Next Up: Gillingham at Home
Given City’s away form this season, a return of a solitary point from visits to Bristol
Rovers and Fleetwood is hardly the tonic Paul Tisdale and his City side needed going into successive tricky home matches, but Tisdale would have been encouraged by a performance in the north west that saw City do everything but score. Tisdale may be tempted to juggle things around for the visit of table-topping Gillingham, with Jake Gosling and John O’Flynn hoping for a recall to the starting line-up. Steve Tully started on Saturday and played the full 90 in place of Kevin Amankwaah in the second half, so he may be in line to keep his place.
Gillingham, under the ever astute leadership of the colourful Martin Allen, have had a season that mirrors City in many ways, albeit slightly better in that they are starting to open a gap over the faltering Port Vale at the top. Their home form has been patchy, although a 2-1 victory over that mob from down the A38 on Saturday was a welcome tonic, while those who state City have the best away record in League Two are incorrect, in fact it’s the Gills. They received a welcome fillip recently in getting back their former striker Cody MacDonald on loan, but he has been recalled by Coventry, leaving Deon Burton as the headline name in their attack.
For those that were there in November for the reverse of this fixture it was an unforgettable night full of ebb and flow as City emerged victorious 3-2, despite Jamie Cureton missing a penalty at 2-2. Cureton notched two that night, the other a magical free-kick from Alan Gow from about 30 yards. For Gillingham to avenge this victory, however, would be for them to do something they haven’t done since a 3-1 win at the Park, back in September 1957! City hold the slight edge in the head-to-head in the Football League, with 37 wins to the Gills’ 33 (29 draws). The last time Gillingham visited the sides played out a 1-1 draw (Richard Duffy for City, Stuart Lewis equalising two minutes later) in the 09/10 season.
Match Officials: http://www.exeweb.com/2013/03/11/match-officials-gillingham-at-home/
Exeweb guide to St James Park for visiting Gillingham fans: Exeweb Guide to SJP