Bristol Rovers vs Norwich Prediction: Rovers to step on the Gas in upset win

David Wagner’s Norwich City make the 240-mile journey to Bristol Rovers for their FA Cup third-round replay on Wednesday evening (KO, 19:45).

The Canaries followed a 1-1 draw at Carrow Road with a hard-fought victory at Hull City on Friday, moving the East Anglian side to within two points of the play-off positions.

The Gas, meanwhile, are beginning to fall down the League One table and lost their third consecutive away game with a 2-1 defeat at Barnsley on the weekend.

Team News

The Gas will have to do without star man Grant Ward on Wednesday after he was forced off at Carrow Road with an injury.

The midfielder scored the equaliser in the original tie and may be joined in the stands by Lewis Gordon and Jack Hunt, although both returned to training after spells out and may pass late fitness tests to feature.

David Wagner looks to have a full contingent to choose from for the replay at the Memorial Stadium, with multiple changes expected to be made by the German manager.

Grant Hanley, Onel Hernandez and Adam Forshaw were all dropped from the starting lineup for their most recent match at Hull City, and could all make a return to the squad for this replay.

Match Odds

Matt Taylor’s Bristol Rovers are 7/4 to pull off a cup upset, whereas Norwich are the favourites to win at 13/10.

A draw in regulation time can be backed at 11/4, while Canaries forward Josh Sargent has odds of 8/5 to score at any point in the game.

Bristol Rovers to win and Both Teams to Score @ 16/5

The Memorial Stadium has been made into a fortress in recent weeks, with Taylor’s men unbeaten here in each of their last nine games in all competitions, winning six.

The run includes victories over table-topping Portsmouth as well as against lower-league Whitby Town in the first round of the tournament and so the Gas are unlikely to show much fear against a Norwich side who can struggle away from home.

The Canaries have not won consecutive away games since August, and have come out victorious in three of their 13 matches on the road since.

However, they have failed to score in just two of those games and so Norwich can be expected to peg back the Gas with a goal.

Chris Martin to score anytime @ 7/4

Veteran striker Chris Martin was signed as a free agent in September and has hit the ground running for his new employers this season.

The 35-year old has netted nine times in the league, making him the club’s top scorer this term, and he has scored three in his last two games in League One.

His contract is set to expire at the end of January, and so this could be one of his final appearances for the Gas, and a cup-tie winner against his former employers could help write his name into Bristol Rovers fan folklore.

Check out the rest of our Football Betting Tips here.