Bristol City Preview

By: Richard Hubbert
Date: 16/02/2004

THE Mariners got a much needed win against Brighton on Saturday to lift the confidence of both the fans and players, but Town now face the division's most in-form team, in the shape of Bristol City.

Town may have won their first game in nearly three months on Saturday, but they now face perhaps the biggest test of the season against Bristol City who have won their last NINE games! The Robins had a shaky start to the season, but their fantastic run of form has propelled the Ashton Gate side into third place, and level on points with QPR, who are in second. But despite the form book being against Town, Bristol City are going to lose sooner or later, and it’s up to Town to make it sooner...

Recent Form

Town Bristol City W Brighton (a) 2-1 L Oldham (a) 0-6 L Wrexham (h) 1-3 L Port Vale (a) 1-5 D Plymouth (a) 0-0 Currently 20th in Division 2. W Peterborough (a) 1-0 W Brentford (h) 3-1 W Colchester (h) 1-0 W Hartlepool (a) 2-1 W Chesterfield (h) 4-0 Currently 3rd in Division 2.

Top Scorers

Town Bristol City Boulding 13 (now Barnsley) Jevons 6 Peacock 14 Miller 8

Team News

Town Bristol City The Mariners are quite likely to keep the same side that won this weekend against Brighton. The good news is that Mark Hughes will let Darren Barnard play despite being called up to the Wales squad for their friendly match on Wednesday evening. Barnard is not fully fit, but is expected to pass a fitness test. Graham Rodger must decide whether to pick Stacy Coldicott again after giving him 45 minutes of the action on Saturday. Coldicott hadn’t played since last March, before being thrown in at the deep end on Saturday. It is not known how serious Lee Thorpe's thigh injury is, but if he is fit, he will only make the bench, with Isiah Rankin and either Darren Mansaram or Phil Jevons up front. Jevons has a case to partner Rankin after coming on and scoring at the weekend. Robins defender Clayton Fortune looks set to miss out with the ankle injury that kept him out of City’s 1-0 win against Peterborough last weekend. Defender Matt Hill faces a late fitness after picking up a knock at the weekend. However, manager Danny Wilson is expecting the 22 year old to be make the trip to the coast. Like the Mariners, the Robins have been given clearance to play their internationals in this rearranged fixture. Tommy Doherty has been given the go ahead to play by new Northern Ireland manager Lawrie Sanchez, while Luke Wilkshire will play despite being on standby for Australia.

Probable Starting XI's

Town Bristol City Aidan Davison Jason Crowe Tony Crane Simon Ford Darren Barnard Iain Anderson Nicky Daws Stacy Coldicott Stuart Campbell Isiah Rankin Phil Jevons Stephen Phillips Louis Carey Tony Butler Daniel Coles Matt Hill Marc Goodfellow Luke Wiltshire Aaron Brown Brian Tinnion Lee Peacock Lee Miller

Subs

Town Bristol City Des Hamilton Darren Mansaram Jonny Rowan Graham Hockless Greg Young Mike Stowell Leroy Lita Tommy Doherty Craig Woodman Marvin Brown

It was back on a sunny Saturday afternoon when Town met Bristol City last. Despite holding out for the whole game, Town did their usual trick by conceding in the last minute. A Christian Roberts goal sealed the win for Bristol City, in a game that saw Laurens Ten Heuval in a Town shirt for the very last time. Bristol City Team: Phillips, Carey, Butler, Coles, Hill (Aaron Brown, 45), Wilkshire (Miller, 77), Doherty, Burnell (Tinnion, 45), Bell, Peacock, Roberts Subs: (not used) Stowell, Matthews Goals: Roberts (90) Town Team: Davison, McDermott (Parker, 71), Ford, Crane, Barnard, Crowe, Bolder (Ten Heuvel, 89), Groves, Campbell, Boulding, Rowan Subs: (not used) Edwards, Hockless, Pettinger Attendance: 10,033    Report Bristol City Head-to-Head (65th on The Opposition Ladder).

Prediction

Fishy prediction: I would like to point out that I got the score CORRECT for the last game (I said it would be 2-1!), which means that for the very first time this season, I predicted the right score! So, looking into my crystal ball now... I predict a 1-1 draw at Blundell Park..... Reader's POMs

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