We look ahead to Saturday's fixture
GILLINGHAM v BURTON ALBIONnpower League Two
MEMS Priestfield Stadium
Saturday October 20 2012
Kick-off: 3.00pm
TEAM NEWS…
The bug that affected Charlie Allen, Stuart Nelson and manager Martin Allen himself amongst others seems to have cleared.
Defensive midfielder David Wright is currently back at Crystal Palace but talks are on-going in trying to secure him for a further loan spell.
Danny Jackman has served his three match suspension and is available to the manager but Charlie Lee remains sidelined with a knee injury.
Burton boss Gary Rowett hopes to have Calvin Zola available, the big target-man has missed the last three games with a hamstring injury sustained at the end of September.
Robbie Weir is back in contention following a one-match ban however the match is likely to come too soon for the likes of Marcus Holness (hamstring), club skipper John McGrath (foot), Jimmy Phillips (metatarsal) and Chris Palmer (ankle ligaments).
THE BREWERS SEASON SO FAR…
Burton make the journey to Kent at the weekend lying fifth in the table having picked up 19 points (five wins and four draws) from their opening dozen games.
On the first day of the League Two season Gary Rowett’s side were on the wrong end of a 3-0 defeat at Rotherham but three days later they opened their home campaign with a fine 6-2 home win against AFC Wimbledon.
Fleetwood then took the points away from the Pirelli when registering a 1-0 victory and Exeter City then won 3-0 at St James Park before returned to winning ways with a single goal win at Rochdale.
This was the start the start of their current eight-game unbeaten run, Oxford and York were beaten 4-0 and 3-1 at home respectively which were followed by a 1-1 draw at Torquay and they took another home point after sharing six goals with Northampton.
The Staffordshire club took the three points home from Southend following a 1-0 win at Roots Hall and that has been followed by a goalless draw at Morecambe and a 1-1 draw with Bristol Rovers last week.
In the Capital One Cup Burton beat Sheffield United 5-4 on penalties after a 2-2 draw at Bramall Lane and Leicester City 4-2 at the King Power Stadium before bowing out in the third round to Bradford City, losing 3-2 after extra time.
They also drew 0-0 at Coventry City in the Johnstone Paints Trophy but lost the resultant penalty shootout 10-9.
LEADING SCORERS…
Danny Kedwell moved into double figures for the season [10] when he netted the second goal in last weekend’s 4-0 thumping of Aldershot here at MEMS Priestfield Stadium.
For the visitors Billy Kee took his tally to three last Saturday and he joins Cleveland Taylor on that figure but Calvin Zola and Jacques Maghoma are joint top of the Brewers goalscoring chart with five apiece.
Zander Diamond, Robbie Weir and Matthew Patterson have all netted two while another five players have found the net with once.
THE LAST MEETING…
The Brewers had a miserable time the last they came to town in September 2011. Not only did they lose 3-1 that day but two Burton players were sent-off in the second-half.
Danny Kedwell and Billy Kee traded first-half goals but early in the second 45 minutes two goals in a minute from Frank Nouble, on loan from West Ham, and a second from Kedwell decided the contest.
It was following this that both Aaron Webster and Ryan Austin were dismissed for second bookable offences.
Gills: Flitney, Fish, Richards, Lawrence, Frampton, Whelpdale, Lee, Jackman, Rooney (Montrose 70), Kedwell (Oli 90+2), Nouble (S Payne 80) Unused subs: Gazzaniga, Weston
Brewers: Atkins, Corbett, Webster, James (Moore 45+3), Austin, Phillips (Blanchett 57), Maghoma (Palmer 84), McGrath, Bolder, Richards, Kee Unused subs: Poole, Yussuf
OFFICIALS…
Referee - Lee Collins
Assistant Referee’s - Neil Hair & Dave Bushell
Fourth Official - Jake Hillier
Last season Lee took charge of his first ever Football League fixture here at Priestfield on August 6 when we beat Cheltenham Town 1-0 thanks to a Lewis Montrose strike. Five players were booked and Luke Rooney was dismissed late on.
The Surrey man has officiated in seven games so far this season issuing one red and 20 yellow cards, eight of the latter came in his most recent game, the League One clash between Swindon Town and Coventry City.