Preview: Gillingham vs. Fleetwood Town - prediction, team news, lineups

As portion of Saturday's League Two action, John Coleman is acceptable to instrumentality complaint of his archetypal crippled arsenic Gillingham brag erstwhile they big Fleetwood Town astatine Priestfield Stadium.

Both sides travel into the clash with caller ideas successful the dugout and are looking to bounce backmost from losses, though the hosts person mislaid 3 consecutive games and are successful peculiarly mediocre form.

Match preview

© Imago

After their 3-0 nonaccomplishment to Bromley connected January 2, it was announced 3 days aboriginal by Gillingham that Mark Bonner had been sacked and replaced by erstwhile Accrington Stanley brag John Coleman.

The Gills are presently 14th successful League Two, having earned 30 points from their 23 games to date, and beryllium 10 points beneath Doncaster Rovers successful the playoff spots.

Having started the run strongly, Bonner had the nine apical of the array astatine the extremity of September with a grounds of six wins, 1 gully and conscionable 1 nonaccomplishment from their opening 8 matches.

However, a disastrous tally since past of 10 losses, 2 draws and 3 wins has seen Gillingham descent down the table, and yet led to his dismissal.

In fairness to the erstwhile boss, the Gills person been dealing with an wounded situation successful caller months, though with the instrumentality of cardinal players, they whitethorn regain immoderate consistency arsenic Bonner suggested successful his departing statement.

That being said, the hosts person not scored successful immoderate of their past 3 matches, conceding six goals successful the process, and it is understandable that the committee thought alteration was needed.

This weekend, Coleman volition beryllium looking to kickstart the 2nd portion of Gillingham's run with a affirmative effect against their mid-table rivals, and the 'new manager bounce' could spot his broadside prime up each 3 points.

© Imago

Meanwhile, Pete Wild's Fleetwood are 16th successful the array aft picking up 27 points from their 22 matches truthful far.

After erstwhile brag Charlie Adam was sacked pursuing past month's decision against Barrow, Wild was appointed conscionable earlier Christmas and took complaint of his archetypal crippled connected December 29 – a 1-1 gully with Harrogate Town.

Just similar Coleman, Wild volition beryllium looking for his archetypal triumph astatine his nine connected Saturday, and fixed their superior extremity difference, the visitors could leapfrog the Gills successful the array with a victory.

Last clip out, the Cod Army mislaid 2-1 against promotion-chasing Doncaster, meaning that they person won conscionable erstwhile successful their past 8 league games, a spell that goes backmost to precocious November.

This weekend, caller brag Coleman volition beryllium keen to halt his other fig from earning his archetypal win, and fixed the opposition's difficulties successful guardant areas, they whitethorn spot this play arsenic an accidental to instrumentality the 3 points for their own.

Gillingham League Two form:

Fleetwood Town League Two form:

Team News

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New brag Coleman has said that lone 2 players are retired injured astatine the infinitesimal - cardinal defender Conor Masterson and striker Oli Hawkins.

Both are lone absent successful the abbreviated word but they volition not beryllium disposable this weekend, truthful expect Robbie McKenzie, Max Ehmer, Shadrach Ogie and Max Clark to enactment up successful defence, portion Josh Andrews is apt to commencement up top.

As for Fleetwood, guardant Kian Harratt has made his archetypal indebtedness determination from Huddersfield Town a imperishable one, and brag Wild is apt to brace him up beforehand with Ryan Graydon.

Elsewhere, goalkeeper Jay Lynch volition proceed betwixt the sticks portion David Harrington recovers from an wounded helium picked up connected Boxing Day, and semipermanent absentee Zech Medley remains retired with an achilles injury.

Gillingham imaginable starting lineup:
Morris; McKenzie, Ehmer, Ogie, Clark; Dieng, Coleman; Nolan, Williams, Gbode; Andrews

We say: Gillingham 0-1 Fleetwood Town

Both teams are looking to kickstart the 2nd portion of their play by earning their archetypal triumph nether their caller manager, truthful expect Saturday's crippled to beryllium a close-fought contest.

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