We look ahead to tomorrow night's League Two encounter
GILLINGHAM v CHELTENHAM TOWNnpower League Two
Tuesday November 6 2012
MEMS Priestfield Stadium
Kick-off: 7.45pm
TEAM NEWS…
Young midfielder Bradley Dack (possible metatarsal) looks likely to join Charlie Allen and Joe Martin (both hand injuries) on the side-lines.
Cheltenham’s on-loan Reading midfielder Lawson D’Ath will miss tomorrow night’s encounter with a knee problem while experienced duo Darren Carter (calf) and Steve Elliott (sickness) will both require assessing.
THE SEASON SO FAR…
The Robins come to Priestfield tomorrow lying third in the League Two table having picked up 28 points (eight wins and four draws) from their 15 games.
On Saturday they won their home FA Cup First Round ‘derby’ with Yate Town 3-0 thanks to goals from Kaid Mohamed, Chris Zebroski and an own goal.
Following the game, Robins boss Mark Yates told BBC Radio Gloucestershire "I felt we limited them to very few opportunities, but they kept playing, trying to pass the ball and they can take massive credit in that. We always had more gears to step up to and their keeper made a lot of good saves today.
"They didn't deserve any more than three being put past them. They kept trying to play, they didn't deserve a pasting and I'm happy with three.
"The early goal helped settle us. We got good set piece delivery to score again, and we wasted chances to score more."
Cheltenham now entertain another West Country side, Hereford United, in the Second Round.
Town have suffered just one defeat in their last nine league games, winning six of these which includes home wins over Exeter City, Plymouth Argyle, Morecambe and Oxford United.
Overall they lost just once this season on their travels, at Bradford City (3-1). They have registered three away wins at AFC Wimbledon, Aldershot Town and Bristol Rovers and picked up points from draws at Torquay United, Wycombe Wanderers and York City.
Town went out of the Capital One Cup in the First Round when MK Dons won 5-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw while in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy Oxford United were 4-2 victors in Round Two having received a bye in the First Round.
LEADING GOALSCORERS…
Danny Kedwell took his season’s tally to 11 goals for the season with his penalty against Scunthorpe United in the FA Cup on Saturday. Deon Burton’s header, his first goal at Priestfield, was his sixth of the campaign for the Gills who have now had 15 different scorers.
On-loan Bury striker Shaun Harrad currently leads the Robins goalscoring chart with five goals. Keith Lowe and Kaid Mohamed have four while both Darren Carter and Chris Zebroski have three to their name. Two players, Marlon Pack and Jermaine McGlashan have been on target twice while five others have scored one apiece.
THE LAST TIME HERE…
Lewis Montrose’s 26th minute strike was enough to seal a 1-0 League Two victory over the Robins when they last came to town which was on the opening day of the 2011-12 season.
The goal came from an initial cross from Joe Martin, when Chris Whelpdale found his route to goal blocked he fed Jack Payne and his shot deflected off defender Alan Bennett to Montrose. The Gillingham midfielder smacked a low shot through Steve Elliott's legs and beyond Scott Brown into the corner of the net.
Gillingham: Flitney, Fuller, Lawrence, Frampton, Martin, J.Payne, Whelpdale, Lee, Montrose (Weston 73), Spiller (Rooney 60), Kedwell. Unused subs: Richards, Jackman, Gazzaniga
Cheltenham Town: Brown, Lowe, Andrew, Elliott, Pack, Low (Duffy 79), Goulding, Spencer (Penn 67), Bennett, Mohamed, Summerfield (Smikle 80). Unused subs: Bird, Jombati
Then in March the Gills completed a ‘double’ when they recorded a 3-0 triumph at the Abbey Business Stadium thanks to two goals from Jordan Obita, the on-loan Reading winger, and one from Chris Whelpdale.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS…
Gillingham certainly hold the upper hand over Town in previous fixtures dating back to the first which came in the Southern League days of 1938-39.
In 20 previous meetings the Gloucestershire club have won twice, 1-0 in March 1939 and then by a similar scoreline in August 2007.
The Gills have recorded a number of big wins, 6-1 in January 1939, two other games at home finished 5-1 while in 1946-47 a 5-3 away triumph was followed by a 4-1 victory at Priestfield.
OFFICIALS…
Referee: Fred Graham
Assistant referee’s: John O’Brien & Rob Hyde
Fourth Official: John Magill
The Essex official has taken charge of 13 games previously this season and has yet to brandish his red card although he has issued 40 yellows.
His last Gillingham match was the 3-2 FA Cup First Round replay victory over AFC Bournemouth here at MEMS Priestfield Stadium on November 22 2011.