[ 9 Nov 24 ] GILLS v Port Vale Match Thread

[Garawa]

- The Gills have won 15 of the 50 ties with Port Vale who have won 17 of them including 3 of the most recent 6 matches during which they went unbeaten. A further 18 ties between the sides were drawn.
- The Gills are winless in 6 against Port Vale, losing and drawing a game in each of the previous 3 seasons in which the sides last met. The Gills last victory over the Valiants came back in February 2014 - a 3-2 home win with goals from Akinfenwa (2) and McDonald.
- The Gills have won 1 of their last 6 home games with Port Vale, 2 of which ended in defeat. The Gills conceded goals in each of those 6 games with 4 of them seeing Port Vale score twice.
- Port Vale ended last season with 15 defeats and 2 wins from their final 23 league games and started this season with 1 win and 2 defeats from their opening 4 league games. They are unbeaten in the 10 league games since, winning 8 of them.
- Port Vale have won 5 league games in a row with 3 of them being away from home - all 1-0. They are unbeaten in 5 (4 wins) away from home since their only league defeats back in August - a 0-4 loss away to Barrow followed in the next game by a 2-3 home loss to Doncaster.
- The Gills scored 4 goals in their opening game and 15 in total from 14 league games. Port Vale only 2 blank sheets, the fewest in League 2, came in their opening 3 league games and they have scored in the 11 since, managing 21 goals in total.

EFL Sky Bet League 2: Gillingham FC v Port Vale
Opposition Manager: Darren Moore. Matchday Team: Connor Ripley, Ben Heneghan, [c] Connor Hall, Jesse Deborah (Lorent Tolaj), Conor Grant (Ruari Paton), Tom Sang, Ryan Croasdale, Brandon Cover, Ronan Curtis (Jack Shorrock), Jayden Stockley (Antwaine Hackford), Rico Richards (Ethan Chislett)
Opposition League Position: Sky Bet League 2 (1st)
Referee: Alan Young
Attendance: 6,267 (523)

(15:01) Kick Off [ 5 - 3 - 2 ]
(15.09) Gills pressing hard so far and Vale struggling to build much away from their penalty area. A quick break by Wyllie sees the ball roll to the edge of the 6 yard box but Wakeling's outstretched foot isn't quite enough to deflect the ball into the Rainham end goal.
(15.41) After periods of free-flowing attacking football by the Gills, the game has been stifled by a series of injuries.
(15.44) Gills survive 2 penalty shouts - a possible handball by Masterson when sliding on the ground and immediately after Turner caught the ankles of an attacker when sliding for the ball.
(15.46) The referee indicates there will be 8 additional minutes.
(15.54) Half time

(16.10) The second half kicks off
(16.23) A Max Clark free kick dead centre curls narrowly over the bar.
(16.22) Stockley slices wide from 7 yards out with the goal at his mercy.
(16.44) GOAL! Gillingham 1-0 Port Vale: J Clarke.
(16.44) The Gills score the first goal on 79 minutes with the only shot on target in the match.
(16.55) 5 minutes of stoppage time will be played.
(16.58) A floated ball forward for Vale is stabbed goalward just as Turner gathers the loose ball.
(17.00) FULL TIME 1-0

Gills' League Position After Game: 8th
Match Report: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/c238g83zm01t
Match highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EL_wkDm3BWw