Cliff Byrne has warned the Rovers squad they will face a hungry Nottingham Forest U21 outfit in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy.
Byrne has crossed paths with Warren Joyce, the young Forest side’s manager, through his career and expects him to demand high standards from his group.
Forest U21 picked up wins over Accrington Stanley and Carlisle United as they progressed from their group to earn the clash with Rovers in the round of 32.
Byrne said: “They got a win at Accrington and a win at Carlisle as well and within their own competitions - Premier League 2, the cup and the international cup - they’re doing more than reasonably well.
“It’s no surprise to me. I’m familiar with the manager of the group, Warren Joyce, and he’s very demanding and expects an awful lot of his players.
“We’re under no illusions what is going to come but the focus is firmly on us. We’ve done some homework on the opposition but we’ll have to see what personnel they turn up with on the night.”
Four more wins in the competition will see sides book their places in the final at Wembley but Byrne insists the only focus is on Tuesday’s tie.
“You’re focusing on the next game,” he said. “But coming away from it, some people complain about the competition but I’ve never seen an empty Wembley on final day. Whatever two teams get there, they get fully supported by their fans and we want to give ourselves an opportunity.
“But the opportunity for us is on Tuesday night. We have to look at that game first and foremost and find a way to beat the opportunity.”
Byrne said the Rovers side fielded on Tuesday night will be strong, with only those carrying niggles set to miss out.
“There will maybe be opportunities for one or two but in terms of the squad it’ll be a pretty similar to the one that we had at Peterborough at the weekend,” he said.
“Make no bones about it - it’s not a game where people are getting rested or anything like that. There will be one or two who have niggles that will need to be checked how they are going into the game but in the main we’re preparing to go and perform and try to win a game of football.”
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