Rovers failed to progress beyond the first round of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for the third straight season, thanks to a 2–1 defeat to local rivals Bristol City screened live on Sky Sports.
The Robins took the lead early in the game through Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, and although they found themselves under pressure for long spells in the first half, Rovers managed to avoid conceding any further goals before the break.
The Pirates were much improved in the second half, and Mark McChrystal's first goal for Bristol Rovers levelled the scores. A superb strike from Bristolian Joe Bryan fourteen minutes from time proved to be the decider, leaving the red side of the city to go home happy.
Match details[]
|
Bristol City | 2–1 | Bristol Rovers | 
|
| Emmanuel-Thomas (12) Bryan (76) |
(1–0 HT) | McChrystal (59) | ||
| Venue: Ashton Gate – KO: 4 September 2013 @ 1945 | ||||
| Attendance: 17,888 – Referee: Simon Hooper | ||||
| Lineups | ||||
| 13 Elliot Parish | 1 Steve Mildenhall | |||
| 2 Brendan Moloney | 2 Michael Smith | |||
| 5 Aden Flint | 6 Tom Parkes | |||
| 22 Nicky Shorey | 29 Mark McChrystal  |
|||
 24 James O'Connor |
14 Lee Brown | |||
| 11 Scott Wagstaff | 30 Tom Lockyer | |||
 14 Bobby Reid |
15 Oliver Norburn | |||
| 15 Joe Bryan |
32 John-Joe O'Toole | |||
| 21 Marlon Pack |
17 Ellis Harrison | |||
| 10 Jay Emmanuel-Thomas |
7 David Clarkson |
|||
| 23 Marlon Harewood |
9 Matt Harrold |
|||
| Substitutes | ||||
| 1 Frank Fielding (GK) | 20 Conor Gough (GK) | |||
 6 Louis Carey |
5 Garry Kenneth | |||
| 9 Sam Baldock |
8 Matt Gill | |||
| 16 Jordan Wynter |
26 Ryan Brunt |
|||
| 28 Stephen McLaughlin | 33 Alefe Santos |
|||
Timeline[]
12 mins: Goal for Bristol City scored by Jay Emmanuel-Thomas- 41 mins: David Clarkson booked for diving
- 55 mins: James O'Connor booked for a foul on David Clarkson
- 59 mins: Marlon Pack booked for a foul on Oliver Norburn
- 59 mins: Goal for Bristol Rovers scored by Mark McChrystal
- 69 mins: Sam Baldock replaced Marlon Harewood
- 76 mins: Goal for Bristol City scored by Joe Bryan
- 80 mins: Ryan Brunt replaced Matt Harrold
- 81 mins: Alefe Santos replaced David Clarkson
- 88 mins: Louis Carey replaced Joe Bryan
- 90+5 mins: Jordan Wynter replaced Bobby Reid
| League Two | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team | ACC | AFW | BUA | BRY | CNM | CFD | D&R | EXE | FWD | HAR | MAN | MOR | NWP | NOR | OXF | PLY | POR | RDL | SCU | SOU | TOR | WYC | YOR | |
| Home | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 3–2 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Away | 0–2 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | ||||||||||||||||||
| FA Cup | Capital One Cup | Johnstone's Paint Trophy | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rnd | 1 | Rnd | 1 | Rnd | 1sw | |||||||||||||||||||
| Team | Team | WAT | Team | BRC | ||||||||||||||||||||
| H/A | H/A | H | H/A | A | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Res | Res | 1–3 | Res | 1–2 | ||||||||||||||||||||