Hartlepool are the visitors to Priestfield as Gills look to book their place in the hat for the second round.
GILLINGHAM V HARTLEPOOL
The Medway Priestfield Stadium
Emirates FA Cup first round
Saturday November 10
Kick-off, 3pm
Team News:
Bradley Garmston and Josh Rees both returned to training earlier this week and could be in contention for a squad place. Billy Bingham (ankle) is unlikely to be risked.
The game has come too soon for Callum Reilly (groin) but he may be able to feature at Oxford next weekend.
Hartlepool’s Peter Kioso will be absent for Saturday’s tie after the defender was sent-off during last weekend’s defeat at Bromley and will therefore serve a one-game ban.
Andrew Davies also remains sidelined as he serves the second game of his three-match ban but Carl Magnay will be available because National League yellow card suspensions do not carry over in to the FA Cup.
Michael Woods will look to shake off an ankle injury but Luke Williams remains out of action after undergoing a second operation on his injured knee.
New loan signing James Butler won’t be able to play – the young defender is cup-tied after playing the competition for Kidsgrove Athletic.
Manager Comments:
Steve Lovell - “We will give them the utmost respect; it’s an FA Cup tie and they are coming down here as the underdogs so there is no pressure on them. We are the favourites and will approach it in the same way we do any other. There will be no complacency from any one of us because we know what can happen.”
Matthew Bates - “It’s a tough ask and we’ll need to be at 100% to get a result but what a game to play in, pitting our wits against a League One side so we’ll go down there and try and prove a few people wrong.”
Previous Meetings:
The Gills have played Hartlepool United 34 times, with Gills having the edge in the head-to-head statistics with 15 wins to 11. This will be the first time both teams have played each other in a cup competition of any kind.
We last played Hartlepool in 2010 at Victoria Park where both teams left with a point after a 1-1 draw. The reverse fixture at The Medway Priestfield Stadium ended in a defeat for the Gills with a 1-0 win for Hartlepool, the only goal of the game scored by James Brown in the 65th minute.
Odds:
Gills win – 2/5
Draw – 19/5
Hartlepool win – 13/2
Special Bet: Tom Eaves to score first and Gills to win 3-0 – 18/1.
iFollow:
You can listen to live radio commentary from Priestfield by signing up to iFollow.
Our colleagues at BBC Radio Kent will be on hand to guide you through the action.
The various packages available can be seen here.
Officials:
Referee – Brett Huxtable
Assistant Referee 1 – Gareth Viccars
Assistant Referee 2 – Nicholas Cooper
Fourth Official – David Spain
For more information on matchdays at The Medway Priestfield Stadium, please download our fan guide here.