Bristol Rovers v Cheltenham preview

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Bristol Rovers striker Eliot Richards is pressing for a starting spot after he came off the bench to score the winning goal on Saturday.

Richards replaced debutant Tom Eaves on the hour mark at Exeter and went on to score a 69th-minute goal that helped Rovers secure their first win of the season.

The Wales Under-21 player has been in and out of favour with manager Mark McGhee since the start of the campaign.

He was also forced further down the pecking order following the arrivals of loanee Eaves and former Celtic striker Derek Riordan on short-term deals.

McGhee is unlikely to tinker too much with his team, although both Danny Woodards and Shaquille Hunter are getting close to their respective returns from injury.

Garry Kenneth, Tom Parkes and Neil Etheridge are again pencilled in for defensive duties after their excellent displays against Exeter.

Cheltenham manager Mark Yates will make few, if any, changes to his starting line-up.

The Robins gained a vital three points over Morecambe last Friday and both Sido Jombati and captain Steve Elliott are expected to again be the mainstays of a defence that has recorded back-to-back clean sheets.

Elliott, 33, will be facing his former club, having spent six years with the Pirates.

The experienced Darren Carter will continue in the Robins’ midfield after he scored both goals in the 2-0 victory over Morecambe.

Manager Yates told the club’s official website: “We had a good win on Friday night and the players got a weekend to themselves so they can spend some time with their family and that doesn’t happen very often, but we feel that is important.

“Shaun Harrad should be fine. He has been training with the physio and he should be training today (Tuesday). We don’t have the biggest squad in the world but we do have quality on the bench waiting to play. There won’t be many changes, if any at all.”