Tranmere (A) - 20 Dec 13

[Garawa]

In 16 visits the Gills have only managed the one win, a 3-2 win in December 2006. Rovers have won the last 4 ties between the sides including our last visit here, a 4-2 defeat in August 2009.

After match 22 last season, the Gills had identical home and away records of Won 7, Drew 2 and Lost 2.

Both sides have half the amount of points compared with last season. After 21 games the Gills have earned 22 pts down from 44 & Tranmere have 20 pts from 20 games down from 39 last season.

Both sides have suffered similar fates recently with both starting last season winning 9 of their opening 12 league fixtures. The end of last season & the start of this saw the Gills fail to win any of 11 matches & Rovers won none in 10. Both have lost 2 of their last 3 games.

Rovers took 41 points from their first 23 league matches last season but only 46 points from their next 53 league matches.

Tranmere come into the game having conceded 9 goals in their last 2 games (1-4 away at Carlisle, 0-5 at Peterboro). They are unbeaten in 3 at home.

Rovers have failed to score in 4 of their 9 home league matches this season and the Gills have only failed to score on their league travels twice.

Ryan Lowe is Tranmere's top scorer with 13 goals this season (12 from league games) surpassing his total from 42 games for MK Dons last season.

With 49 attempts Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro is only 5 shots away from matching his total shots at goal from last season. His shots on target accuracy from all goal attempts was 53.7% last season but is only 22.5% this season managing only 11 on target (scoring once).

Rovers have conceded 21 goals and kept 1 clean sheet at home in the league, the Gills have conceded 23 & kept 1 clean sheet away.

Before today, Tranmere had only managed to get 32.3% of their 161 attempts at goal on target. Those 52 is lowest total in League 1.

7:45
Kick-Off

8:34
GOAL! Tranmere 0-1 Gillingham: Akinfenwa
Bayo scores his first Gills goal away from home since April 2011

8:35
Half-time: 0-1

8:43
Tranmere overturned 3 half-time deficits last season, the best in League 1. This season they have lost all previous 9 games they had been losing at the break.

9:01
Red card for McNulty, Tranmere down to 10 men.

9:15
GOAL! Tranmere 0-2 Gillingham: Akinfenwa

9:23
GOAL! Tranmere 1-2 Gillingham

9:42
Full-time: 1-2
The Gills go into Christmas with their first win for a month after picking up their third away win of the season.