[ 25 Feb 25 ] GILLS v Fleetwood Town Match Thread

[Garawa]

- The Gills have won 4 matches against Fleetwood who have won 8 of the 18. The last 2 matches between the sides have been 0-0s, ending a run of 3 successive defeats meaning the Gills are winless in 7 meetings with Fleetwood.
- The Gills last win against Fleetwood was a 3-0 home victory in November 2018. That win was followed by a defeat at Priestfield and a draw. The Gills have won 3 and lost 3 of the 8 matches against Fleetwood at home.
- After winning 4 out of 6 league matches, Fleetwood have recently gone winless in 4 (2 defeats). Their away defeat at Grimsby on Saturday saw their goal end a run of 3 consecutive league blank sheets home and away.
- Following their 0-0 home game with the Gills earlier in the season, Fleetwood won 3 away league games in a row scoring 11 goals including a 6-2 win at runaway leaders Walsall. Since then, they have won 1 of the 10 away games since and losing 7 including 3 in the last 4.
- Both Fleetwood and the Gills have endured 3 blank sheets in their last 4 games with 1 goal being scored in the other. Both sides have seen 2 clean sheets in those 4 matches.
- Fleetwood's 13 clean sheets in League 2 is the joint second highest total, behind only AFC Wimbledon with 17. 4 of those clean sheets have come in their last 7 matches but that spell also saw them concede 4 goals at Morecambe, the joint highest conceders in the division.
- The Gills have fallen behind 8 times at home and 10 times away from home. Fleetwood have conceded 14 deficits away from home, the joint highest in League 2, with 9 deficits coming in their last 8 on the road. 5 of their last 11 away league games saw 2 deficits occur in them.

[Tue 25th Feb 2025] EFL Sky Bet League 2: Gillingham FC v Fleetwood Town
Opposition Manager: Pete Wild. Matchday Team: JKay Lynch, Shaun Rooney, James Bolton, [c] Brendan Sarpong-Wiredu, Brandon Cover (Rhys Bennett), Mackenzie Hunt, Elliott Bonds, Harrison Neal, Mark Helm, Ryan Graydon, Owen Devonport (Louie Marsh)
Opposition League Position: Sky Bet League 2 (14th)
Referee: Alan Young
Attendance: 5,370 (80)

(19.46) Kick Off [ 3 - 4 - 1 - 2 ]
(19.57) McKenzie finds space to the left of the penalty area but his curled shot goes just wide of the far post.
(20.08) A Fleetwood corner is played short to Hunt in acres of space who strikes it first time but can't get it on target with everyone caught napping.
(20.13) Hunt goes down under a challenge from Gale and, as he falls, Hutton sends the loose ball perfectly for Hawkins who heads wide as everyone stopped. The ref says goal kick.
(20.22) Graydon sprints forward, dinks the ball to the left of Morris and leaps over him to tap the ball into the empty net just as the offside flag goes up.
(20.25) GOAL! Gillingham 1-0 Fleetwood Town: Nevitt
(20.31) Fleetwood pile on the pressure as if its the end of the second half. Hunt blasts to the right of Morris and he looks beaten but Ehmer puts in a vital block.
(20.31) GOAL! Gillingham 1-1 Fleetwood Town: Helm
(20.31) There will be 2 minutes added to the half.
(20.33) Half time 1-1 [47:00]

(20.49) The second half kicks off.
(20.53) GOAL! Gillingham 1-2 Fleetwood Town: Graydon
(20.54) The ball falls nicely to the feet of Hawkins but the 'keeper gathers at his feet before he could capitalise. Moments later, Gbode outpaces everybody and sends a neat ball across the 6 yard box but, with the goal completely empty, no Gills player is quick enough to covert a simple tap in.
(20.57) Long throw from Hutton causes desperation from the away defence. By the time the ball drops for Nevitt to tap home, enough defenders are there to prevent a route to goal. The ball is played out to Little but his effort is blocked well.
(20.59) A fierce drive by Max Clark is met with a fabulous save.
(21.01) Everyone anticipates a Hutton cross but, as he gets to the edge of the box, he shoots for goal himself and his shot is well saved at the near post.
(21.06) Hunt shoots wide to Morris's right but he gets down quickly and seems to extend his arm and clutch the ball with his fingertips.
(21.07) For the second game in a row, the Gills hit the underside of the crossbar only to see the ball bounce on the line and away. This time Hawkins is the one denied.
(21.11) Fleetwood are desperately holding on. One chance goes begging but it falls to Nevitt who looks to have slammed it off the post but it's a brilliantly block by the 'keeper.
(21.24) As the Gills push for the equaliser, Fleetwood catch them on the break and Helm beats Morris only to see his shot go just passed the post.
(21.31) Dack strikes and it deflects just wide of the post for a corner.
(21.35) The 4th official indicates there will be 5 additional minutes.
(21.38) FULL TIME 1-2 [96:56]

Gills' League Position After Game: 19th
Match Report: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/cq8ql5ylxp0t
Match highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6pmgc05LjE