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Match preview: Blackburn v Gillingham – Ewood Park (3pm kick-off)

Team news;

Conor Wilkinson returns to the Gills starting line-up for the trip to Blackburn.

Bradley Dack starts for Blackburn, playing the no.10 role behind former Gills loanee Dominic Samuel.

There are three changes to the starting XI for Gills, with captain Lee Martin back from suspension and Josh Parker winning a recall.

Wilkinson is back from injury to lead the line for the Gills. Martin and Parker are expected to play either side in a 4-3-3 set-up.

Dropping out of the side is Elliott List, while injury rules out Alex Lacey and Luke O'Neill. There is no place in the squad for Liam Nash.

Finn O'Mara has been recalled from his loan spell at Folkestone.

Gillingham: Holy, Byrne, Ogilvie, Zakuani, Nugent, Ehmer, Hessenthaler, Clare, Parker, Martin, Wilkinson.

Subs: Arnold, Oldaker, List, Simpson, Cundle, O'Mara, Starkey.

Preview;

Gillingham come up against former favourite Bradley Dack on Saturday when they take on Blackburn Rovers.

Few people will be giving Gillingham much hope of a result.

The home side are massive favourites to clinch the win against a Gills side without a permanent manager and sitting inside the bottom four of League 1.

Former Gills favourite Bradley Dack will be lining up against them on Saturday Picture: Barry Goodwin
Former Gills favourite Bradley Dack will be lining up against them on Saturday Picture: Barry Goodwin

Caretaker boss Peter Taylor claimed a point from his first game back in charge on Tuesday night, against Scunthorpe.

He’ll be hoping his men can spring a surprise at the weekend and claim their first away win of the season.

Head to head;

Gills wins 1, draws 3, Blackburn wins 5

League form;

Gillingham: Scunthorpe D 0-0 (H), Rochdale L 0-3 (A), Charlton W 1-0 (H), AFC Wimbledon D 1-1 (A), Oxford L 0-3 (A), Shrewsbury L 1-2 (H).

Blackburn: Rotherham W 2-0 (H), Shrewsbury D 2-2 (A), AFC Wimbledon L 0-1 (H), Scunthorpe W 1-0 (A), Rochdale W 3-0 (A), MK Dons W 4-1 (H).


Stat Attack

Click here for appearances, goals, discipline, ratings and profiles


The last meeting at Ewood Park – Blackburn 1 Gillingham 2

It’s been 17 years since the Gills last paid Blackburn a visit but it was certainly a memorable one.

Player-manager Andy Hessenthaler got on the scoresheet in a 2-1 win, during Gills’ first season in Division 1.

Gillingham’s team that day included recently departed manager Ady Pennock.

Andy Hessenthaler was in charge of Gills on their last visit to Ewood Park and scored in a 2-1 win.
Andy Hessenthaler was in charge of Gills on their last visit to Ewood Park and scored in a 2-1 win.

Rovers went into the game eight unbeaten and with a team brimming with talent. They took an early lead through former Manchester United striker Mark Hughes but visiting goalkeeper Vince Bartram ensured the Gills stayed in the hunt.

Hessenthaler levelled just before the break and the Gills then took the lead, as a mix up at the back saw John Curtis score in his own goal.

The match ended 10-a-side when David Dunn was red carded for the hosts and Paul Shaw was dismissed for the Gills. Hessenthaler’s men fought bravely to the final whistle, taking all three points home to Kent.


Man in the middle – Robert Jones

Games refereed this season: 10 (25 yellows / 2 reds)

Robert Jones is in his second season as a Football League referee.

His last game in charge of the Gills was in the FA Cup, however, on a night most will want to forget.

He dished out five bookings at Brackley as the Gills were humbled on live TV, losing 4-3 to the non-league side.

This will be the first time the Merseyside-based official has refereed a game for the Gills in the league.

Assistants: Barry Gordon and Barry Cropp. Fourth official: Graeme Fyvie


One to watch – Bradley Dack

Bradley Dack was always going to leave Gillingham, the only surprise was how long it took.

He played his best football for the Gills during the first half of the 2015/16 season, which prompted Bristol City to make a £1m bid for the playmaker. The offer was doubled but the Gills, then going for promotion, refused to sell.

His form suffered at the back end of that season, as did the club’s, and he was never able to reach those heights again during a painful campaign last season.

Bradley Dack Picture: Ady Kerry
Bradley Dack Picture: Ady Kerry

Dack finally got a move away in the summer, with Blackburn snapping him up for £750,000.

Gills fans are all too aware of what he can do. He recently scored his first goal for Rovers, netting a late equaliser against League 1 surprise package Shrewsbury. It was his first 90 minutes of the season.

He has made four starts and four sub appearances in the league for Rovers, with hamstring problems holding him back.

Read what interim boss Peter Taylor has to say about the threat of Dack.

Dominic Samuel netting for the Gills during his loan spell. Will he score against them this weekend? Picture: Barry Goodwin
Dominic Samuel netting for the Gills during his loan spell. Will he score against them this weekend? Picture: Barry Goodwin

Another familiar face in the Blackburn team will be Dominic Samuel. The striker was with the Gills on loan for the second half of the 2015/16 season, scoring seven goals in 24 games. He has four to his name this season for Rovers after joining them from Reading in the summer.

From the opposition camp;

Rovers boss Tony Mowbray expects to be facing some selection headaches this weekend after the return to training of a number of injured players.

Rekeem Harper, Craig Conway, Ryan Nyambe, Scott Wharton and Ben Gladwin are all on the mind and chasing a place in the squad for the weekend.

Mowbray, speaking to the Lancashire Telegraph, said: “There were 20 players training and we have not had that for a while, without having to bring some Under-23s up.

“It was very competitive. It was good to see them applying their talent and competing with each other because I think they can see that the intensity is going to grow to get a starting berth.”

Mowbray’s team have already been shocked at home by AFC Wimbledon, losing 1-0, and he won’t want a repeat against lowly Gills.

He said: “I worry that it is a dangerous game, a game that if we don't turn up it will be like Wimbledon.

"It will be a team that will work extraordinarily hard, know that they have to show to a new manager what they are capable of.

"They got a 0-0 on Tuesday night in a tough game for them, and showed that they were very resilient and hard to play against.”

Peter Taylor watches Tuesday's game against Scunthorpe from the back of the main stand. Picture: Andy Payton
Peter Taylor watches Tuesday's game against Scunthorpe from the back of the main stand. Picture: Andy Payton

Last time out in the league – Gillingham 0 Scunthorpe 0

Peter Taylor’s interim reign started with a goalless draw at Priestfield.

Both teams struggled for clear-cut chances but Gills keeper Tomas Holy was the busier of the two.

Tom Hopper had the best chance of the night, with two minutes left, but was denied by the Gills keeper.

For the second game running the Gills only had a single shot on target, something they clearly need to work on. But, overall, it was far better than the performances served up last weekend at Rochdale.

Click here for more pictures from Gills' goalless draw.


Gills team news;

Conor Wilkinson is pushing for a return to the squad for this weekend’s clash.

Conor Wilkinson could be back at the weekend. Picture: Andy Jones
Conor Wilkinson could be back at the weekend. Picture: Andy Jones

Caretaker boss Peter Taylor said in the pre-match press conference that he has a chance of being on the bench, having missed the midweek visit of Scunthorpe with a hip injury.

Billy Bingham is out injured again. He missed the game against Scunthorpe, just days after ending a spell on the sidelines with a head injury. He’s only played four games this season. Scott Wagstaff remains sidelined.

Lee Martin is back from suspension but Tom Eaves is out. He sits out the first game of his three-match ban for his red card at Rochdale, having served a one-game suspension in the week for accumulating five bookings.

Elliott List was a surprise starter on Tuesday. Will he get the nod again? Picture: Andy Payton
Elliott List was a surprise starter on Tuesday. Will he get the nod again? Picture: Andy Payton

Talking point;

Peter Taylor’s team selection raised a few eyebrows on Tuesday night, starting the game without a recognised striker.

But Elliott List showed what he was capable of, troubling Scunthorpe on a few occasions with his pace, while his partner upfront Sean Clare also looked bright.

Taylor, who admitted post-match he would have liked a target man up top, will definitely be without Tom Eaves.

Will the interim Gills boss give List and Clare another go? Or will he instead turn to the experience of Josh Parker.


More on the Gills;

Gills have plenty of management options says interim boss

Gone in 60 minutes – the final straw for chairman Paul Scally

Taylor happy to hold the fort

Striker sad to see Ady go


Captain Lee Martin is back from suspension Picture: Ady Kerry
Captain Lee Martin is back from suspension Picture: Ady Kerry

Fancy a punt?

Gillingham are 13/2 to pull off a win at Blackburn, according to the latest odds from Sky Bet. You can get 2/5 on the home side taking maximum points and 19/5 on the draw.

It’s 22/1 for the Gills to repeat the scoreline from 2000 and come away with a 2/1 win.

Bradley Dack is 2/1 to score against his former team while it’s even money on Dominic Samuel to score.

Lee Martin is back for the Gills and he’s 6/1 to get on the scoresheet.


Follow kentonlinegills on twitter for match updates.

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