by Adam Stubbings

In a fixture re-arranged from F.A. Cup 3rd Round weekend, Rovers host Port Vale looking to make it five games unbeaten in the league. The two sides sit side-by-side in midtable going into the game, both aspiring to compete for the Play Off places as we head towards the business end of the season.

Rovers come into the game off the back of two contrasting draws. A stirring comeback against current leaders Gillingham to earn a 2-2 draw in our last home game, and an altogether more drab showing in a goalless draw away at Fleetwood on Saturday. Manager Darren Ferguson has bemoaned the drop in quality from the team in their performances in these games, and will be looking for a reaction against Robert Page's Vale.

The Valiants are a point ahead of us having also drawn at the weekend, but were defeated soundly at Millwall the week before and have only two league wins in their last eight games. With as many wins as defeats and having scored as many goals as they have conceded, the word to sum up their season to date would certainly be 'average'. The early season promise they showed in a resounding 3-0 win over Rovers in the reverse fixture seems a long time ago for both clubs.

Unlike our last opponents, Port Vale have a long history of clashes with Rovers dating back to 1901, and currently possess a three match winning streak over us spanning the last 18 months. A four match winning run for Rovers preceded that, largely comprising our meetings during the O'Driscoll era, and Vale were very much suffering a decline during that spell. Both clubs are now back on an even footing after contrasting fortunes over the last decade, and this one has all the makings of a close affair.

Lynden Gooch made his debut at Fleetwood on Saturday and another young loanee, France U19 international Eddie Lecygne, could feature at the Keepmoat in this one. Injuries have caused a shake up to the selection of late, with Nathan Tyson and Andy Butler key names missing on the Fylde Coast at the weekend. Port Vale meanwhile could hand a debut to former Rovers striker Theo Robinson, signed on the eve of the game from Scottish Premiership side Motherwell.