Match Previews

Preview | Gillingham v Barrow

12th December

Gillingham v Barrow

Sky Bet League Two

MEMS Priestfield Stadium

Saturday December 13, 2025

Kick-Off, 3pm

Team News:

Gareth Ainsworth is hoping to have a couple of players back available for selection ahead of Saturday’s game against Barrow. Conor Masterson and Euan Williams have been involved in training during the week as they continue to ramp up their return to first-team action. Jonny Smith also trained this week and will be in contention.

Nelson Khumbeni could also return. Sam Vokes and Glenn Morris are unlikely to be risked.

Barrow’s Niall Canavan will miss Saturday’s game due to suspension, having been sent off in the midweek defeat against Tranmere. Former Gillingham loanee Connor Mahoney should be involved. Neil McDonald said that multiple players are back available for selection ahead of the fixture.

Manager Comments:

Gareth Ainsworth - “We want to make sure that we impose ourselves. We are at home, and the fans have been super on the road, and they have got behind us. Back here, I want to win a game, because Barnet and Crawley were two draws and two decent performances, but I want to start winning the home games.

"I have asked the boys to put on that display on Saturday for the fans and for themselves to try and get the points.”

Neil McDonald [Caretaker manager] - “It’s a chance to bounce back, as the last game we got beat. The performance against Newport and Wigan were very, very good. The first half was very good against Tranmere, but the second half wasn’t the best, so we need to get back to doing what we’re good at, which is creating chances. We need to certainly defend better than what we did against Tranmere in the second half.”

Previous Meetings:

Gills welcomed Barrow to the MEMS Priestfield Stadium in April 2024, with the game turning on a red card for the visitors. George Ray was given his marching orders after 22 minutes when he led with a high boot and caught Josh Walker when he was competing for a header.

Josh Andrews opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time, as he got in behind the visiting defence before taking it wide of the oncoming Paul Farman and slotting into an empty net.

The lead was doubled ten minutes into the second half, as Rory Feely put Conor Masterson’s low driven cross into the back of his own net. Connor Mahoney put the game out of reach in the 64th minute when he got on the end of a ball over the top before rounding Farman and passing into the goal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPpyGxV1P44

Gillingham leads the head-to-head, with 12 wins to Barrow’s eight. The fixture has also seen six draws.

Tickets:

Home supporters can buy tickers online, or in person, up until kick-off. Our ticketing desk will be open from 9am on the day of the fixture. Away fans can also purchase online via their dedicated away portal until 3pm.