v 
With the great news that the next time we play at Roots Hall some of us will be in the North Bank again, to go into that match out of the drop zone would be great.
Adam Barrett will return for Sankofa I'm sure; Christophe, probably on the bench.
No need to mess up that midfield though, the unlucky Damien Scannell will be replaced by the returning Francis Laurent. Let's hope the inconsistant Frenchman shows what he can really do.
Other than that; anything like the spirit, and finishing, showed in the Walsall game and we can give the Gasmen of Bristol a close game. They are not so consistant themselves, though that 4-0 result at Swindon was a bit scary.
One win does not make a great escape, but it's a bloody good start, now to bury that away voodoo.
COME ON YOU BLUES!!!!!
Possible Southend United: Mildenhall, Francis, Baldwin, Barrett, Herd, Laurent, Grant, McCormack, Spencer, Vernon, Moussa.
Subs: Jack, Sankofa, Malone, Christophe, O'Keefe, Paterson, Crawford.
OPPOSITION
Pirates boss Paul Trollope was unable sign West Brom striker Chris Wood before Thursday's loan deadline after the Championship team decided to hold on to him.
On-loan Fulham midfielder Wayne Brown has picked up another injury so will not be returning to Rovers this season.
| 8 | Milton Keynes Dons | 37 | 10 | 3 | 6 | 29 | 24 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 24 | 30 | 17 | 5 | 15 | 53 | 54 | 56 | -1 | ||||
| 9 | Bristol Rovers | 37 | 11 | 2 | 5 | 26 | 19 | 6 | 2 | 11 | 23 | 31 | 17 | 4 | 16 | 49 | 50 | 55 | -1 | ||||
| 10 | Southampton (-10) | 37 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 39 | 17 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 28 | 21 | 17 | 12 | 8 | 67 | 38 | 53 | +29 |
Watching Bristol Rovers is fast becoming a most frustrating pastime. Does anyone know what sort of team will turn up on a Saturday afternoon?
The one that played at Huish Park on Saturday was certainly the better side of a team seemingly struggling to cope with a split-personality disorder.
Unsurprisingly, Paul Trollope said afterwards that he wants to see this scintillating Rovers team take the field again when Southend visit the Memorial Stadium on Saturday.
Don't we all. If Rovers played like this every Saturday, Trollope would perhaps be contemplating life as a Championship manager next season, instead of grimly holding on to a fading dream of clinching a place in the top six of League One.
Finding a solution to the problem of inconsistency that has dogged Rovers' season has proved elusive - but it is something Trollope can continue to consider when he returns to the training ground this morning.
Pirates boss Paul Trollope said: "We knew Yeovil liked to attack and we managed to pick them off with our counter-attacks to devastating effect. The spirit and commitment shown by the players was very good and I want to see the Bristol Rovers that played here turn up when we play Southend next weekend."
What this game proved is that the outstanding performance Rovers gave to dismantle play-off hopefuls Swindon at the start of the month was not a one-off.
They are undoubtedly capable of so much more than mid-table mediocrity on their day. If only their day would come around more frequently.
Rovers have tended to flounder this term against teams lacking in adventure and happy to sit deep. An early goal will always help in that situation and it hasn't always been forthcoming.
The opener here was gifted to Trollope's side in under five minutes.
Yeovil full-back Nathan Smith played a harmless back-pass in the direction of goalkeeper Alex McCarthy, who dithered over the clearance and finally hoofed the ball into the on-rushing Jo Kuffour's midriff, from which it rebounded into the back of the net.
Forced to chase their tails, Rovers took full advantage in a game-defining four-minute spell at the end of the opening period.
The one-goal advantage was doubled in the 37th minute following a sweeping passing move that was a joy to behold. Midfielder Stuart Campbell picked up the pieces of another failed Yeovil attack in his own penalty area and quickly launched a raid forward.
Seven passes later, Paul Heffernan collected a low Daniel Jones cross on the edge of the six-yard box to clinically dispatch the ball in to Yeovil's net for a second time.
Trollope continued: "It was a fantastic team goal. We feel we have got players who can play with the pace and tempo to exploit spaces on counter-attacks.We know we are capable of moving the ball quickly and hurting teams. I was just a little bit disappointed that we didn't convert a couple of other chances we carved out in similar fashion."
Jeff Hughes, Daniel Jones and Heffernan could have added to the scoreline but for the heroics of McCarthy, before Kuffour executed a delicate finish from close-range four minutes before the break.
It would have been greedy, perhaps, to expect a similar display after the turnaround. With all the hard work done, the Rovers emphasis turned from one of attack to defence.
Trollope concluded: "I was a bit disappointed that we didn't create very much going forward in the second half. The lads were forced to carry out the ugly side of the game. They did that efficiently and dealt well with everything that was thrown at them. What getting results really comes down to are the details. If you get things right in both boxes, like we did today, then more often than not you will win your games."
Bristol Rovers (4-4-2): Andersen; Anthony, Coles, Elliott, Jones; Blizzard, Campbell, Lines, Hughes; Kuffour, Heffernan (Williams, 83). Subs: Evans, Regan, Wright, Reece, Swallow, Richards.
Yeovil Town (4-4-2): McCarthy; Alcock, Caulker, Forbes, Smith; Tomlin, Kalala, S Davies (Welsh, 64) MacDonald; Williams (A Davies, 24), Bowditch. Subs: Murtagh, Martin, Murray, Downes, Hutchins.
Goals: Rovers: Jo Kuffour (4, 41); Paul Heffernan (37).
Bookings: Rovers: Danny Coles (foul, 54 minutes); Steve Elliott (foul, 57 minutes). Yeovil: Jean-Paul Kalala (foul, 50 minutes), Steven Caulker (foul, 77 minutes)
REFEREE: Mark Haywood (West Yorkshire) 6 ; Was a little bit lenient over some of the challenges.
SHOTS ON TARGET: Rovers - 6, Yeovil - 2
SHOTS OFF TARGET: Rovers - 2, Yeovil - 8
CORNERS: Rovers - 5, Yeovil - 9
FOULS CONCEDED: Rovers - 7, Exeter - 6
OFFSIDES: Rovers - 3, Yeovil - 3
ATTENDANCE: 5,968
ATMOSPHERE: 8
ENTERTAINMENT: 8
POST VERDICT: Yeovil didn't even play that badly - but Rovers were rampant. An absolute joy to watch when they play like this.
(Report and match statistics from www.thisisbristol.co.uk)
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GROUND
If the weather is poor then it may be a better bet to head for one of the seats that are made available to away fans in the South Stand at one end of the ground.
Recommend are the huge Cornish pasties (£2) that are sold at the ground, huge and tasty, plus they even do vegetarian ones which makes a change.
WEATHER
REF
The man in the middle is Steven Rushton from Staffordshire.
FIXTURES
Tuesday, March 30th: Oldham v Brentford, 19:45.
Thursday, April 1st: Brighton v Southampton, 19:45.
Good Friday, April 2nd; (kick-offs when stated): Carlisle v Bristol Rovers, 15:00, Exeter v Colchester, 15:00, Millwall v Brentford, 19:45, Tranmere v Norwich, 19:45.
BET
Bristol Rovers (to win) - 4/5, Draw - 13/5, Southend (to win) - 4.
For all the footy odds go here: www.oddschecker.com/football/english
PUB AND PIES
For the best drinking hostelries around, and there's some decent beer to be found close to stations and stadium, go here:
www.southendunited-mad.co.uk/feat/edw8/
open_the_vaults_up_the_hill_pub_crawl_at_bristol_rovers_510286/index.shtml
HISTORY
