- The Gills beat Portsmouth 2-0 on Boxing Day 2001, repeating the result and scoreline in Boxing Day 2018. They also beat Southend 1-0 on New Years Day 2013, can they repeat that scoreline also?
- The Gills win at Charlton last season on New Years Day was their first match played then in 5 seasons. This is just the 25th season a New Year's Day match will have been played.
- The Gills have won 13 and lost just 5 of the 24 games played on New Year's Day. They have won the last 3, the last defeat coming in 2007.
- The Gills have won 46 matches against Southend and lost 38. There have been 30 draws. After 3 wins against Utd in the 2016/17 season, the Gills have won 1 in 4 (trophy match).
- The Gills lost 4-0 at Southend last season, ending a run of 3 Gills wins and a draw at Roots Hall.
- Southend have lost 6 home league matches this season, all by a single goal having scored in the match. The other 6 home games saw a clean sheet kept, the joint highest total in League 1 alongside Luton.
- Both sides have won 3 of their last 6 league games. The Gills have managed theirs after 3 straight defeats and Southend after 4 straight defeats.
- Southend conceded 20 leads from their previous 25 league games this season - more than any other side. It is 2 more than the Gills and the 11 leads taken is 2 fewer than the Gills.
- Southend have managed the fewest amount of first half goals (8) in the division but have scored 22 in their second halves.
15.00 Kick Off [ 5 - 3 - 2 ]
15.42
GOAL! Southend 1-0 Gillingham: Mantom
Southend have won all 5 home games when scoring first (9 out of 10 overall) whilst the Gills have lost all 6 away games when conceding first.
15.45
Goal-keeper Bishop pulls off a great save from Eaves.
15.48 Half time 1-0
Southend had previously only managed 5 half time leads from their 25 league games this season however they won all 5 matches.
16.03
The second half kicks off.
16.29
Bishop pulls off 2 great saves in 2 minutes from Eaves and Byrne.
16.51
RED CARD! Robinson (Southend) receives 2 yellow cards in 3 minutes.
16.53
GOAL! Southend 2-0 Gillingham: Moore
The Gills have the ball over the line but the goal isn't given. Southend break as the Gills appeal and score an easy goal. Lovell and Patterson booked for protesting.
16.54 FULL TIME 2-0
Attendance: 7,093 (518)
Position: 18th
Referee: Keith Stroud
Match Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPmVgUi-YSc
BBC Match Report: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/46677346