Blackpool set out in search of their first League One win since September when they go head to head with Bristol Rovers at the Memorial Stadium on Tuesday.
Having lost the last three meetings between the teams, the Pirates will head into the game looking to get one over the visitors and make it five straight home games without defeat in the league since the start of October.
Match preview
© Imago
Bristol Rovers snapped their run of three back-to-back defeats on the road on Saturday as they edged out a resilient Mansfield Town side 1-0 when the two teams squared off at the One Call Stadium.
A combined 32 shots were fired in the end-to-end contest, but Luke McCormick's 49th-minute effort made the difference as the visitors held on to their narrow lead to hand Mansfield a second consecutive defeat.
Prior to that, Bristol Rovers avoided an upset in the FA Cup first round on November 2, when they picked up a 3-1 extra-time victory over National League side Weston Super Mare, before playing out back-to-back stalemates against Lincoln City and Crawley Town in the league.
Matt Taylor's men now return home, where they are unbeaten in five of their last six matches across all competitions — claiming three wins and two draws — with a 3-2 defeat against Exeter City in the EFL Trophy on October 29 being the exception.
Bristol Rovers have picked up 21 points from their 16 League One matches to sit 13th in the standings but could move level with 10th-placed Mansfield with a win on Tuesday.
© Imago
Blackpool, on the other hand, were left spitting feathers at the weekend as they suffered a 2-1 defeat against Bolton Wanderers after conceding a 94th-minute winner at the Toughsheet Community Stadium.
Kyle Joseph's 32nd-minute strike saw Blackpool go into half time with the lead for the first time in five games but George Thomason restored parity in the 53rd minute before Aaron Collins completed the Bolton comeback in the fourth minute of stoppage time.
Following Saturday's result, the Seasiders have now gone eight back-to-back league matches without a win, losing five and picking up three draws, having won each of their four games preceding this run.
This drop-off in form has been owing to their struggles at the defensive end of the pitch, where Blackpool have managed just one clean sheet in the league since a 3-0 victory over Burton Albion on September 28 and have conceded the most goals in the division (30).
Off the back of finishing eighth last season and missing out on the playoffs by just three points, Steve Bruce's side currently sit 19th in the League One table, level on 17 points with Rotherham United and Wigan Athletic.
While Blackpool will be looking to stop the rot on Tuesday, they have lost each of their last four league games on the road, conceding 12 goals and scoring twice since the start of October, and will need to show their mettle at the Memorial Stadium.
Team News
© Imago
Bristol Rovers remain without the services of 33-year-old Jack Hunt, who is set to sit out his fourth consecutive game after coming off injured against Weston Super Mare on November 2.
Teenage defender Lino Sousa has missed the last two games and is a doubt for Tuesday's clash, while 25-year-old Joel Senior continues his lengthy spell on the sidelines after picking up an injury in August.
Blackpool will be without several key players down the spine of the team as the midfield trio of Albie Morgan, Sonny Carey and Irishman CJ Hamilton have been ruled out through injuries.
English forward Jake Beesley has missed the last four games since coming off injured against Liverpool Under-21s on November 6 while the defensive duo of Elkan Baggott and Andy Lyons continue their spells on the sidelines.
With his strike against Bolton, Joseph now has seven league goals under his belt this season and we expect the 23-year-old striker to spearhead the Seasiders' attack once again.
Bristol Rovers possible starting lineup:
Griffiths; Moore, Taylor Wilson, Mola; Lindsay, Conteh; Forde, McCormick, Hutchinson; Martin
Blackpool possible starting lineup:
O'Donnell; Gabriel, Offiah, Casey, Husband; Evans, Norburn; Coulson, Apter, Embleton; Joseph
We say: Bristol Rovers 2-0 Blackpool
Buoyed by their hard-fought win over Mansfield, Bristol Rovers will head into Tuesday's clash with renewed confidence as they look to end their three-game losing streak against Blackpool.
The Seasiders' form on the road is currently nothing to write home about and we see them struggling at the Memorial Stadium, where Taylor's men are unbeaten in four straight league matches.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joshua Ojele
