Conor Wilkinson, Alex Lacey and Connor Ogilvie set to feature as the Checkatrade Trophy group stages get underway.
PORTSMOUTH V GILLINGHAM
Fratton Park
Checkatrade Trophy
Tuesday September 4
Kick-off, 7.45pm
Team News:
Having missed the start of the season through injury, both Josh Rees (ankle) and Conor Wilkinson will be hoping to start the game. Deadline day loan signing Connor Ogilvie will also be in contention to make his second debut for the club.
Having made good impressions as a substitute in recent defeats to Millwall and Sunderland, midfielder Bradley Stevenson will also be pushing for a place in the starting eleven, as will Navid Nasseri who has yet to feature this season.
Captain Gabriel Zakuani will likely miss the game having come off in Saturday’s defeat to Barnsley with a shoulder injury. Josh Parker will be unavailable for selection as he is away on international duty with Antigua and Barbuda.
Portsmouth’s in-form forward Ronan Curtis has been called up to the Republic of Ireland under 21 squad meaning he will not play any part on Tuesday.
Pompey have three injury worries concerning Oli Hawkins, Anton Walkes and Jack Whatmough. All three were unable to make it past half-time in Saturday’s win over Plymouth and it has been confirmed that they will miss Tuesday’s fixture.
Loan signings Joe Mason and Andre Green will be hoping to feature for the first time having joined on deadline day.
Manager Comments:
Joe Gallen (Portsmouth Assistant Manager)- “It’s fair to say that there will be some changes; the fans pay their money and deserve to aware of that.
“But like I said, ahead of the League Cup game, it will still be a recognisable team that we put out. In fact, it will be a very good team.”
Steve Lovell - “I’ll put out the strongest side I can; it will be a good side who will give everything and respect the competition. There is an opportunity for some younger players to play in it but we’ll see.”
Previous Meetings:
This will be the first meeting between the two teams in this competition. However, when the Gills visited Fratton Park last season, they secured their first ever victory there. Three goals in the second half ensured a 3-1 win as a brace from Lee Martin and a fantastic individual goal from Wilkinson sent the away end into delirium.
In total the teams have met on 32 occasions; Portsmouth have the edge in regards to the head to head statistics with 18 wins to seven.
Odds:
Portsmouth win - 8/11
Draw - 14/5
Gillingham win - 18/5
Special bet: Gillingham to win 3-1- 40/1
For more odds and markets visit www.skybet.com/fl72
iFollow:
Sign up to iFollow and listen to live commentary, courtesy of BBC Radio Kent. Audio will become available a couple of minutes before kick-off. You can follow live updates on Twitter via @TheGillsFC.
Match Officials:
Referee - Alan Young
Assistant Referee 1 - Nicholas Cooper
Assistant Referee 2 - Paul Lister
Fourth Official - James Durkin