Preview

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Sports Mole previews Friday's friendly clash between Cheltenham Town and Bristol City, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Cheltenham Town are set to play host to Championship side Bristol City at the Jonny-Rocks Stadium on Friday with both sides aiming to continue their pre-season preparations.

The hosts have already played five friendlies, winning three and losing two, while the visitors are set for just their third pre-season fixture.

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Match preview

After being promoted into League One as champions in 2020-21, Cheltenham played just three seasons in the third tier before they fell to relegation last year, finishing on 44 points from 46 outings.

Ahead of the new campaign, with ambitions of bouncing straight back to League One, Cheltenham appointed Michael Flynn as manager to replace Darrell Clarke, who has moved to Barnsley.

Flynn got off to the perfect start in his first pre-season matches in charge, defeating Bishops Cleeve 7-1, Bath City 3-2 and Evesham United 3-0, but the Welshman will be looking for an improved performance on Friday after back-to-back defeats against Plymouth Argyle and Hungerford Town.

The manager will be aiming to address a potential lack of goals ahead of the new season after last season's top scorer Liam Sercombe departed the club in favour of National League side Forest Green Rovers.

Their opponents, Bristol City, are currently preparing for their 10th successive season in the Championship after they finished 11th last campaign with 62 points from 46 matches, leaving them 11 behind the playoffs.

Liam Manning, who has been in charge since November 2023, will be aiming to close the gap on the playoff spots next term as the Robins aim to achieve promotion to the Premier League for the first time in their history.

Their pre-season has gone perfectly to plan so far with two wins from two, beating Newport County 2-0 in their opening game before defeating Aldershot Town by the same score last time out.

Bristol City have enjoyed this fixture in recent years, beating the hosts in six of the seven friendly matches these two have played against each other since 2014.

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Team News

Matty Taylor is likely to be the main source of goals for the hosts after Sercombe's departure, and the striker is likely to start in this one.

Last season's goalkeeper Luke Southwood has also left the club to join Bolton Wanderers, leaving summer signing Owen Evans likely to be the number one in the upcoming campaign.

As for the visitors, Tommy Conway scored 10 goals in 27 Championship starts in the last campaign and the forward could start in this game.

New arrival Fally Mayulu could also join Conway in the forward areas alongside 21-year-old Sinclair Armstrong, who scored in the friendly against Newport County.

Cheltenham Town possible starting lineup:
Evans; Payne, Walters, Bennett, Bradbury; Haynes, Pett, Kinsella, Young; Keena, Taylor

Bristol City possible starting lineup:
Bajic; Tanner, Atkinson, Campbell-Slowey; McCrorie, Sykes, Bird, Gardner-Hickman; Armstrong, Conway, Mayulu

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We say: Cheltenham Town 0-2 Bristol City

Cheltenham have lost both of their last friendly outings, while the hosts have won each of their two pre-season fixtures 2-0, and we expect them to secure the victory once again here.


For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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