We look ahead to Tuesday night's game at London Road
PETERBOROUGH V GILLINGHAMSky Bet League One
London Road
Tuesday April 8
Kick-Off, 7.45pm
Team News:
Gills remain without the services of both Danny Kedwell (knee) and Chris Whelpdale (ankle), but Leon Legge (hamstring) may return after sitting out Saturday’s 4-3 defeat to Rotherham.
Myles Weston (cramp) should be fine after being substituted in the same game, while Craig Fagan is expected to overcome a bout of illness to take his place in the squad.
As for the Posh, midfielder Joe Newell is still unavailable as he serves the final game of a three match ban incurred for his sending off in the JPT Final.
Jack Payne could feature against his former club; he was brought off in the 2-0 home defeat to Wolves on Saturday but is fit to start if required.
Jack Baldwin, Kyle Vassell and Jermaine Anderson provide options if Manager Darren Ferguson wants to alter his line-up.
Manager Comments:
Peter Taylor was left frustrated after watching Rotherham snatch victory in the dying minutes at MEMS Priestfield Stadium on Saturday, and wants his players to bounce back immediately.
He said: “We have another big test; we knew the next three matches were big tests but we have to bounce back it’s as simple as that.
“We are very good at that and we showed good character [on Saturday] and that’s what we have got to do.”
Darren Ferguson told Peterborough’s official website: 'We have watched their fixture against Rotherham from the weekend and aside from the opening 20 minutes when Rotherham were on top, they caused the opposition a lot of problems.
"We drew 2-2 at their place in a game I felt we should have won.”
The Opposition - Peterborough
The Gaffer: Darren Ferguson
The former Manchester United and Wolves player is in his second spell at the Posh having previously managed them between 2007 and 2009.
In his first spell, with the club then in League Two, he guided them to back to back promotions for the first time in 17 years.
Ferguson then went onto Preston North End briefly before returning to London Road in January 2011. In his first season back at the club he again guided them to promotion via the League One play-offs after his side beat Huddersfield 3-0 at Old Trafford.
This was Ferguson’s third promotion in four years at the club.
One to Watch: Britt Assombalonga
The forward is in fine form this season with 29 in all competitions to his name so far. The player rose through the Watford academy and has already scored twice against the Gills this season when he bagged a brace in the 2-2 draw at Priestfield earlier this season.
Assombalonga has racked up 50 appearances in total including a Wembley appearance in which he scored a penalty as his side went on to win the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy against Chesterfield last Sunday.
The Skipper: Tommy Rowe
Club captain Tommy Rowe started his career as part of Manchester United’s youth system.
He then went onto Stockport where he began to make a name for himself in their promotion season to League One in the 2007/2008 season.
As a result of their success he was voted `Young Player of the Year` at the end of the campaign. Rowe joined Peterborough on a three-year deal in 2009 and went onto score his first goal for the club in their league cup win at Wycombe Wanderers.
The winger is one of the longest serving members of the squad with over 150 appearances to his name.
Peterborough – the season so far
Peterborough’s season started well without a loss in their first 13 league games, they also smashed Championship side Reading in a 6-0 win in the second round of the Capital One Cup.
Their last 10 games have resulted in five defeats, four wins and one draw – including an impressive 2-0 triumph at stadium:mk.
Despite their inconsistent results they still occupy the last play-off spot going into the final stretch of the season; they are four points clear of seventh placed Swindon with a game in hand.
Previous Meetings:
Peterborough visited MEMS Priestfield Stadium back in December in a game that saw both sides take a point. Peterborough took the lead through Assombalonga before Gills got a goal back on 51 minutes when Joe Martin curled a superb free-kick into the top corner.
Cody McDonald put the hosts in front when he met Myles Weston’s cross to head past Bobby Olejnik, and it looked like Peter Taylor’s side would clinch all three points. However, deep in to added time Assombalonga cleverly back heeled the ball into the Gills net.
The Gills hadn’t met Peterborough before this season in a league game since the 1996/1997 season. In that campaign the Gills did the double over the Posh with a 1-0 win away from home and a 2-1 victory at Priestfield when Gills legend Iffy Onoura scored twice.
Officials:
Referee - CHRISTOPHER SARGINSON
Assistants - Alan Dale and Nigel Smith
Fourth Official - Ian Crouch