Gillingham FC Forum

Port Vale lead the wins 17 to 15 (17 draws) and are unbeaten against the Gills in 4 games. The Gills last won there in September 2012.

Port Vale have won 4 of their last 8 home ties against the Gills - all 4 ended 2-1 (the Gills won 3-1 and 2-0 at Vale Park in that spell).

Both sides began last season with just 2 defeats in 19 home league games. Port Vale have won 4 out 4 this season but the Gills 1 out 5.

Port Vale ended last season with 3 home defeats in 5 (including a 0-5 loss to Walsall) but have won all 3 home league games this season.

The Gills 4 wins from just 5 away games is already more than the totals from 5 of the last 12 seasons (which averaged 5.75 wins).

Port Vale have won 6 out of 7 home games (but 7 in 18 overall) whilst the Gills have won 4 out of 5 away games (5 in 18 overall).

Previously over the last 21 matches, the Gills had scored 21 second half goals but only 7 in the first half.

3.02 Kick-Off

3.27
GOAL! Port Vale 0-1 Gillingham: Wright

3.30
Cody rounds the keeper but has a shot cleared off the line.

3.50 Half-time: 0-1
This is only the 6th time since the start of the 2014/15 season that Port Vale have been behind in a home league game at the break (the others ended drawn 2 and lost 3). They are unbeaten in 17 winning 15 when scoring first in that period.

3.55
Adedeji Oshilaja has conceded 4 fouls in the first half of the match. His previous highest in a whole match for the Gills was 3.

4.06
The second half kicks off.

4.20
Port Vale hit the post!

4.33
The Gills clear off the line through Josh Wright.

4.37
GOAL! Port Vale 1-1 Gillingham: Street

4.40
Jonathan Bond pulls off a sensational save to tip the ball over the bar (his second big save of the match).

4.45
GOAL! Port Vale 2-1 Gillingham: Jones

4.56 FULL-TIME: 2-1

Position: 13th
Attendance: 4,719 (197)
Referee: Carl Boyeson

A tough trip ahead of us on Saturday at Port Vale.They sit on 11 points like us,Since their last day hammering at home to Walsall their home form has been really good in all Competitions.We`re a side at the moment that performs better away (except Scunthorpe away),so i`m hoping we can get something from the game.I will be one of the 100+ who will be making the trip there.It`s another new ground with Gills to tick off.

What Team would you play? I would hope Osadebe would start after his energetic performance against Bradford.I would start Hessenthaler at right back as I`d prefer him there to Oshilaja or Pask

Play two wingers, and spread out the midfield so everyone is not standing around watching each other. Make the players watch the Barcelona 7-0 thrashing of Celtic and see how to pass a ball. What a game, made Celtic look like a High school team.

I think unless he plays Cargill, I can see him reverting to 3-5-2 again with Osadebe on the right hand side as he has played him there before. If not then one of the centre backs will definitely be going there so whoever is going on that side will need to more defensive. I'd like to see Osadebe with Wright in front of the back 4. A 3 in front of them of Wagstaff, Dack and Jet with Cody up top. No room for Byrne in that line up - unless he plays in the perplexing right back berth!

I think Gillingham will line up as follows.......................

-------------------------------------Bond----------------------------------------
Hessenthaler-------Ehmer--------------------Oshilaja-----------------Konchesky
------------------------------------Wright-----------------------------------------
---------------------Byrne---------------------Osadebe----------------------------
-----------------------------------Wagstaff------------------------------------------
---------------------McDonald-----------------Donnelly----------------------------

Subs: Nelson (GK), Pask, Oldaker, Knott, Dack, Emmanuel-Thomas, List

The reason why I have selected Jake Hessenthaler at Right Back is because Josh Pask played at Right Back in our 5 - 0 defeat away against Scunthorpe United, Josh Pask is A Centre Back, Not A Right Back, and I much rather see Emmanuel Osadebe play in midfield then start at Right Back, I think Scott Wagstaff will start, with Bradley Dack coming on in his place around The Sixty Fifth Minute, while Jay Emmanuel-Thomas needs to be given a reminder that he isn't a guaranteed starter and Rory Donnelly put in a good shift up-front without reward against Bradford City and he deserves to retain his role in The Starting Line Up.

Hopefully Gillingham can keep there impressive away form going with another away win tomorrow - COME ON THE GILLS!!!!!!!!!!!

I just don't see Gillingham lining up with three central attacking midfielders behind one striker, or two wingers and one attacking midfielder just yet.

Yet another win that has come from a losing position, this time for the opposition. It's getting crazy now. The defence needs desperate sorting but we are stuck with it now until January - a huge mistake by Jed to accept what we have considering how many loan defenders were brought in last season. Sounds like we badly missed Jackson (suspended) as Oshilaja was well out of his depth covering right back and ended up subbed at half time after giving away 4 fouls and a yellow card.

Some odd comments though from fans. "Where is the captain invisible as always he should be stripped of the captaincy" was one. I didn't go to the game but it sounded like he or Bond was easily the man of the match. Wright scored a goal and stopped a shot on the line to have the game 1-0 to us until 12 minutes to go so hardly invisible! I don't think he was out fault for 2 goals in 6 minutes, it's that leaky defence that's the issue.

It's a shame but I think the simple truth is we're not very good.

It was my first trip to Port Vale,the ground isn't too bad.I thought it was a game of two halves.We got the ball down well,and with Dack running the midfield we created a number of good opportunities.A well worked goal from a corner gave us the lead,Cody found Wright who slotted home.Cody nearly doubled the lead when his goal bound shot was blocked on the line.Oshilaja had his header saved,and Dack had two free kicks go close.Port Vale's best chance of the half was brilliantly saved from Bond.We went in 0-1 up at H/T which was deserved.The second half was completely different with us playing so deep,and once Dack went off we just got over run in midfield.We survived for quite a while,but you knew the goals were coming.They hit the post,Bond made two more great saves,but the equaliser finally came.You just knew their winner was coming,we kept hoofing to Cody but it was just coming back to us.The winner came which didn't surprise any of us,but it was frustrating how we could not get the second goal and also keep the lead.

Vale are really good at home this season,so you have to be solid to get a clean sheet.At the moment it doesn't look like we will get one any time soon.We don't have a settled defence,and our system particularly away from home leaves us exposed.Jerome Thomas had so much joy down our right hand side.It was a long journey home,but I wish we could turn up for more than one half.

I was surprised to see Emmanuel Thomas take the throw ins late on,as surely you would want him in the box with his height.