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League Two | Gameweek 22
Dec 26, 2024 at 3pm UK
JobServe Community Stadium
G

Colchester
vs.
Gillingham

 

Preview: Colchester United vs. Gillingham - prediction, team news, lineups

:Headline: Preview: Colchester United vs. Gillingham - prediction, team news, lineups:
Sports Mole previews Thursday's League Two clash between Colchester United and Gillingham, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Sports Mole

Colchester United will set out to extend their nine-game unbeaten run when they entertain the challenge of Gillingham at the Colchester Community Stadium on Thursday in round 22 of the 2024-25 League Two season.
 
Both sides had to settle for a share of the spoils in their last outings and will be keen to go one better this time around to hand their fans a welcome Boxing Day present.


Match preview


 
Colchester played out a second straight goalless stalemate on Friday as their meeting against Crewe at the Alexandra Stadium ended with honours even to make it three stalemates from their last four league clashes either side of a 4-0 demolition of Swindon Town to get December underway.
 
While Danny Cowley's men would have been disappointed not to have come away with maximum points having been in the ascendancy for large spells of the contest, keeping a sixth consecutive clean sheet certainly offers a rare positive from an otherwise disappointing outcome.
 
The U's have made themselves hard to beat of late, albeit without necessarily winning matches, as their seven-game league unbeaten streak since the start of November has yielded just 11 points from a possible 21.
 
Nonetheless, Colchester have moved reasonably clear of the relegation zone and currently sit 17th in the League Two table ahead of their upcoming matchup against an opposing outfit with little to choose between the teams over the last four meetings, which have yielded two wins apiece.
 
Ahead of their final outing of 2024 against third-place Doncaster Rovers, Thursday's hosts know they will need to turn on the style in attack if their sturdy defensive record at home of just seven goals conceded in 10 games is to be rewarded with more victories going forward.


 
Gunning for a third straight victory, Gillingham were guilty of throwing away a lead for the second time in three home outings as they played out a 2-2 draw against Cheltenham Town on Friday at Priestfield Stadium.
 
Mark Bonner's men got their noses in front through Jayden Clarke but found themselves trailing to goals in either half from Luke Young and George Miller before George Lapslie leapt off the bench to level matters midway through the second half.
 
Despite scoring the joint-fewest goals of any team in the top half (22 alongside Salford), the Gills are 10th in the standings at the moment, just one point shy of the final playoff spot with just under half of the season played.
 
However, Gillingham will need to improve their offensive output on the road if they are to mount a significant push for promotion, having scored just six times across nine league games away from home so far.
 
Thursday's affair would be a good place to get started as the away side set out aiming to win back-to-back games on enemy territory for the first time this season before closing out 2024 with a trip to AFC Wimbledon on Monday.

Colchester United League Two form:


Colchester United form (all competitions):


Gillingham League Two form:


Gillingham form (all competitions):



Team News

Fiacre Kelleher was the biggest beneficiary of Colchester's change to a back-three formation last time out as he was handed a first starting appearance since October.
 
Long-term absentee Anthony Scully is still nursing a muscle problem, and the Irishman is set to miss a 10th straight game for the home side across all competitions.
 
Midfielder George Lapslie will be pushing to be included in the Gillingham lineup after finding the back of the net on his return to action against Cheltenham.
 
Forty-one-year-old Glenn Morris has fended off competition from Jake Turner to retain his place between the sticks, and the veteran is on course for a fifth consecutive start.


Colchester United possible starting lineup:
Macey; Iandolo, Donnelly, Kelleher; McDonnell, Read, Bishop, Edwards, Anderson; Tovide, Taylor

Gillingham possible starting lineup:
Morris; Clark, Masterson, Ehmer, Hutton; McKenzie, Coleman; Clarke, Nolan, Rowe; Nevitt


We say: Colchester United 1-0 Gillingham

With two of the division's lowest-scoring teams going head-to-head, we are anticipating a drab affair and a narrow triumph for the hosts when all is said and done.


For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.


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Friday's League Two predictions including Gillingham vs. Cheltenham
Ranking the top 20 volleys in Premier League history
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Walsall20134337191843
2Port Vale2110742619737
3Doncaster RoversDoncaster2110653124736
4Crewe AlexandraCrewe209832416835
5Chesterfield2197536231334
6AFC Wimbledon20103731171433
7Notts County208752821731
8Grimsby Town21101102833-531
9MK Dons199373326730
10Gillingham209382218430
11Salford City208662219330
12Bradford CityBradford207762422228
13Bromley206952523227
14Cheltenham TownCheltenham217682930-127
15BarrowBarrow207582018226
16Newport CountyNewport207582731-426
17Colchester UnitedColchester2041152322123
18Fleetwood TownFleetwood195862425-123
19Tranmere RoversTranmere205691529-1421
20Harrogate TownHarrogate2163121732-1521
21Swindon TownSwindon2147102635-919
22Accrington StanleyAccrington204792636-1019
23Carlisle UnitedCarlisle2036111532-1715
24Morecambe2135131938-1914
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