Every effort has been made to ensure the information contained in this article is correct. Not all lineups are included, so if you are able to assist with filling in any gaps, or know of games not shown, please do get in touch.

11/07/2015 Salisbury (A) Attendance in Excess of 1,000 Referee Brendan Malone

As Rovers prepared for the new season, manager Darrell Clarke took his side back to his former club Salisbury for their first pre-season friendly.

Clarke took his side to the Raymond McEnhill Stadium on July 11th and saw them come away with a 4-1 win under their belts, thanks to two goals apiece from Jamie Lucas and Nathan Blissett.

**Jamie Lucas in Action at Salisbury**
*Photo Courtesy of Neil Brookman*

Lucas opened the scoring on 12 minutes when he was on hand to roll a cross from Blissett into an unguarded net after goalkeeper Gareth Barfoot had rushed out of his area in an attempt to cut out the cross.

Blissett scored the second goal 12 minutes after the break, courtesy of Jake Gosling’s through ball, and Lucas scored his second goal of the afternoon when he headed in a cross from Tyler Lyttle.

Home defender George Coulson pulled a goal back with a spectacular 25 yard effort and Blissett completed the afternoon’s scoring when he fired in from a tight angle.

Triallist Billy Bodin made his first appearance in a Rovers shirt and this is how the sides lined up.

Bristol Rovers: Steve Mildenhall, Tyler Lyttle, Tom Lockyer (Alfie Kilgour, 69), Mark McChrystal, Danny Greenslade, Cristian Montano (Jay Malpas, 69), Stuart Sinclair (Dominic Thomas, 59), Jake Gosling (Ryan Broom, 69), Billy Bodin, Nathan Blissett, Jamie Lucas.

Salisbury FC: Gareth Barfoot (Monty George, 46), George Coulson, Callum Casson (Louis Brayley, 59), Pip Nolan, Steve Walker, Matt Burt, Claudio Herbert (Dan Demkiv, 59), Brandon Mundy, Sam Wilson, Ashley Jarvis (Mark Ford, 59), Danny Young (Ed Perrett, 38).

12/07/2015 Sutton United (A) Attendance Unknown Referee Michael Lowe

The following afternoon, July 12th, Rovers were on their travels again, this time to Gander Green Lane, home of Sutton United.

The game was played to mark the opening of the newly installed artificial surface at the venue and Rovers ran out 2-1 winners courtesy of goals from Chris Lines and Ryan Broom, with Jamie Collins scoring for the home side from the penalty spot.

**Lee Brown pictured at Sutton**
*Photo Courtesy of Paul Loughlin*

Lines opened the scoring in the first half with a well placed free kick from the edge of the area and Broom, who was brought on at the start of the second half, added the second ten minutes from time when he beat goalkeeper Ross Worner after dispossessing central defender Simon Downer.

The home side’s consolation goal was scored on 84 minutes when the referee decided that a Dan Wishart cross had been handled in the area. Collins saw his first effort from the spot saved by goalkeeper Kieran Preston, but he converted at the second attempt.

As well as Preston in goal, former City player Jennison Myrie-Williams was in the Rovers starting lineup and another former City (and Torquay) player Toby Ajala also started.

The side was as follows; Kieran Preston, Daniel Leadbitter, James Clarke (Alfie Kilgour, 66), Tom Parkes, Lee Brown, Jennison Myrie-Williams, Chris Lines (Dominic Thomas, 73), Ollie Clarke, Toby Ajala, Ellis Harrison (Jay Malpas, 52), Matty Taylor (Ryan Broom, 46).

Sutton United: Ross Worner, Kevin Amankwah, Dan Wishart, Dean Beckwith, Shaun Cooper, Jamie Collins, Micky Spillane, Glen Southam, Craig McAllister, Stuart Fleetwood, Tom Bolarinwa.

Substitutes (all used, timings unknown): Dan Spence, Wayne Shaw, Craig Dundas, Shaquille Hippolyte-Patrick, Simon Downer, Dan Fitchett, Emil Salama, Hamish Galbraith, Tommy Wright, Scott Munro.

14/07/2015 Cirencester Town (A) Attendance unknown Referee Adam Matthews

Next it was off to the Corinium Stadium, Cirencester, where Rovers enjoyed a 7-0 win on July 14th thanks to goals by Billy Bodin (3), Jamie Lucas (3) and Ryan Broom.

**Billy Bodin, who scored a hat trick against Cirencester**
*Photo Courtesy of Neil Brookman*

Bodin opened the scoring on four minutes, when he headed home a cross from Broom and he doubled the lead after 16 minutes after latching on to a Jake Gosling through ball and clipped the ball over goalkeeper Josh Langley.

Lucas scored from the penalty spot on 34 minutes after Ben Brown had handled in the area and Bodin completed his hat trick on 41 minutes when he rifled in a shot from the edge of the area.

Lucas headed home a cross from Gosling on 58 minutes, Broom scored Rovers’ sixth goal and Lucas completed the rout with his second penalty of the evening in the 81st minute.

Rovers included Jake Slocombe in their squad. The former Mangotsfield United player was spending time on trial with Clarke’s side.

Bristol Rovers: Steve Mildenhall, Tyler Lyttle, Danny Greenslade, Stuart Sinclair (Jay Malpas, 60), Mark McChrystal, Tom Lockyer (Alfie Kilgour, 46), Jake Gosling, Lee Mansell (Jake Slocombe, 60), Jamie Lucas, Billy Bodin, Ryan Broom.

Cirencester Town: Josh Langley, Ben Brown, Ellis Dunton, Gethin Jones, Brad Hooper, Leigh Henry, Ross Langsworthy, James Mortimer-Jones, Charlie Griffin, Josh Parsons, Adrian Bennett.

Substitutes (All used, timings unknown): Mark Pritchett, Ian Herring, Jordan Ricketts, Callum Parsons, Callum Henry, Luke Dyke, Brian Hughes

15/07/2015 Mangotsfield United (A) Attendance in Excess of 1,500 Referee Mark Dadds

**Triallist Toby Ajala Pictured in Action Against Mangotsfield United**
*Photo Courtesy of Neil Brookman*

One day later Rovers were in action again and two Nathan Blissett goals saw them beat Mangotsfield United 2-0 at Cossham Street in front of a crowd in excess of 1,500.

Blissett’s first goal arrived in the 31st minute when he fired home from close range following a Chris Lines corner. He scored his, and Rovers’, second goal just after the hour mark when he volleyed home following a cross from Lines.

Bristol Rovers: Kieran Preston, James Clarke (Jake Slocombe, 70), Alfie Kilgour, Tom Parkes, Daniel Leadbitter, Ollie Clarke (Jay Malpas, 70), Chris Lines, Toby Ajala, Lee Brown, Ellis Harrison, Nathan Blissett.

Mangotsfield United: Jason Mellor, Jake Cox, Tom Parrinello, Marcus Mapstone, Alex Kite, Geraint Bater, Elliott Gibbons, Brad Abraham, Ryan Bath, Lewis Hogg, Steve Davies.

Substitutes (all used, timings unknown): Lewis Shipp, Andy Clark, Jack Nicholas, Joe Chandler, Omar Simpson, Liam Crew

Four of Mangotsfield’s starting XI, namely Parrinello, Kite, Bater and Hogg, had all been on Rovers books.

18/07/2015 Arsenal U-21 (H) Attendance 2,093 Referee Kevin Johnson

Next up, on July 18th, Clarke’s side took on an Arsenal U-21 Development side at the Memorial Stadium, and they won the match 1-0 thanks to a goal by Stephy Mavididi.

There were only five minutes on the clock when the goal arrived; Mavididi took advantage of a defensive mix up and waltzed to the edge of the area before rolling the ball into the net past goalkeeper Steve Mildenhall who had raced off his line in an attempt to clear.

Former Rovers goalkeeper Matt Macey started the game for Arsenal, as did future Rovers defender Marc Bola and the game was watched by a crowd of 2,093.

**Lee Mansell Challenges Future Rovers Player, Arsenal's Marc Bola**
*Photo Courtesy of Neil Brookman*

Bristol Rovers: Steve Mildenhall, Daniel Leadbitter, James Clarke, Tom Parkes, Danny Greenslade (Jay Malpas, 76), Stuart Sinclair (Cristian Montano, 60), Chris Lines, Lee Mansell (Ollie Clarke, 46), Jake Gosling, Ellis Harrison (Matty Taylor, 46), Billy Bodin (Jermaine Easter, 60).

Substitutes: Nathan Blissett, Jamie Lucas

Arsenal: Matt Macey (Deyan Iliev, 60), Aaron Eyoma (Pileas, 76), Marc Bola, Glen Kamara, Kristopher Da Graca, Julio Pleguezuelo, Jett Reine-Adelaide (Vlad Drogmir, 80), Ben Sheaf (Harry Donovan, 68), Stephy Mavididi, Kaylen Hinds (Savvas Mourgos, 60), Tyrell Robinson (Ilias Chatzitheodoris, 76).

21/07/2015 Reading (H) Attendance Unknown Referee Kevin Johnson

Reading were the visitors to the Memorial Stadium on July 21st and the Championship side were 2-0 winners thanks to goals by Dominic Samuel and Nick Blackman.

**Stuart Sinclair pictured in the game against Reading**
*Photo Courtesy of Neil Brookman*

Samuel’s goal arrived on 41 minutes when he got in behind Rovers’ defence to take a pass from Tarique Fosu and finished at the second attempt after Steve Mildenhall had saved his initial effort.

Blackman scored six minutes after being sent on as a 62nd minute substitute when he arrived at the far post to convert Fosu’s cross.

Bristol Rovers: Steve Mildenhall, Daniel Leadbitter (Tyler Lyttle, 46), Lee Brown (Danny Greenslade, 46), James Clarke (Alfie Kilgour, 75), Tom Parkes, Cristian Montano (Billy Bodin, 55), Ollie Clarke, Jermaine Easter (Ellis Harrison, 46), Matty Taylor (Nathan Blissett, 63), Chris Lines (Jake Gosling, 46), Stuart Sinclair (Jay Malpas, 63).

Substitutes: Kieran Preston, Jamie Lucas

Reading: Ali Al Habsi, Anton Ferdinand, (Shane Griffin, 75), Jordan Obita, Hope Akpan (Nick Blackman, 62), Aaron Tshibola (Daniel Williams, 75), Stephen Quinn (Oliver Norwood, 62), Jake Taylor (Andrija Novakovich, 85), Dominic Samuel (Pavel Pogrebnyak, 62), Sean Long (Chris Gunter, 62), Niall Keown, Tarique Fosu (Dominic Hyam, 75).

Substitutes: Jonathan Bond, Aaron Kuhl

25/07 2015 Cheltenham Town (A) Attendance 1,100 Referee Mark Pottage

An away game at Whaddon Road on July 25th saw Rovers lose 2-1 against Cheltenham Town. Billy Walters scored twice for the home side, with Tom Lockyer replying for Rovers.

Waters netted from close range after a Harry Pell flick on after only seven minutes, but Lockyer equalised just three minutes later when he powered a header home from a Lines corner.

Waters scored again with five minutes of the first half remaining when he took a pass from James Rowe and fired a shot past Mildenhall.

Ten minutes into the second half Mildenhall brought down the Cheltenham goalscorer, who got up to take the resulting spot kick, only to be denied his hat trick by the Rovers shot stopper.

Not to be outdone his opposite number Dillon Phillips also saved a penalty. That was awarded in the 78th minute when Lines was brought down by Kyle Storer, but Taylor’s spot kick was saved by the Cheltenham keeper.

Former Rovers players Aaron Downes and Pell were in the Cheltenham starting XI.

**Ellis Harrison up Against Cheltenham's Former Rovers Defender Aaron Downes**
*Photo Courtesy of Neil Brookman*

Bristol Rovers: Steve Mildenhall, Tom Lockyer, Danny Greenslade (Daniel Leadbitter, 46), Ollie Clarke (Billy Bodin, 65), James Clarke, Tom Parkes, Cristian Montano (Stuart Sinclair, 46), Chris Lines, Ellis Harrison, Nathan Blissett, (Matty Taylor, 46) Jake Gosling.

Cheltenham Town: Dillon Phillips, Jack Barthram, George McLennan, Kyle Storer, Aaron Downes, Harry Pell, Billy Waters, Danny Wright, Jack Munns, Daniel Parslow, James Rowe (Asa Hall, 68).

Substitutes: Calum Kitscha, Joe Hanks, Harry Williams, Bobbie Dale, James Bowen

31/07/2015 West Bromwich Albion (H) Attendance 4,066 Referee Lee Probert

The last day of July saw Rovers face their final test before the opening day of the new season and a crowd of 4,066 were at the Memorial Stadium to see them take on West Bromwich Albion in Phil Kite’s Testimonial Match.

Managed by former Rovers player Tony Pulis, the Baggies signed former Rovers striker Rickie Lambert ahead of kick off and he duly took his place in the side and scored twice against his former employers. Craig Gardner and Victor Anichebe also scored as Albion won 4-0.

Lambert struck for the first time in the 22nd minute, his shot taking a wicked deflection off Tom Parkes to wrong foot Mildenhall in the Rovers goal.

Gardner doubled the lead for the visitors on 34 minutes when he cut in from the right before firing a shot past Mildenhall.

Lambert’s second goal came when his first time finish from a James McClean cross easily beat Mildenhall. The final goal of the evening arrived when Anichebe volleyed home on 77 minutes.

**Chris Lines and Former Rovers Striker Rickie Lambert Pictured in Phil Kite's Testimonial Match which saw Rovers take on West Bromwich Albion**
*Photo Courtesy of Neil Brookman*

Bristol Rovers: Steve Mildenhall, Daniel Leadbitter, Tom Lockyer, James Clarke, Tom Parkes, Jake Gosling (Ollie Clarke, 62), Stuart Sinclair, Ellis Harrison (Jermaine Easter, 27), Matty Taylor, Chris Lines, Billy Bodin (Cristian Montano, 46).

Substitutes: Jamie Lucas, Nathan Blissett, Danny Greenslade, Kieran Preston

West Bromwich Albion: Boaz Myhill, James Chester (Stephane Sessegnon, 64), Craig Dawson, Jonas Olsson, Chris Brunt (Jonathan Leko, 81), Craig Gardner, (Callum McManaman, 57), James McClean (Liam O’Neil, 64), Claudio Yacob (Jack Fitzwater, 72), James Morrison (Darren Fletcher, 64), Saido Berahino (Victor Anichebe, 57), Rickie Lambert (Brown Ideye, 57).

Substitute: Ethan Ross

Of the triallists used by Clarke that summer, only Bodin managed to win himself a contract, while Myrie-Williams, Slocombe and Ajala fell by the wayside.

22/09/2015 Exeter City (H) Attendance and Referee Unknown

On 22nd September Rovers played a friendly match against Exeter City at their Cribbs Training Groound and were 2-1 winners thanks to goals from Christian Montano and Jamie Lucas. While former Cameron Gill scored for the visitors.

Steve Mildenhall saved a first half penalty taken by Cameron Reid and three minutes into the second half Montano opened the scoring when he hit a ferocious angled drive past visiting goalkeeper Christy Pym.

Lucas volleyed the second goal following a cross from Montano in the 55th minute and Exeter’s consolation was scored by Gill, in the 85th minute, from the penalty spot after Alfie Kilgour was adjudged to have committed a foul in the area.

Bristol Rovers: Steve Mildenhall, Tyler Lyttle, Alfie Kilgour, Mark McChrystal (Bradley Confrey, 60), Danny Greenslade, Jake Gosling (Ryan Broom, 60), Lee Mansell, Ryan Burge, Christian Montano, Jamie Lucas (Elliot Green, 66), Billy Bodin (David Roglaski, 46).

Substitutes: Kieran Preston, George Corp.

Exeter team unknown.

The new season began a week after the game against West Bromwich Albion and Rovers lost 1-0 to Northampton Town in their first game back in the Football League following their one year exile in the National League.

However, a second promotion was achieved on the final day of the season when Dagenham & Redbridge were beaten 2-1 at the Memorial Stadium and anyone who was there is unlikely to forget that dramatic afternoon in a hurry!

Clarke’s side were knocked out of the League Cup at the first round stage, losing 2-1 against Birmingham City at the Mem, and suffered another home defeat, at the hands of non-league side Chesham United, in the first round of the FA Cup.

Friendly Fixtures - 2015/16