Gillingham are back at the MEMS Priestfield Stadium this Saturday as they welcome managerless Barrow to ME7.
The Gills go into the game eighth in the table, one point away from the play-off places and nine points away from the top.
Last Saturday’s gutsy 0-0 draw away at Colchester United extends the unbeaten run to five league games. Manager Gareth Ainsworth was full of praise for the side’s resilience in stopping the normally threatening Colchester from having a single shot on target.
It was his first ever 0-0 as manager and is now keen to start winning games at home as the league moves into the hectic Christmas period.
Barrow’s poor form, culminating in last week’s 0-3 home loss against Tranmere Rovers, resulted in the club parting ways with manager Andy Whing, stating their “current league position does not reflect the quality and the investment that has been put into the squad.” Neil MacDonald will be taking temporary charge.
Barrow are 18th in the league, four points clear of the relegation zone. They have lost three of their last four games, and the most recent of their five league wins was on 18th October.
Gillingham and Barrow have played each other 6 times since Barrow were promoted to join League Two for the first time since 1972. Gillingham won this fixture last year 2-0, while Barrow won the away match 3-0. With 329 miles between the two clubs, there is typically a distinct home advantage.
Gillingham’s matchday squad has several absentees, although Ainsworth hinted that he expected a couple of players to come back into the squad this week, without offering names. Loanee Travis Akomeah impressed at centre back last week and returning skipper Armani Little looked sharp in midfield, which has given Ainsworth more options for consideration.
Playing a club with a recently sacked manager should be advantageous, but it can be something of a lottery. It is difficult to prepare for a team who may set up differently to how they’ve been playing all season. The Gills’ recent habit of drawing matches against supposedly ‘weaker’ teams could also make this fixture a potential banana skin.
But with a five-match unbeaten run and Ainsworth in the Priestfield dugout for the first time since September, a Gillingham win should be on the cards.
Picture supplied by Gillingham Football Club.