Gillinghamvs.Fleetwood

Both sides come into the clash with fresh ideas in the dugout and are looking to bounce back from losses, though the hosts have lost three consecutive games and are in particularly poor form.

Match preview

After their 3-0 loss to Bromley on January 2, it was announced three days later by Gillingham that Mark Bonner had been sacked and replaced by former Accrington Stanley boss John Coleman.

The Gills are currently 14th in League Two, having earned 30 points from their 23 games to date, and sit 10 points below Doncaster Rovers in the playoff spots.

Having started the campaign strongly, Bonner had the club top of the table at the end of September with a record of six wins, one draw and just one loss from their opening eight matches.

However, a disastrous run since then of ten losses, two draws and three wins has seen Gillingham slide down the table, and eventually led to his dismissal.

In fairness to the former boss, the Gills have been dealing with an injury crisis in recent months, though with the return of key players, they may regain some consistency as Bonner suggested in his departing statement.

That being said, the hosts have not scored in any of their last three matches, conceding six goals in the process, and it is understandable that the board thought change was needed.

This weekend, Coleman will be looking to kickstart the second part of Gillingham's campaign with a positive result against their mid-table rivals, and the 'new manager bounce' could see his side pick up all three points.

Meanwhile, Pete Wild's Fleetwood are 16th in the table after picking up 27 points from their 22 matches so far.

After former boss Charlie Adam was sacked following last month's defeat against Barrow, Wild was appointed just before Christmas and took charge of his first game on December 29 - a 1-1 draw with Harrogate Town.

Just like Coleman, Wild will be looking for his first win at his club on Saturday, and given their superior goal difference, the visitors could leapfrog the Gills in the table with a victory.

Last time out, the Cod Army lost 2-1 against promotion-chasing Doncaster, meaning that they have won just once in their last eight league games, a spell that goes back to late November.

This weekend, new boss Coleman will be keen to stop his opposite number from earning his first win, and given the opposition's difficulties in forward areas, they may see this weekend as an opportunity to take the three points for their own.

Gillingham League Two form:

W

W

D

L

L

L

Fleetwood Town League Two form:

L

D

L

W

D

L

Team News

New boss Coleman has said that only two players are out injured at the moment - central defender Conor Masterson and striker Oli Hawkins.

Both are only absent in the short term but they will not be available this weekend, so expect Robbie McKenzie, Max Ehmer, Shadrach Ogie and Max Clark to line up in defence, while Josh Andrews is likely to start up top.

As for Fleetwood, forward Kian Harratt has made his initial loan move from Huddersfield Town a permanent one, and boss Wild is likely to pair him up front with Ryan Graydon.

Elsewhere, goalkeeper Jay Lynch will continue between the sticks while David Harrington recovers from an injury he picked up on Boxing Day, and long-term absentee Zech Medley remains out with an achilles injury.

Gillingham possible starting lineup:

Morris; McKenzie, Ehmer, Ogie, Clark; Dieng, Coleman; Nolan, Williams, Gbode; Andrews

Fleetwood Town possible starting lineup:

Lynch; Bennett, Bolton, Sarpong-Wiredu; Bonds, Johnston, Shaw, Mayor, Patterson; Graydon, Harratt

We say: Gillingham 0-1 Fleetwood Town

Both teams are looking to kickstart the second part of their season by earning their first win under their new manager, so expect Saturday's game to be a close-fought contest.

Written by

Anthony Nolan

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