Two sides locked in mid-table with little left to play for will go head-to-head at Priestfield Stadium this weekend, as Gillingham prepare to host Swindon Town in their penultimate game of the 2024-25 League Two season.
While the Gills will be keen to extend their unbeaten run, Swindon make the trip aiming to bounce back from a setback that officially dashed their late promotion hopes.
Match preview
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Gillingham edged out AFC Wimbledon with a narrow 1-0 win last time out, a game settled by Joe Gbode's late impact off the bench as the 20-year-old forward fired home what proved to be the decisive goal.
That result stretched the Gills' unbeaten streak to ten matches, though it was only their second triumph in that span, underlining a period marked more by resilience than ruthlessness.
Given Gillingham's recent knack for sharing the spoils — with eight of those ten outings ending level — and the fact that four of the last five meetings with Swindon have also ended in stalemates, another tight contest looks to be on the cards.
However, Gareth Ainsworth's men do hold the most recent victory in this tie — a 1-0 victory at the County Ground in October 2023 — while their last success over Swindon at home dates back to December 2020.
On their own patch this season, the Gills have won 10 of their 22 league matches, though with four draws and eight losses, they have not exactly turned Priestfield into a fortress.
Only sides in the bottom two have scored fewer than Gillingham's tally of 23 home goals, while they have conceded just 19 — a figure matched only by the most solid sides outside the top seven.
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Swindon, on the other hand, saw their four-game winning run come to an end in frustrating fashion last weekend, as they fell 1-0 to Bromley — a result that mathematically ended their outside hopes of finishing in the playoff spot.
Ian Holloway's men sit 13th on the table with 60 points from 15 wins, 15 draws and 14 defeats, placing them well clear of any relegation danger but also seven points adrift of the top seven, with just two games left to play.
That said, the Robins have shown glimpses of ruthlessness on their travels in recent weeks, thumping both Fleetwood Town and Grimsby Town 4-0 in back-to-back away victories.
In fact, they have won five of their nine games on their travels this calendar year, a sharp contrast to the solitary success they managed in their previous 13 league trips in 2024.
The Robbins have collected 26 points from 22 away games this season, and their attacking strength on the road is evident, with their 31 goals scored ranking joint third among all teams.
Defensively, they have been less convincing away from home, shipping 29 goals, but their greatest hurdle this weekend may be psychological — Swindon have never tasted victory in 11 previous visits to Priestfield, drawing six and losing five across League One and League Two meetings.
Team News
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Gbode replaced Oliver Hawkins in the first half of their last game and is likely to lead the line from the start this weekend, which could be the only change to the starting lineup.
Marcus Wyllie, Josh Andrews, Ethan Coleman, Max Ehmer and Asher Agbinone remain unavailable due to injuries.
Swindon did not suffer any fresh injuries in their previous outing, so the list of absentees remains unchanged.
Aaron Drinan, Ryan Delaney, Joel McGregor, Grant Hall and Harrison Minturn are all expected to miss Saturday's clash.
Gillingham possible starting lineup:
Morris; Gale, Masterson, Ogie; Hutton, McKenzie, Dack, Clark; Williams, Rowe; Gbode
Swindon Town possible starting lineup:
Ripley; Wright, Delaney, Freckleton; Cotteril, Kilkenny, Ofobogh, Cox; Glatzel, Tshimanga; Smith
We say: Gillingham 1-1 Swindon Town
Both teams are evenly matched in their current circumstances, and with Gillingham's drawing habit meeting Swindon's poor history at Priestfield, another stalemate feels like the most fitting outcome.
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Adeyeye Oluwapelumi
