Two of the early strugglers in League Two will meet on Saturday as Hartlepool United will continue to search for their first victory of the season against Gillingham.

The visitors are only two points and one position higher than their opponents this weekend, which could cause a major change for the relegation zone.

Match preview

Hartlepool United are one of only two teams in the entire division without a victory from the opening nine matches, which is reflected by their league positioning.

Pool are currently 23rd in the table, but a win on Saturday could potentially see them climb into 19th if other results go their way.

The hosts are without a win in 13 games throughout all competitions, which is a concerning situation for the club right now, and that led to Keith Curle being brought in as the new manager.

However, there have been two draws in their previous three league fixtures which showcases an improvement in terms of their ability to fight for results.

Hartlepool almost continued that in midweek during their Football League Trophy fixture when they drew 0-0 against Morecambe after 90 minutes, but were ultimately defeated on penalties.

The visitors should have an edge in terms of fitness on Saturday due to the fact that they were not in action throughout the week.

However, Gillingham's most recent outing did result in a comfortable victory for their opponents as they were beaten 2-0 by Mansfield Town.

It was a match that saw them only manage two shots on target, which sums up a major problem for the Gills as they have only scored four goals all season.

Unlike Hartlepool, Gillingham have picked up a win this season, yet they are only two points above the relegation zone, meaning a defeat would see them drop into the bottom two.

The Gills have taken just a single point, and only scored one goal away from home this season though, which is form they need to improve upon starting as soon as possible.

Team News

Hartlepool's starting XI could be completely different from anything that fans have seen so far this season due to this being Curle's first true game in charge.

The new manager only watched his team from the sidelines in midweek, and after getting a feel for the squad since then he will be ready to make his impact.

Haji Mnoga was brought straight back into the starting lineup for the visitors last weekend after he served his suspension, and it is likely that will remain the case once again.

One player who Gillingham were without against Mansfield Town was Scott Kashket due to injury, and he is set to miss out once more this Saturday.

Hartlepool United possible starting lineup:
Killip; Lacey, Niang, Menayese; Tumilty, Sylla, Shelton, Paterson; Taylor, Ndjoli, Grey

Gillingham possible starting lineup:
Morris; Mnoga, Ehmer, Baggott, McKenzie; Adelakun, O'Keefe, Williams, Reeves; Walker, Mandron

We say: Hartlepool United 2-1 Gillingham

Neither of these teams are coming into this match with much confidence right now, and that is something that could lead to a struggle for quality in this one.

However, Hartlepool could be set to enjoy a new manager bounce in this game, and if Curle can make an immediate impact it could lead to their first win of the season.

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

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