Steve Evans and his side make the long journey to Shropshire for tonight's league fixture.
SHREWSBURY TOWN V GILLINGHAM
Montgomery Waters Meadow
Sky Bet League 1
Tuesday October 22
Kick-off, 7.45pm
Team News:
Barry Fuller is battling to be fit in time for Tuesday evening’s trip to Shropshire. He missed Saturday’s game against Peterborough and will be assessed right until the last minute at New Meadow. Matty Willock (knee) is still at least ten days away from returning to full training.
Mark Byrne is suspended after picking up his fifth caution of the season against the Posh.
As for Shrewsbury, they will be without defender Ethan Ebanks-Landell who is injured.
Manager Comments:
Sam Ricketts - "I think Gillingham have been unlucky, they've been in an awful lot of games and lost a lot of games by the odd goal. They recently performed really well at Portsmouth, they got a really good draw away from there.
"They're not a team that are there for the taking, they work extremely hard, especially the forward players, with some good players in the midfield as well.
"They've always been there or thereabouts, they pushed Peterborough at the weekend, they were a bit unfortunate to not be up at half-time, then eventually a little bit of a freak penalty goes against them and the game finished like it did.”
Steve Evans - “I am not going to tempt fate and say they don’t score a lot of goals, but they don’t concede many, only 10 all season and they have been terrific.
“I don’t know if the manager will change what he does but he tends to go with a three/five at the back and it is very effective for them. They have some gifted players.”
Previous Meetings:
The clubs last met at MEMS Priestfield Stadium earlier this year when goals from James Bolton and Tyrese Campbell earned the Shrews a 2-0 win over the Gills in ME7; the return fixture having finished 2-2 with Tom Eaves netting a last gasp equaliser.
In total the two teams have met on 65 occasions. Shrewsbury have won 25 games while the Gills have won just 19.
The most memorable victory for Gills over Shrewsbury came in the 2009 League Two Play-Off Final at Wembley, with Simeon Jackson heading home late on to secure promotion for Mark Stimson’s men.
Odds:
Shrewsbury win – 11/10
Draw – 9/4
Gills win – 12/5
Special Bet: Mikael Ndjoli to score first in a 2-1 Gills win – 55/1.
Officials:
Referee - Will Finnie
Assistant Referee 1 - Joe Clark
Assistant Referee 2 - Richard Woodward
Fourth Official - Alan Clayton