- The Gills face their 246th FA Cup tie with a long trip up north to face Sunderland - a club they have met only once in a knockout cup competition, the last time being also a Round 1 FA Cup tie in the 1907/08 season (3-1 win).
- The Gills won their first two meetings with Sunderland (1907 and 1987). Sunderland are unbeaten from the remaining 9 meetings, winning 7 of them.
- The Gills have conceded 4 goals in 3 of their last 4 meetings (including both last season) and their 5 trips to Sunderland have ended 2-4, 1-1, 1-2, 1-2 and 3-4.
- Sunderland started the season unbeaten in 7 with 5 consecutive wins in all competitions. Their last 5 wins span 12 matches and they have 1 win in 4. The Gills have 1 win in 6 matches.
- Sunderland lost their last match - a home defeat to Leicester U21s which ended a sequence of 4 consecutive home wins with 11 goals scored. It is their only home defeat this season and the first in 12 games since a 4-5 home loss to Coventry.
- The tie is the Gills 125th in Round 1 of which they have won 52 and lost 41. 57 games have been away from home and 16 wins came from them.
- The Gills have met same-league opposition in Round 1 of the FA Cup 26 times (9 wins and 11 defeats) - 13 in away games 3 wins and 7 defeats). In all rounds against same league opposition, their record is 18 wins, 16 draws and 30 defeats.
13.00 Kick Off [ 4 - 1 - 3 - 2 ]
13.15
GOAL! Sunderland 1-0 Gillingham: McGeady
13.49
A Maguire volley flashes just past the post and should have been the second.
13.49 Half time 1-0
14.05
The second half kicks off.
14.06
GOAL! Sunderland 1-1 Gillingham: Lee
14.41
Olly Lee with a second good chance to give the Gills the lead, this time he is centimetres away from diverting in a Hanlan drive. Appeals for a penalty on Lee is waved away.
14.54 FULL TIME 1-1
Attendance: 7,892
Referee: Michael Salisbury
Match highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfiGe5j9pG8
BBC Match Report: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/50290243