Curle preparing Cobblers for 'robust' challenge as they head to winless Bristol Rovers

Gas boss Ben Garner is under real pressure at the Memorial Stadium after a winless start to the season.

Rovers sit bottom of Sky Bet League One with just one point to their name, and last Saturday they were thumped 4-1 at Doncaster Rovers.

That was the 14th defeat the team has suffered since Garner took charge last December, following Graham Coughlin's surprise departure to up sticks and take over at Mansfield Town.

And the Gas supporters are certainly getting restless due to the fact their team has won just twice in the 23 games he has been in charge.

Their most recent win was in the week before the coronavirus lockdown on March 10 when they saw off Sunderland 2-0, but aside from that, their only other win since December 17, 2019, was a 2-1 win over Blackpool in February.

It is a shocking run of results, but Curle, who is from Bristol and started his career and made his senior debut at Rovers, knows the manager and the Gas team are capable of much better.

"I know the manager, as he spent time at Crystal Palace when I was a coach there," said Curle.

"I think he was the assistant academy coach there to Gary Issott, and he is another young manager who has a good understanding of the game.

"He has good principles in his development of players and how he wants to set a team out.

"It will be a challenge for us, because Bristol Rovers are a robust, consistent league one club now, which is something they have gained a reputation for.

"They had to fight to get into the division, and they have done very well to stay there."

Curle expects to have one or two of his injured players back and available this weekend, although as always he was staying tight-lipped on who they may be.

He does expect Joe Nuttall and Nicky Adams to both be involved again though, after the pair made their first appearances of the season in last Saturday's 2-0 defeat to Hull City.

"Joe Nuttall and Nicky Adams took their first steps back being involved again, and this week they will be looking to get involved again," said Curle.

"We have other players who will hopefully have been able to get back on the grass.

"It will be good if they even have more training times, because Joe and Nicky only had one training session (before the Hull game).

"Their progression coming back will be another three or four training sessions over this week, and then being available for game time again."