Preview: Colchester United vs. Gillingham - prediction, team news, lineups

Colchester United volition acceptable retired to widen their nine-game unbeaten tally erstwhile they entertain the situation of Gillingham astatine the Colchester Community Stadium connected Thursday successful circular 22 of the 2024-25 League Two season.
 
Both sides had to settee for a stock of the spoils successful their past outings and volition beryllium keen to spell 1 amended this clip astir to manus their fans a invited Boxing Day present.

Match preview

© Imago
 
Colchester played retired a 2nd consecutive goalless stalemate connected Friday arsenic their gathering against Crewe astatine the Alexandra Stadium ended with honours adjacent to marque it 3 stalemates from their past 4 league clashes either broadside of a 4-0 demolition of Swindon Town to get December underway.
 
While Danny Cowley's men would person been disappointed not to person travel distant with maximum points having been successful the ascendancy for ample spells of the contest, keeping a sixth consecutive cleanable expanse surely offers a uncommon affirmative from an different disappointing outcome.
 
The U's person made themselves hard to bushed of late, albeit without needfully winning matches, arsenic their seven-game league unbeaten streak since the commencement of November has yielded conscionable 11 points from a imaginable 21.
 
Nonetheless, Colchester person moved reasonably wide of the relegation portion and presently beryllium 17th successful the League Two table up of their upcoming matchup against an opposing outfit with small to take betwixt the teams implicit the past 4 meetings, which person yielded 2 wins apiece.
 
Ahead of their last outing of 2024 against third-place Doncaster Rovers, Thursday's hosts cognize they volition request to crook connected the benignant successful onslaught if their sturdy antiaircraft grounds astatine location of conscionable 7 goals conceded successful 10 games is to beryllium rewarded with much victories going forward.

© Imago
 
Gunning for a 3rd consecutive victory, Gillingham were blameworthy of throwing distant a pb for the 2nd clip successful 3 location outings arsenic they played retired a 2-2 gully against Cheltenham Town connected Friday astatine Priestfield Stadium.
 
Mark Bonner's men got their noses successful beforehand done Jayden Clarke but recovered themselves trailing to goals successful either fractional from Luke Young and George Miller earlier George Lapslie leapt disconnected the seat to level matters midway done the 2nd half.
 
Despite scoring the joint-fewest goals of immoderate squad successful the apical fractional (22 alongside Salford), the Gills are 10th successful the standings astatine the moment, conscionable 1 constituent shy of the last playoff spot with conscionable nether fractional of the play played.
 
However, Gillingham volition request to amended their violative output connected the roadworthy if they are to equine a important propulsion for promotion, having scored conscionable six times crossed 9 league games distant from location truthful far.
 
Thursday's matter would beryllium a bully spot to get started arsenic the distant broadside acceptable retired aiming to triumph back-to-back games connected force territory for the archetypal clip this play earlier closing retired 2024 with a travel to AFC Wimbledon connected Monday.

Colchester United League Two form:

Colchester United signifier (all competitions):

Gillingham League Two form:

Gillingham signifier (all competitions):

Team News

© Imago

Fiacre Kelleher was the biggest beneficiary of Colchester's alteration to a back-three enactment past clip retired arsenic helium was handed a archetypal starting quality since October.
 
Long-term absentee Anthony Scully is inactive nursing a musculus problem, and the Irishman is acceptable to miss a 10th consecutive crippled for the location broadside crossed each competitions.
 
Midfielder George Lapslie volition beryllium pushing to beryllium included successful the Gillingham lineup aft uncovering the backmost of the nett connected his instrumentality to enactment against Cheltenham.
 
Forty-one-year-old Glenn Morris has fended disconnected contention from Jake Turner to clasp his spot betwixt the sticks, and the seasoned is connected people for a 5th consecutive start.

Colchester United imaginable starting lineup:
Macey; Iandolo, Donnelly, Kelleher; McDonnell, Read, Bishop, Edwards, Anderson; Tovide, Taylor

We say: Colchester United 1-0 Gillingham

ID:561343:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:collect13148:

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's regular email of previews and predictions for each large game!