I’m sure that, over the years, there have been many friendly fixtures between Rovers and our FA Cup opponents this weekend, Weston super Mare, but I have managed to track down seven pre-season games in the last 18 years; it would have been eight, but the match scheduled for 29th July 2009 was called off due to a waterlogged pitch! (Apologies if I’ve missed any games – it’s difficult to keep track of all friendly fixtures played)
The first of the seven games came in the summer of 2006 and saw the first pre-season programme to be organised by Paul Trollope and Lennie Lawrence, following their appointments as First Team Coach and Director of Football respectively.
Rovers visited Weston super Mare on July 13th 2006 and won 4-2 thanks to goals from Sammy Igoe (2), Craig Disley and Junior Agogo, while Weston replied through Marvin Brown and Matt Fisher.
Rovers included triallists Byron Anthony and Gary Warren in their squad, along with former Bristol City youngster Ollie Barnes and Andy Sandell who had arrived from Bath City.
Rovers (first half): Scott Shearer, Aaron Lescott, Robbie Ryan, Chris Lines, Gary Warren, Steve Elliott, Stuart Campbell, James Hunt, Lewis Haldane, Richard Walker, Sean Rigg.
Rovers (second half): Mike Green, Craig Hinton, Ollie Barnes, Byron Anthony, Chris Carruthers, Sammy Igoe, Darren Mullings, Craig Disley, Andy Sandell, Lewis Powell, Junior Agogo.
Substitutes: Tom Parrinello, James Palmer, Cai Jin Yuan
Weston super Mare: Ryan Northmore, Craig Rand, Scott Walker, Lee Jarman, Gary Thorne, Matt Rose, Darren Hawkins, Andy Crawford, John Williams, Marvin Brown, Craig Loxton.
Substitutes: Sam Bailey, Craig Mawford, Matt Fisher, Craig Herrod, Mike Hudson
On 4th August 2010 a young Rovers side were beaten 1-0, the only goal of the game being scored by home skipper Craig Rand.
Bristol Rovers: Mike Green, Alex Hoyle, Charlie Clough, Jordan Tillson, Mark Cooper, Ollie Clarke (Lewis Parker, 80), Jack Camm, George Booth, Darren Jefferies, Robbie Maggs, Lamar Powell.
Substitutes: Sam Butler, Ashley Bowle, Tyrone Rhoden, Ellis Harrison, James Dale, Jordan Goddard, Mitch Harding, Ross Staley
Weston super Mare: Lloyd Irish, Jak Martin (Craig Laird Jnr, 60), Martin Slocombe (Danny Wring, 70), Craig Rand, Bradley Middleton, Justin Porter (Simon Gilbert, 61), Dean Grubb (Jack Mawford, 79), Nat Pepperall (Kane Ingram, 52), Sahr Kabba (Jack Durrant, 79), Brett Trowbridge (Jamie Laird, 70), Ben Kirk.
Substitute: Kieren Blackburn
First half goals from Chris Lines and Kayne McLaggon saw Rovers record a 2-0 win against Weston super Mare on July 21st 2011.
Rovers: Lance Cronin, Wayne Brown, Cian Bolger, Stuart Campbell (Adam Virgo, 46), Michael Boateng, Ben Swallow (Lee Brown, 73), Craig Stanley, Chris Lines (Michael Smith, 46), Mustapha Carayol (Matt Harrold, 46), Kayne Mclaggon, Eliot Richards (Scott McGleish (46).
Weston super Mare: Irish, Price, Slocombe, Trowbridge, Villis, Jamie Laird, Huxley, Kirk, Mckay, Young, Pepperell.
Substitutes: Kabba, Hunt, Diallo, Duharty, Craig Laird, Booth, Beadle, Callum Laird, Kann, Burgess
Rovers fielded two teams on 21st July 2012 and while manager Mark McGhee took a side to play Frome Town his assistant, Shaun North, was in charge of the team that played Weston at the Woodspring Stadium in a game that ended 2-2.
Adam Virgo and David Clarkson, on trial from Bristol City, scored for Rovers.
Rovers: Matt Macey, Ollie Clarke, Adam Virgo (Jordan Goddard), Mitch Harding, Lee Brown, Chris Zebroski, Matt Gill (Trey Anderson), Ollie Norburn, Mustapha Carayol (Josh Southway), David Clarkson (Ellis Harrison), Eliot Richards.
Timings of substitutions not known, neither is the Weston lineup or substitutes.
On 13th July 2016 Rovers were 3-1 winners at the Woodspring Stadium One where a 3-1 win was achieved thanks goals by Rory Gaffney, Jermaine Easter and Jamie Lucas while former Rovers player Eliot Richards was on target for the home side..
Bristol Rovers: Steve Mildenhall, Daniel Leadbitter, Alfie Kilgour, Peter Hartley, Danny Greenslade, Byron Moore, Stuart Sinclair, Liam Lawrence, Cristian Montano, Jermaine Easter, Rory Gaffney.
Substitutes (all used at the start of the second half): Lee Brown, Ollie Clarke, Jake Gosling, Jamie Lucas, Ryan Broom, Jay Malpas, Luke James, Triallist
The Rovers triallist in this game was 19 year old midfielder Sam Barratt who had played for Bracknell and Conference South side Maidenhead.
Weston super Mare: Luke Purnell, Sekani Simpson, Syd Camper, Jacob Cane, Ollie Barnes, Clayton Fortune, Joe McClennan, Tristan Plummer, Eliot Richards, Jake Mawford, Ashley Kington.
Substitutes (all used): Jake Buxton, Elliott Ripley, Kane Ingram, Darren Mullings, Ben Withey, Ash Tandey, Tyler Davis, Matthew Mattis, Danny Wring, Liam Kington
As well as Richards, both Ollie Barnes and Darren Mullings had spent time on Rovers books.
Referee Savvas Yianni was taking charge of his third pre-season game involving Rovers, having previously been in charge of the games at Mangotsfield and Bath!
On 11th July 2017 Rovers ran out 3-0 winners with Rory Gaffney, Ellis Harrison and Ryan Broom on target for Darrell Clarke’s side.
Former Rovers defender Danny Greenslade was included in the Weston starting XI.
Bristol Rovers: Adam Smith, Daniel Leadbitter (Johnny Burn, 46), James Clarke, Tom Broadbent (Luke Russe, 60), Lee Brown (Rollin Menayese, 55), Ollie Clarke (Michael Kelly, 55), Stuart Sinclair (Cameron Hargreaves, 55), Liam Sercombe (Lewis Hall, 46), Byron Moore (Ryan Broom, 46), Billy Bodin (Brandon Fox, 55), Rory Gaffney (Ellis Harrison, 46).
Weston super Mare: Luke Purnell, Jason Pope, Danny Greenslade, Jacob Cane, Jamie Laird, Jake Lee, Jarred Welch, Jake Mawford, Jake Reid, Dale Grubb, Gethyn Hill.
Weston substitutes and/or substitutions not known.
Rovers played two games on 17th July 2018 and the Development Squad took on Weston super Mare while the First Team Squad were in action against Yeovil Town at Huish Park.
There was a first defeat for Chris Hargreaves’ side as they were beaten 3-1 at the Woodspring Stadium. Hill scored a hat trick for the home side while Rovers’ goal was scored by one of the triallists.
Bristol Rovers: Alexis Andre Jnr, Triallist (Connor Jones, 46), Ben Morgan, Josh Bailey, Jamie Bremner, Luke Russe, Cameron Hargreaves, Triallist (Theo Widdrington, 46), Zain Walker (Triallist, 46), Cameron Ebbutt (Triallist, 46), Cameron Allen (Triallist, 46).
Substitutes: Graeme Anderson, Osian Dillon.
Weston super Mare: The only player mentioned in the report is goalscorer Hill (Christian name unknown)
Weston come into this FA Cup tie as leaders of National League South, having lost just two games all season and having gained 27 points from their opening 13 league games.
Rovers, looking to avoid a cup upset, are in 18th place in the League Two standings, with 16 points from their 13 league games.
It’s a tie that has caught the imagination of local football fans, that’s for sure, though quite why those responsible for the scheduling of TV games from this great competition have opted not to show it live seems a rather strange one, at least to this writer.
No matter, it’s a game to look forward to for Rovers and Weston supporters and there should be an excellent atmosphere inside the Memorial Stadium.