Cavegn gets off the mark in League Two, it feels as though he's going to fly. The Swiss was incredibly unfortunate not to score last weekend; it's coming. However, Harrison is in good goalscoring form with three goals in his last four appearances having come off the bench to net the Gas' third last weekend.
Although it is slightly harsh on Harrison, it feels as though Rovers will greatly benefit from Cavegn getting that first league goal and this will be another great opportunity for him to do that. Spoilt for choice really.
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Bristol Rovers predicted XI: Luke Southwood; Macauley Southam-Hales, Kacper Lopata, Alfie Kilgour, Jack Sparkes; Josh McEachran, Kamil Conteh, Alfie Chang; Luke Thomas, Promise Omochere, Fabrizio Cavegn
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