Bristol Rovers predicted team vs Accrington Stanley: Midfield options, Forde back and Cavegn or Harrison
Here is our Bristol Rovers predicted team, as they host Accrington Stanley in League Two
Goal celebrations for Richie Smallwood of Bristol Rovers during the Sky Bet League 2 match between Gillingham and Bristol Rovers at Priestfield Stadium, Gillingham on 21 March 2026 (Photo: Rachel Le Poidevin/PPAUK)
Bristol Rovers are getting closer to securing their League Two status for next season, with 13 points separating them from the bottom two with seven games to go. This follows a run of 16 points from the last 21 available, as well as five wins from the last six matches at The Mem.
The Gas have a chance to improve on their impressive recent form when Accrington Stanley travel to BS7 on Saturday. John Doolan’s side are winless in their last seven, but are five points and two places above Rovers. They also won the reverse fixture 3-1, with Farrend Rawson and Isaac Sinclair scoring late after Kamil Conteh had equalised just before the hour mark.
Accrington have also proven to be a bogey team for Rovers in the past, winning 11 of their last 14 league games against the Gas.
Steve Evans won’t have Yusuf Akhamrich available on Saturday, as the Tottenham Hotspur loanee is on international duty with Morocco’s Under-23s. Shaq Forde is set to return following his two-match suspension, though, and he will be keen to play a part in this one.
With that said, here is how we think Rovers will set up against Accrington…
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Goalkeeper and defence
Aside from the goal against Bromley, Brad Young has been faultless in terms of his shot-stopping and continues to impress under Evans. We see no reason for him to be replaced on Saturday.
Evans started with a back three of Kofi Balmer, Alfie Kilgour and Riley Harbottle against Gillingham, and apart from a dubious penalty that was given against the latter, they looked relatively untested.
Harbottle was substituted at half-time, with Rovers switching to a back four, but given the head coach’s willingness to make in-game changes if things aren’t going to plan, we think he’ll stick with the three outlined above to keep it tight defensively in the first 45 minutes.
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Joel Senior has been one of the best players for Rovers in recent weeks, with his defensive work rate and attacking flair as a right wing-back giving Evans’ side a significant threat on the flanks. He is one of the first names on the teamsheet right now, and he will be keen to add to his three assists in the league so far this season. Senior will start against Accrington.
Jack Sparkes was not at his best in the first-half against Gillingham and was taken off at half-time as part of a quadruple change. He impressed in the recent wins against Shrewsbury Town and Barrow, though, and is usually reliable in the left wing-back role.
Midfield
As already mentioned, Evans made four half-time changes against Gillingham, but Richie Smallwood and Clinton Mola stayed on the pitch. While Mola moved back to left-back, Smallwood was the deepest of the three midfielders in the second half, alongside Ryan De Havilland and Kane Thompson-Sommers.
Full time celebrations for Richie Smallwood of Bristol Rovers after the Sky Bet League 2 match between Bristol Rovers and Crewe Alexandra at Memorial Stadium, Bristol on 7 March 2026 (Photo: Rachel Le Poidevin/PPAUK)(Image: Rachel Le Poidevin/PPAUK)
We’ve seen how effective Smallwood and Mola can be next to each other, especially in the win against Shrewsbury and the second half against Bromley before Forde’s red card. De Havilland and Thompson-Sommers didn’t do much wrong in their cameo last weekend, especially the former, but we think Smallwood and Mola just get the nod as the midfield pairing in a 3-4-1-2.
Attack and striker
Forde is a contender to start as the number 10 in this system, but Tommy Leigh’s form can’t be ignored. The Bradford City loanee has scored four goals in his last four games, and despite being taken off at half-time against the Gills, he created the best chance of the first 45 for Rovers when his driven cross was headed goalwards by Ellis Harrison.
Leigh should start this one, but Forde will be waiting in the wings to return in an attempt to rediscover his form before the injury he picked up against Chesterfield in early February.
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Fabrizio Cavegn hasn’t quite been at his best in recent weeks, and the style of football doesn’t seem to be quite suiting him at this moment in time. He was an isolated figure against Gillingham and Shrewsbury, with a number of long balls played in his direction.
We know this isn’t the Swiss striker’s game, but against an Accrington team, who average the 17th highest average possession in League Two, Evans might want a willing runner in behind alongside Joe Quigley, given that Rovers will likely dictate the tempo of the game.
Fabrizio Cavegn of Bristol Rovers celebrates after winning the Sky Bet League 2 Match between Barrow and Bristol Rovers at Holker Street, Barrow on 10 March 2026 – PHOTO: Harry Cornish/PPAUK(Image: Harry Cornish/PPAUK)
This might seem harsh on Harrison, who scored the winner against Gillingham last weekend, but a pairing of the 32-year-old and Quigley can be quite one-dimensional, and given that Cavegn is Rovers’ top scorer, we think Evans will stick with the 23-year-old.
Bristol Rovers predicted team (3-4-1-2): Brad Young, Kofi Balmer, Alfie Kilgour, Riley Harbottle, Joel Senior, Richie Smallwood, Clinton Mola, Jack Sparkes, Tommy Leigh, Fabrizio Cavegn, Joe Quigley.
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