Gillingham host Northampton Town at Priestfield Stadium on Saturday aiming for their first win of the season after two goalless draws to start the campaign. Both sides have yet to score in League Two this term, with the Gills recording a draw at Fleetwood and a loss to Walsall, while Northampton lost 1-0 at Crewe.
What is the head-to-head record between Gillingham and Northampton?
Northampton hold a clear advantage in the historical matchup, having won 55 of the 117 meetings compared to Gillingham's 42 victories, with 20 draws. The Cobblers have also gone unbeaten in their last four encounters, including a win during their 2022/23 promotion-winning season. Louis Appéré scored the opener in that fixture before Aiden O'Brien equalised, but Will Hondermarck secured the win for Northampton late on.
What team news is available for Gillingham ahead of the match?
Winger Kadeem Harris will miss the remainder of the season after rupturing his ACL in the draw at Fleetwood Town, with Conor McManus expected to start in his place. Loanee goalkeeper Ollie Wright is pushing for his Gillingham debut after being sidelined since pre-season, while Ashley Maynard-Brewer has covered the last two games via emergency loans from Sheffield Wednesday. Gambian striker Lamin Sillah joined on a season-long loan from Nottingham Forest on Thursday and is expected to begin on the bench.
What team news is available for Northampton ahead of the match?
New signing Nathaniel Opoku, who arrived from Leicester City, could make his debut for the Cobblers after scoring six times on loan at Newport last season. Manager Chris Hogg confirmed Jack Burroughs and Liam Shaw remain unavailable, though Conor McCarthy has made progress in his recovery. Hogg added that his squad is largely unchanged from last week, indicating a similar lineup may be selected for the Priestfield trip.
What are the likely lineups for the match?
Gillingham are expected to line up with Wright in goal, backed by Smith, Beckles, Dobbs, Freeman, Albarus, McKenzie and McManus in midfield and defence, with Brophy supporting Goodwin and Hale up front. Northampton are predicted to start with Jeacock between the posts, protected by Donacien, Moore, Guthrie and Maxwell, while Saunders, Evans, Fornah and Hoskins operate in midfield behind Lemonheigh-Evans and Warhurst.
Who are the key players to watch in the fixture?
Will Goodwin has been a constant threat for Gillingham, registering nine shots in the opening two games, five of which were saved and three hitting the woodwork, leading the league for shots on target per 90. The 24-year-old former Cheltenham Town target man aims to break his duck with support from Ronan Hale and Lamin Sillah. For Northampton, Sam Hoskins remains a vital outlet despite limited minutes this term, having forced two saves in his 13-minute cameo against Crewe and boasting 468 appearances for the club over more than a decade.
The match kicks off at 15:00 BST on Saturday, 29th August, with audio passes available for domestic supporters via the club’s fixtures page as the game is not televised in the UK.
