Complimentary Bristol Rovers boss expecting ‘mammoth’ challenge against Portsmouth at Fratton Park

Bristol Rovers boss Graham Coughlan believes his side face a 'mammoth' task when they take on Pompey at Fratton Park on Tuesday.
Bristol Rovers manager Graham Coughlan Picture: Pete Norton/Getty ImagesBristol Rovers manager Graham Coughlan Picture: Pete Norton/Getty Images
Bristol Rovers manager Graham Coughlan Picture: Pete Norton/Getty Images

That's despite Kenny Jackett's troops slipping from top of the League One table on New Year's Day to third in the current standings in recent weeks.

The Blues, who travel to Southend tomorrow, are without a league win in five games.

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Rovers, on the other hand, are unbeaten in their past four matches on the road in the division, while they have suffered just one defeat in their past nine league games.

Bristol Rovers manager Graham Coughlan Picture: Pete Norton/Getty ImagesBristol Rovers manager Graham Coughlan Picture: Pete Norton/Getty Images
Bristol Rovers manager Graham Coughlan Picture: Pete Norton/Getty Images

That form has seen Coughlan’s side move out of the relegation zone, climbing from 23rd to 19th.

But despite both side's contrasting fortunes in recent games, Coughlan believes Pompey are a force to be reckoned with and remain one for the favourites for promotion to the Championship.

Speaking to Rover’s official website, he said: 'Portsmouth are a strong, strong team.

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‘Portsmouth will be one of the favourites to come out of this division, whether that be automatic, whether it be the play-offs.

'They've got some very good players, have assembled a very expensive squad, and have a massive fans base which we know will be noisy, it will be passionate and there'll be demands placed on the players.

'Them players seem to be able to play in front of 16, 17, 18,000 fans week in, week out, so that will tell you something about the character, ability and quality of their players.

'So it's going to be a mammoth task, but it's one we're looking forward to.

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'I would certainly prefer to be going to Portsmouth than a number of other places we could mention in League One, without being disrespectful to anybody.

'But if you can't get yourself up for a game against Portsmouth, you might as well not be in the game.'

Coughlin said an away game against Pompey is one all fans, players and managers at League One level would look out for when the fixtures are released at the start of the summer.

He admitted the Blues are a club with Championship standards – but added he expected his players to rise to the occasion.

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Rovers have no game this weekend because of Doncaster Rovers’ involvement in the FA Cup.

'I'm looking forward to it, I'm well up for this to be fair - and so are the players,’ said Coughlan.

'The fans will be, I would've thought, as well.

'It's a game that you do look at the fixture list when it comes out at the start of the season, along with a number of other games - the Charltons, the Sunderlands – they're big, big clubs.

'Let's be honest, this is Championship standards.

'It's not quite Championship football, but it's Championship standards if you're playing in front of 16, 17, 18,000 at Pompey.

'But we've set Championship standards in the changing room and around our club.

'So let's see how the players rise to the occasion.’