Preview: Gillingham vs. Stockport County

Sports Mole previews Tuesday’s League Two clash between Gillingham and Stockport County, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

League Two leaders Stockport County will be bidding to bounce back from successive defeats when they continue their campaign away to Gillingham on Tuesday night.

The visitors will enter the contest off the back of a 4-0 loss at Tranmere Rovers, while Gillingham suffered a 1-0 defeat to Newport County on Saturday afternoon.

Match preview
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Gillingham brought a three-game unbeaten run into their clash with Newport on Saturday, but they were beaten 1-0 courtesy of an effort from Will Evans in the 61st minute of the contest.

The Gills boast a record of 14 wins, five draws and 13 defeats from their 32 league matches this season to collect 47 points, which has left them in 11th position in the table.

Gillingham are only one point off seventh-placed Harrogate Town, with the playoffs very much in their sights, and they have been relatively solid at home this season, picking up 25 points from 16 matches.

Stephen Clemence’s side have no relegation worries this season, and it would be some story if they could push into the top seven, having finished a disappointing 17th last term.

Gillingham are also unbeaten against Stockport since 2000, with the impressive run including a 1-0 victory in the reverse match between the two sides in the opening match of the 2023-24 campaign.

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Stockport remain top of League Two, but they are now just one point ahead of second-placed Mansfield Town and only three ahead of third-placed Wrexham.

Worryingly, the gap to fourth-placed Crewe Alexandra is also now just three points, demonstrating the importance of this match for the Hatters due to their recent troubles.

Dave Challinor’s side have lost their last two in the league against Crewe and Tranmere, but they had enough credit in the bank this season to keep their spot at the summit.

Stockport finished fourth in League Two last season, ultimately making the final of the playoffs, but they were beaten on penalties by Carlisle United to remain in the fourth tier.

The Hatters are right in the mix once again, and they can call upon the third-best away record in the division on Tuesday night, having picked up 27 points from their 15 matches on their travels.

Gillingham League Two form:

Stockport County League Two form:

Team News
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Gillingham head coach Clemence is expected to resist the temptation to make wholesale changes to the side that took to the field for the first whistle against Newport last time out.

However, there is likely to be a change in the final third of the field, with Ashley Nadesan, who has only scored twice in the league this season, set to be introduced into the XI.

Conor Masterson has scored five times from centre-back this term, and the 25-year-old will again be in the home side’s starting team for Tuesday’s contest.

As for Stockport, the four-goal defeat at Tranmere would have shocked the supporters, but it is unlikely that their head coach will shuffle his pack for this match, especially as the players off the bench last time out also struggled to have an impact.

Isaac Olaofe has been comfortably the team’s main source of goals this season with 18 in all competitions, and he is again a certain starter in the final third of the field.

However, there is expected to be a recall for Paddy Madden, who has come up with 13 goals this season but started the defeat at Tranmere on the bench.

Gillingham possible starting lineup:
Turner; Hutton, Masterson, Ehmer, Ogie, Clark; Mahoney, Dieng, Coleman; Nadesan, Hawkins

Stockport County possible starting lineup:
Hinchliffe; Cass, Bryne, Bennett, Bristow; Lemonheigh-Evans, Sarcevic, Croasdale; Bailey, Olaofe, Madden

We say: Gillingham 1-1 Stockport County
Stockport desperately need to bounce back, but this will be a tough game for the visitors against a strong Gillingham outfit. The hosts have only lost five of their 16 matches in front of their own fans this term, and we are expecting Gillingham to be good enough for a point on Tuesday.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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