[ 26 Dec 25 ] GILLS v Cambridge Utd Match Thread

[Garawa]

- The Gills lead the wins over Cambridge by 13 victories to 6 and just 2 of the 21 meetings have been drawn. In the league, they won both the previous meetings in 2021/2 and are unbeaten in the last 6, winning the last 3. In all competitions, the Gills have won 5 and lost 1 of the last 8.
- In all competitions, the Gills have won the last 7 matches at home to Cambridge and 8 of the 9 games played against them. The other match was Cambridge's only victory at Priestfield - a 1-2 scoreline back in September 1972.
- Cambridge are unbeaten in 7 league games and 11 in all competitions (3 and 5 wins respectively) and they have won 5 (and lost 2) of their last 11. The Gills are winless in 6 and have won 1 of their last 12 league games. At home, the Gills are winless in 6 (4 draws) after 4 consecutive home wins at the start of the season.
- Cambridge have failed to score in 5 of their 10 away league games, the joint highest amount of away blank sheets. It has contributed to them scoring just 8 away goals, the fewest amount in the division.
- Cambridge have conceded the fewest first half goals (8) in League 2 with just 1 conceded in 9 games. The Gills have conceded 11 and both sides have scored 11 with the Gills managing 7 in their last 8 after 4 in the preceding 13 (11 of those games with no first half goals scored).
- Cambridge have been behind on the fewest occasions of any League 2 side (9 deficits). In their last 7 games, they have found themselves behind on just 2 occasions (in 2 of the matches). The Gills have been behind 9 times (in 9 games) in their last 13 league games.
- Having faced 60 shots on target (2.9 per game), Cambridge are the League 2 side to have restricted their opponents to the fewest attempts on target. They managed 73 of their own whilst the Gills have managed 81 shots on target and faced 78.
- Cambridge have given away 71 corners (an average of 3.4 per game) which is the joint fewest in League 2. Cambridge conceded 13 in their last 2 games whilst the Gills gave away 12 (10 in their last game at Fleetwood) after both sides gave away 1 in their 18th and 19th league games.

[Fri 26th December 2025] EFL Sky Bet League 2: Gillingham FC v Cambridge United
Opposition Manager: Neil Harris Matchday Team: Jake Eastwood, Kelland Watts, Mamadou Jobe, [c] James Gibbons, Adam Mayor, Liam Bennett (Ben Purrington), Sullay Kaikai (Elias Kachunga), Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu, George Hoddle, James Brophy (Shane McLoughlin), Louis Appéré (Shayne Lavery)
Opposition League Position: Sky Bet League 2 (8th)
Referee: Neil Hair
Attendance: 7,344 (636)

(15.00) Kick Off [ 4 - 3 - 2 - 1 ]
(15.04) Sam Gale taps home after the 'keeper spills a collection but he is flagged offside.
(15.08) Clark's corner has to be palmed away from under the bar. The ball lay loose on the edge of the box and a Cambridge defender clears before it can be tapped home.
(15.10) GOAL! Gillingham 0-1 Cambridge Utd: Appere
(15.29) A lovely move by the Gills sees them move the ball well around the edge of the box. Andrews cushions a pass for Little to strike at goal. He beats the keeper but curls the shot just wide of the post.
(15.31) Brophy drags Turner out of goal but the angle is very tight. He chips over Turner scrambling back into goal but Clark is there to clear out of the 6 yard box before any away player can capitalise.
(15.34) Cambridge tap the ball towards their own goal. It is heading for a corner but Eastwood picks it up and Gills have an indirect free kick just inside the right edge of the penalty area. It is easily cleared but the Gills come back and Andrews heads down and Eastwood has to be alert to make the save.
(15.47) Half time 0-1

(16.03) The second half kicks off.
(16.07) Appere brings the ball down well inside the box. He goes down in stages after small contact with Gale. Both Appere and Turner are on the ground trying to grab hold of the loose ball.
(16.08) Nevitt gets forward and stabs a toe on the ball ahead of Gibbons. The ball beats the 'keeper but trickles wide of the post.
(16.17) A poor Little cross-field pass is intercepted by Brophy who shoots wide. It takes a slight deflection for a corner and would have been a second goal had it didn't.
(16.28) Penalty! Little is fouled in the box!
(16.29) Eastwood saves brilliantly from McKenzie's penalty and a corner is given.
(16.30) GOAL! Gillingham 1-1 Cambridge Utd: Clark
(16.32) From the edge of the box, Dack's powerful strike forces a good save from Eastwood who gathers the loose ball at the second attempt.
(16.48) A minimum of 4 minutes of stoppage time will be played.
(16.49) A cheap corner for the visitors is powered just over from a header.
(16.50) A Gills corner this time is blocked on the line and somehow finds its way into the arms of Eastwood.
(16.52) FULL TIME 1-1

Gills' League Position After Game: 10th
Match Report: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/c8e9nrw91z4t
Match highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDmKs1QNu5g