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.
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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