Newport County return to away action on Saturday, August 22 as Hayden Mullins' side make the short trip across the Severn to face Bristol Rovers in the first away league game of the 2026-27 campaign.
County will be looking to continue their winning start after a 3-0 victory over Rochdale on the opening day, while Bristol Rovers will be looking to respond after suffering a 3-2 defeat away to York City last weekend.
The fixture will be the first meeting between the two sides since Rovers recorded a 3-0 victory at the Memorial Stadium in January.
The Opposition
Bristol Rovers finished 14th in League Two last season after a strong second half of the campaign. Following Steve Evans' appointment in December, Rovers climbed away from the relegation picture and finished the season unbeaten in their final nine league games.
Rovers also reached the second round of the FA Cup last season before losing 1-0 to Port Vale, while their EFL Cup campaign ended in the first round with a 2-0 defeat to Cambridge United.
Their new campaign has began with back-to-back defeats, with Rovers losing 1-0 to Peterborough United in the Carabao Cup before suffering a 3-2 defeat away to newly promoted York City in their opening league fixture. Steve Evans' side will therefore be looking to get their first league points of the season on home soil.
The History
Bristol Rovers were founded in September 1883 and were originally known as Black Arabs FC. The club played their first recorded match on December 1, 1883 against Wotton-under-Edge.
The club adopted the name Bristol Rovers in 1899 before joining the Southern League. In 1920, Rovers were elected to the Football League's new Division Three, having competed in the Southern League before its formation.
Their first Football League fixture came on August 28, 1920 against Millwall, with Rovers suffering a 2-0 defeat.
The 1950s proved to be a particularly successful period, with Rovers reaching the FA Cup quarter-finals in 1951 and 1958 while also securing promotion to the Second Division in 1953. The club later won the Watney Cup in 1972 and 1974.
In 2001, Rovers suffered relegation from the third tier for the first time in their history. They reached another FA Cup quarter-final in 2008, where they were beaten by West Bromwich Albion.
More recently, Rovers secured promotion back to League One in 2022 after a dramatic 7-0 victory over Scunthorpe United on the final day of the season. They were relegated back to League Two in 2025.
The Manager
Steve Evans is in his first full season as Bristol Rovers manager after taking charge in December 2025. He replaced Darrell Clarke and helped guide Rovers away from danger before agreeing a new two-year contract in April 2026.
Evans began his managerial career at Stamford and has since managed a number of clubs across the EFL, including Leeds United, Rotherham United, Mansfield Town, Peterborough United, Gillingham and Stevenage.
He has won promotion from League Two on two occasions, as well as winning the Conference Premier title with Crawley Town. He has also been named League Two manager of the month three times and League One manager of the month twice.
Evans is renowned for organising his teams well and Newport County manager Hayden Mullins is expecting a tough challenge when the sides meet on Saturday.
Key Players
Jack Sparkes has established himself as an important player for Rovers since joining from Peterborough United in 2025. The left-back made 47 appearances in all competitions during his first season at the Memorial Stadium and registered three assists.
Sparkes provides an attacking threat from the flank and will be looking to cause problems for County while also helping Rovers remain solid defensively.
Young goalkeeper Brad Young will also be one to watch. After waiting for his opportunity last season, Young established himself as Rovers' first-choice goalkeeper and kept seven clean sheets in 24 league appearances.
There will also be a familiar face in the Rovers squad on Saturday, with Bobby Kamwa now lining up against his former club.
Kamwa became a firm favourite among the County support during his two seasons at Rodney Parade, scoring 14 goals in 95 appearances. His biggest contribution came towards the end of last season, when he scored three goals across the final two games to help secure Newport County's League Two survival.
The Severnside Derby
Saturday's fixture promises to be another memorable Severnside Derby, with County supporters once again travelling in significant numbers to support Hayden Mullins' side.
With the two clubs separated by the River Severn and both competing in League Two, there is always plenty at stake when County and Rovers meet.
After opening the season with three points at Rodney Parade, County will be looking to make it back-to-back victories and give the travelling Amber Army plenty to celebrate at the Memorial Stadium.
