Preview: Wrexham vs. Gillingham - prediction, team news, lineups

The two teams meet for the first time since May 2000 when the Red Dragons secured a slender 1-0 win on home soil.

Match preview

Since suffering a heavy 5-0 away defeat to League Two leaders Stockport County at the end of September, Wrexham have put together an impressive 10-game unbeaten run across all competitions, including seven victories.

The Red Dragons claimed their fourth successive win when they beat League One outfit Port Vale 2-1 on home soil in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday night, courtesy of second-half goals from Paul Mullin and James McClean.

Phil Parkinson's men are now preparing for four successive League Two fixtures this month, with each of their next three, including Saturday's clash with Gillingham, against teams who currently sit inside the top nine.

Thirteen points have been accumulated out of a possible 15 available for Wrexham, including three picked up in a 2-0 away win over second-placed Notts County in their last league fixture, and their terrific run has helped them climb into the top three, five points clear of Barrow sitting just outside the playoffs as well as five points behind Stockport at the summit.

Wrexham enter Saturday's contest having won five of their first eight home league games, and the SToK Cae Ras has quickly built a reputation for staging entertaining games in the fourth tier, as the Red Dragons have scored the most home goals (25) and conceded the most home goals (19) in the entire division so far this season.

Gillingham, meanwhile, have made an inconsistent start to life on the road in League Two, winning four - all by a 1-0 scoreline - and losing four of their first eight away matches, while only Tranmere Rovers (four) have scored fewer away goals than the Gills (six) so far this season.

Only two league victories have been recorded either home or away in their last eight, although new head coach Stephen Clemence is yet to take charge of the Gills in the fourth tier having begun his reign with successive cup ties.

Indeed, a 2-0 win at non-league Hereford United in the FA Cup first round last weekend, Clemence's first game in the dugout, was followed by a narrow 1-0 home defeat to Fulham Under-21s in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday.

Clemence, the son of former England goalkeeper Ray Clemence, had inherited a Gillingham side who currently sit ninth in League Two, just one point behind the playoffs and five points adrift of Saturday's opponents Wrexham in third.

Although Gillingham head to Wales as underdogs, a statement win over an in-form Wrexham side would certainly endear Clemence the the Gills fans and provide his new side with a much-needed confidence boost in their quest to climb back into the top seven.

Wrexham League Two form:

D

W

W

D

W

W

Wrexham form (all competitions):

W

D

W

W

W

W

Gillingham League Two form:

L

W

L

L

W

L

Gillingham form (all competitions):

L

L

W

L

W

L

Advert - content below:

Team News

Wrexham boss Parkinson has confirmed that Andy Cannon's leg injury sustained in the 2-1 FA Cup win over Mansfield last weekend is not as serious as first feared, but the midfielder nevertheless joins Steven Fletcher, Jordan Tunnicliffe, Ryan Barnett, Eoghan O'Connell and Aaron Hayden on the sidelines.

Parkinson will likely revert to a similar side that beat Notts County in their last league match, with the likes of Mullin, McClean, Elliott Lee, Ben Tozer, Jacob Mendy and Arthur Okonkwo all set to return to the starting lineup.

As for Gillingham, Oli Hawkins and Ashley Nadesan are both closing in on a return from injury, but Saturday's game may come too soon for the pair.

Clemence is expected to make a number of changes to the side that lost to Fulham Under-21s in midweek, with Cheye Alexander, Conor Masterson and Scott Malone all set to return in defence, while Connor Mahoney and Macauley Bonne could be recalled in the final third.

Wrexham possible starting lineup:

Okonkwo; Mendy, Boyle, Tozer, O'Connor, McClean; Young, Jones, Lee; Palmer, Mullin

Gillingham possible starting lineup:

Turner; Alexander, Masterson, Ogie, Malone; Mahoney, Coleman, Clarke, Jefferies; Lapslie; Bonne

We say: Wrexham 3-1 Gillingham

Goals have been at a premium for Gillingham away from home so far this season, but they will hope to have more joy in the final third against a leaky Wrexham backline on Saturday.

Previews by email