We look ahead to tomorrow's Capital One Cup encounter
GILLINGHAM v BRISTOL CITY
Capital One Cup First Round
Tuesday August 6 2013
MEMS Priestfield Stadium
Kick-off: 7.45pm
TEAM NEWS-
Gills -
Matt Fish (knee) limped off in the opening stages of Saturday’s game with Colchester and will have to be assessed while Charlie Allen remains unavailable with a cut foot sustained in training.
Speaking after the weekend fixture Gills boss Martin Allen said "We will probably make some changes to the team to give some of the players who didn’t play today the opportunity.”
City -
The fitness of striker Sam Baldock is a concern for City head coach Sean O’Driscoll ahead of tomorrow’s Capital One Cup first round tie. The skipper took kick on his Achilles at the weekend and missed training on Sunday but he was expected to make the trip having come through a light session today.
Veteran defender Louis Carey remains out of contention with a dead leg while midfielder Stephen Pearson has been sidelined since early July with an ankle problem that may require surgery.
AT THE WEEKEND -
The Gills suffered a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Colchester United at MEMS Priestfield Stadium thanks to substitute Andrew Bond’s heartbreaking 89th minute winner.
Meanwhile new signings Scott Wagstaff and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas were the Bristol City scorers in a 2-2 draw with Bradford in front of 13,862 at Ashton Gate on Saturday.
The game also saw Frank Fielding, Aden Flint and Jordan Wynter make their debuts in Sean O’Driscoll’s starting XI while Marlon Pack made it six new faces when entering the fray as a second-half substitute.
The full Robins team was - Fielding, Moloney, Cunningham, Wynter, Flint, Fontaine, Wagstaff, Kilkenny, Baldock, Emmanuel-Thomas (Taylor 76), Bryan (Pack 63) Unused subs: Parish, Williams, Reid, Harewood, Elliott
GILLS AND THE LEAGUE CUP -
In the history of the competition, which dates back to the 1960-61 season, the furthest that Gillingham have reached is the Fourth Round which they have done twice, losing 3-1 at Leicester City in 1963-64 and 1-0 against Ipswich Town at Portman Road in 1996-97.
There has certainly been a fair sprinkling of games against top-flight opposition at both home and away which includes games against Arsenal, Chelsea, Coventry City, Newcastle United, Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur
Looking back at just the last 10 years the furthest that the club have reached is the Third Round which they have managed twice, losing 2-0 at Bolton Wanderers in 2003-04 and by the same scoreline against Doncaster Rovers at the Keepmoat Stadium two years later.
During this time the draw has not been that favourable with trips to the likes of Brighton & HA, Millwall, Norwich City and Watford although that said, the Gills did knock Championship outfit Bristol City out at the first round stage last season (see below).
PREVIOUS MEETINGS -
The Gills have met Bristol City twice before in League Cup fixtures. The first of these was back in early September 1963 when goals from Peter Stringfellow (2), Ronnie Waldock and Brian Gibbs netted in a 4-2 home victory for Freddie Cox’s team in Round One.
Last season, again in the first round, Martin Allen made his ‘debut’ as Gillingham manager at Ashton Gate where Danny Kedwell, a 45th minute penalty, and Ben Strevens were the scorers in a 2-1 victory – Marvin Elliott grabbing a late consolation for the Robins.
OFFICIALS -
Referee: Darren Deadman
Assistants: Andrew Laver & Nigel Lugg
Fourth Official: Nicholas Cooper
The Lincolnshire official took charge of Newport County’s return to the Football League at the weekend in which he issued one yellow card as the South Wales side beat Accrington Stanley 4-1.
His last game involving the Gills was the League Two trip to Port Vale in February 2012.
TICKETS -
All ticket details for tomorrow’s game can be found by clicking here