Bristol Rovers vs Barnsley preview
Friday 3 May 2019 14:11, UK
Bristol Rovers boss Graham Coughlan is set to reward the players that secured the club's safety at home to promoted Barnsley.
Rovers guaranteed another season of Sky Bet League One football by drawing at Fleetwood last weekend.
Goalkeeper Adam Smith and young defender Alfie Kilgour are among those hoping for an opportunity in Rovers' final game, but Coughlan may name an unchanged team. Veteran midfielder Chris Lines hopes to return to the squad and make his 500th career appearance.
Barnsley will be in party mood after their promotion to the Championship was confirmed on Tuesday when Portsmouth and Sunderland both lost. The Tykes will win the title if they better Luton's result at home to Oxford.
Barnsley should be at full-strength, even though assistant manager Dale Tonge joked they are still struggling with "sore heads" after their midweek promotion celebrations. Jacob Brown is expected to be fit after being forced off during last weekend's win against Blackpool.
Opta stats
Bristol Rovers will be hosting Barnsley in a league game for the first time since November 1992, when the Tykes won 5-1 in a second-tier match.
Barnsley have won each of their last four games in all competitions against Bristol Rovers, including a 1-0 victory in the reverse fixture in October.
Bristol Rovers have the worst home record of any League One side this season, picking up just 21 points from 22 games (W5 D6 L11), as well as being the lowest scorers in the division (22 home goals).
Barnsley have won four successive league games in a row for the first time since February 2016 when they won seven consecutive matches, a season they won promotion to the second tier.
Barnsley's Cauley Woodrow has found the net in five of his last six League One appearances (5 goals), only failing to score against Shrewsbury.
Prutton's prediction
Luton and Barnsley won't believe their luck! Both would undoubtedly have started the week prepping for a huge final day, but Portsmouth and Sunderland slipping up in midweek handed them promotion and a far more relaxing Saturday.
Just like in the Championship, though, both sides will be keen to finish with the title, and only goal difference separates them right now.
Luton host Oxford, who are in great form, but Kenilworth Road will be absolutely bouncing and Mick Harford will want to end his caretaker tenure on a high with victory. Barnsley should have enough to see off Bristol Rovers, but I'll back the Hatters to lift the trophy.
David Prutton predicts: Luton to win League One (2/9 with Sky Bet)
