Gills to face Cambridge at the Abbey Stadium for the first time since 2003.
Cambridge United v Gillingham
Papa John's Trophy
Abbey Stadium
Tuesday December 8
Kick-Off, 7.45pm
Team News:
Steve Evans confirmed after the Swindon game that there will be many changes to the starting eleven, and squad, that make the trip to Cambridge. That means the likes of Joe Walsh, Christian Maghoma, Josh Eccles, Matty Willock, Henry Woods and Trae Coyle should all feature. It is also possible some youth team players will make the trip.
The match has likely come too soon for Jordan Graham and Zech Medley who have missed the last few games through injury.
Cambridge will be without Joe Ironside as he missed Saturday’s loss to Oldham with a quad injury. Wes Hoolahan could feature as he continues to get back to full fitness.
Manager, Mark Bonner, confirmed that he will not make wholesale changes as he looks to get his side back on track following successive home defeats.
Manager Comments:
Steve Evans - “We do not have the squad numbers to make 11 changes, but if we did we would.
"We will make many changes, in fact as many as possible.
"We have players in the squad, plus a few youngsters, deserving of a chance, and they will get it on Tuesday."
Trae Coyle - “If I get the chance to play I’ll give it my all again and hope that I can affect the game.
“It’s another competition that we want to go far in. I really want to score goals and in the competition I’ve been doing so, I want to keep that going. No one wants to go into a game and lose, so we will be going out and giving our all so hopefully we get another win."
Mark Bonner - “I think we need games at the moment to just get that sharpness and intensity back in our game.
“What we don’t want to do is have a lot of players that may play at the weekend at Forest Green, not do so much today, not do too much tomorrow and then only be able to get on the grass on Thursday.
“We’ve had a couple of weeks like that and I think now game play is the best thing for a lot of these players to get back into that groove and rhythm and a bit of momentum.”
Previous Meetings:
12/08/2003 - Cambridge United 1-2 Gillingham - League Cup
23/10/1999 - Gillingham 2-1 Cambridge United - Division Two
25/09/1999 - Cambridge United 2-2 Gillingham - Division Two
03/02/1996 - Cambridge United 0-0 Gillingham - Division Three
26/08/1995 - Gillingham 3-0 Cambridge United - Division Three
The two teams last met in 2003 in the League Cup. Gills were victorious on the night thanks to second half goals from John Hills and Nyron Nosworthy.
Gillingham are unbeaten in their last five games against Cambridge, and you would have to go back to 1990 for the last defeat against them. That defeat came in May of that year in the old fourth division.
There have been 18 games between the two sides with Gills having 11 wins to Cambridge’s five. The fixture has also seen two draws.
Odds:
Cambridge United win - 11/10
Draw - 5/2
Gillingham win - 9/5
Special Bet: Trae Coyle to score first and Gillingham to win 2-1- 40/1.
Match Officials:
Referee: David Rock
Assistants: Stuart Butler and Joseph Stokes
Fourth Official: Nicholas Cooper
iFollow:
All UK and overseas subscribers can watch Tuesday’s game for a one-off fee of £10! Click the below image to purchase your match pass.
More information can be found here.
