Bristol Rovers v Doncaster Rovers: Crucial period awaits boss Darren Ferguson and his men

Opportunity knocks for Darren Ferguson’s 18th-placed side, seeking to relight a slow-burner of a season with festive games in the offing against teams around them in the table in Bristol Rovers, Northampton Town and Rochdale.

A positive haul of points from the next three fixtures is likely to put a wholly different slant on the first half of the campaign for Rovers and Ferguson, something that the Scot knows only too well.

He said: “It is a very crucial period. It always is and always will be with so many games and points to play for over a quick space of time with four games in nine days and given the opposition also, with three of the four games against teams around us.

“It is even more important (this year) and an opportunity to pick up some points and go into the new year positive and hopefully in a better position than we are in now.”

Ferguson will welcome back the experienced duo of Craig Alcock and James Coppinger for today’s trip to the Memorial Stadium, with the hosts two places and three points better off than Rovers in the standings.

Looking ahead to this afternoon’s encounter, Ferguson said: “It will be a tough game at Bristol, who have won their past two home games.

“But we know that if we go there and beat them, we will go above them.

“They took a heavy defeat last week but before that, they had beaten Southend and Rotherham at home.

“It has always been a difficult place to go with the way the stadium is and they generate a strong support if you allow that.

“We need to start the game well and compete against a big, physical team.”