Interim Head Coach Keith Millen will be without Cheye Alexander and Scott Malone at the weekend, however he could welcome back three others to his matchday squad.
Walsall v Gillingham
Poundland Bescot Stadium
Sky Bet League Two
Saturday October 14
Kick-Off, 3pm
Team News:
Oli Hawkins (heel) and Tim Dieng (knee) remain unavailable for selection in Keith Millen’s side this weekend, as both continue to work on their recovery from long term injuries. Ashley Nadesan also remains out of the squad, having sustained an ankle injury during the Gills 2-1 win over MK Dons last weekend.
George Lapslie and Shaun Williams could potentially make their returns to the First-Team squad to face Walsall, Jonny Williams is also available for selection having played the full 90 minutes during the midweek game against Portsmouth.
Scott Malone will be unavailable this weekend due to a suspension. Cheye Alexander is also unavailable, having been called up for international duty.
As for Walsall they may still be without ex-Gills loanee Donervon Daniels, keeper Owen Evans and Freddie Draper. Late fitness tests may be required to see whether or not they can feature.
Manager Comments:
Keith Millen: “We’ve moved on from the defeat on Tuesday night.
"There were a lot of positives to take from that game, but we were really disappointed to concede some of those goals the way we did.
“Walsall always give you a good game, I’ve been there loads of times in the past. It’s a good stadium with a great atmosphere, their home form isn’t bad at all, they’re hard to beat at their ground.
“They had a defeat against Sutton and lost on penalties in the cup.
"They’ll be keen to get back to winning ways, certainly at home.
“We’re got to make sure we head up there ready for the battle, the fight and a high tempo game. We’ve got to be ready for all of that.”
Mat Sadler: “Gillingham are a well fancied team in the division.
“It’s got to be all about ourselves and focusing on what we do and who we are, that’s how I’ll approach every single game.
“It’s a good one to sink our teeth into in front of our home supporters and we’re desperate to send them home happy. That’s our main objective, to win in front of our home fans and we look forward to it against a decent team that will fancy themselves to be up there so it will be a good yardstick for us.”
Previous Meeting:
The Gills most recent trip to Walsall came in Mid-March this year, travelling to the Bescot Stadium as the clubs met in League Two.
On a rainy afternoon in the midlands, it was the hosts that created the best opportunities to find the net in the first half. The Saddlers produced a lot of fine build up play, picking the right passes and linking up well in and around the Gillingham area.
Had it not been for Glenn Morris in goal for the Gills, the hosts could have been two goals in front heading into the break. The Gillingham keeper the difference, tipping fantastic efforts from Isaac Hutchinson and Andy Williams over his crossbar.
The hosts found the opener in the early stages of the second half through Hutchinson. After breaking on the counter-attack, the forward drove down the wing and gave himself an opportunity to have a shot at goal. Fortune was with him, his strike taking a touch of the leg of Max Ehmer, deflecting the shot past a helpless Morris and putting Walsall ahead.
The Gills fought back, having spells of possession as the second half wore on, but were unable to find a final pass to unlock the Walsall defence, giving them an opportunity to level the scoreline.
The hosts sealed the points in the dying seconds of added time.
After winning a throw in inside the Gillingham half, a long throw into the box from Walsall saw the ball land on the head of Mathew Stevens, the player tipping it on for Connor Wilkinson who liftted a shot over Glen Morris and into the net.
Head-to-Head:
Walsall – 46
Draw – 25
Gillingham – 47
The clubs come into this fixture sharing an almost equal record when facing each other over the course of history. The standings in league competition are split straight down the middle, with both sides claiming 45 wins each.
The Gills have claimed an additional two victories from a total of four FA Cup ties played out between the sides, Walsall claiming a solitary cup victory, the remaining cup tie ending in a draw.
SADDLERS VISITOR FAN GUIDE
Ticket Information:
Gills fans can buy tickets on the day, however there is a £2 increase to the pre-match pricing. Please be aware the stadium is a cashless venue.
Odds:
Walsall Win – 7/4
Draw – 11/5
Gillingham Win – 6/4
Special Bet: Tom Nichols to score and Gillingham to win – 11/2
Match Officials:
Referee – Charles Breakspear
Assistants – Alex Gray & Gareth Viccars
Fourth Official – Ollie Williams
Sat Nav: WS1 4SA