GARNER: CITY WILL CHALLENGE AT TOP

BRISTOL Rovers boss Ben Garner expects Hull City to be challenging in and around the top of League One for the rest of the campaign, despite the Tigers’ 2-1 defeat to Peterborough on Saturday.

City travel to Rovers tonight looking for their first win at the Memorial Ground since 1995, looking to secure a seventh win in the opening nine games.

Rovers have started the season brightly, winning three of their first seven games before Saturday’s visit to Accrington was called off due to a coronavirus outbreak at the Wham Stadium, while City have won six in eight.

Gas boss Garner is bullish about his side’s chances against Grant Mccann’s men, and hopes the meeting will provide a good yardstick of where his side are after the early running of the campaign.

“Every game gives us a chance to do that, including Rochdale away on Saturday,” he told Bristol Live.

“Every game is difficult in this league and Rochdale are a good side.

“Every game is a test for us, every game is a marker of where we are.

“We’ve made good progress in recent weeks with a squad that’s gelling and coming together, and we’re really pleased with that process.

“We want to get better and improve, that’s a continual process week by week in training and game by game.

“We want to keep developing and improving.

“They’ve got a very good squad, obviously coming down from the Championship last season. They’ve retained a number of those players and they’ve added as well.

“They’ve got a very good squad with some talented players and they’ve had a good start to the season. They’ve had a strong start.

“I know they lost Saturday, but prior to that they’d had a really good start and been strong in the league.

“I would expect them to do so throughout the season.”