We look ahead to Saturday's game at Vale Park
PORT VALE V GILLINGHAM
Sky Bet League One
Vale Park
Saturday October 26
Kick-Off, 3pm
Team News:
Peter Taylor has a fully fit squad to choose from ahead of this weekend’s trip to Staffordshire and could name an unchanged line up.
, but he is fit to start if picked. Danny Kedwell has had a tight hamstring but should be fine.
Notts County on Tuesday nightCharlie Lee suffered a knock in the dying moments against
Myles Weston is likely to keep his place in midfield after impressing midweek.
As for Vale, Daniel Jones could return after a one-match suspension following his dismissal against Sheffield United.
Otherwise the hosts have no fresh injury or suspension concerns, and Manager Micky Adams could also name an unchanged team.
Manager Comments:
Peter Taylor knows what to expect on Saturday when he takes on a side who have adjusted to life in League One well. He knows Micky Adams well and expects his team to be tough to beat.
He said: “We saw them play against Crawley and they had an outstanding 3-0 win and Micky left out a couple of senior attackers and put in a couple of younger ones so it will be interesting what team Mick plays.
“One thing is for sure, when you play against a Micky Adams team, they are going to be organised in every way and it will be a tough match.
“I’ve heard Mick say at times that at home sometimes they look a bit nervous, he said that a couple of years ago but it’s on the day.
“Hopefully we start well but you just never know until the Saturday.”
The Gaffer – Micky Adams
The Port Vale Manager won’t need much of an introduction to the majority of Gills supporters having played here from 1979-1983, making 92 league appearances and scoring five goals as a left back.
As a player he enjoyed spells at Coventry, Leeds and Southampton before shorter spells at Fulham, Swansea and Brentford, taking on the role as Player/Manager at all three.
Some of his managerial successes include guiding Brighton to the Division Three Championship in the 2000-01 campaign prior to joining Leicester as Assistant Manager to Dave Bassett, before taking on the job the very next season where he guided the club back to the Premier League at the first attempt.
He resigned in October 2004 with the club having suffered a poor start to their campaign, and joined Coventry in January 2005.
He would spend two years at the Ricoh before being sacked in January 2007 after a 2-0 home loss to Bristol City in the FA Cup. An Assistant Manager’s role at Colchester was followed up by a second spell at Brighton, but would last less than a year before joining Vale for the first time.
Sheffield United came calling in December 2010, but after being unable to save them from relegation, he re-joined Vale in May 2011.
Star Man: Tom Pope
After being top goal scorer in League Two last season it’s difficult to pin point anybody else as being Vale’s main threat. He didn’t start Tuesday’s game at Crawley and may even struggle to win his place back after a fantastic team performance.
However his natural goal scoring ability may make it difficult to leave him out, and having scored against the Gills at Priestfield earlier in the year, he may fancy his chances of repeating the feat at Vale Park.
One to Watch: Jennison Myrie-Williams
The 25-year-old former Stevenage player impressed during his first season at the club last year and scored 11 goals as the Valiants clinched promotion to Sky Bet League One.
His pace and explosive nature on the wing has the ability to unlock defences whether he is a starter or a substitute, and his influence on the team last season was indicated only too clearly after being voted in to the PFA Team of the Year, along with Pope.
Port Vale – the season so far
in the table with 17 points to their name (five wins, two draws and six defeats) after 13 matches.thHaving gained automatic promotion last season by claiming third place in League Two, Vale have begun life in a new league very well and currently sit 12
Vale didn’t start the season particularly well, claiming just three points form their first five games – those courtesy of a 2-1 win over Bradford on August 17.
However they picked up the pace quickly and won four of their five games in September, and despite a dip at the start of this month, the victory over Crawley was a timely performance to give them confidence going in to this week’s fixture.
In the cup competitions they were eliminated in the first round of the Capital One Cup by Walsall, but went one better in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy, eventually being knocked out by Rochdale at Vale Park earlier in October.
Current Form (last six games in all competitions):
Vale: WDLLLW (7 points)
Gills: LWWLLW (9 points)
Previous Meetings:
The teams last met in January of this year when Vale took all three points from MEMS Priestfield Stadium with a 2-1 win.
The visitors scored twice in the opening 20 minutes with the aforementioned Tom Pope and Lee Hughes getting the goals, before Danny Kedwell responded immediately to reduce the deficit.
However Micky Adams’ side held on to avenge the 2-0 loss at Vale Park earlier in the season when Chris Whelpdale and Deon Burton struck to claim a convincing win.
The head to head statistics make it impossible to separate the teams with 14 wins apiece and 15 draw from 43 fixtures.
Odds:
respectively.
Notts CountyBoth sides go in to the game off the back of decent wins against Crawley Town and
check out some of the score line bets below. Vale are favourites to win the game at Even money, but if you fancy the Gills to claim back to back away wins then
Gills 1-0 – 9/1
Gills 2-0 – 16/1
Gills 2-1 – 10/1
Draw 1-1 – 11/2
Draw 2-2 – 12/1
Danny Kedwell to score first – 8/1
www.skybet.com/gillinghamFor more odds and to place bets on over 50 markets, open your Sky Bet account now at
Officials:
Referee: Darren Bond
Assistants: Darren Handley & David Storrie
Fourth Official: James Mainwaring