The Official Fleetwood Town Match Thread (Fish and Chips "for all your Rory Donnelly wonder-strike needs")

Following a dreadful run of five defeats from six that effectively ended our season as a meaningful exercise, we took all three points away at Barrow last weekend, with a result that was the equivalent of sticking a Rizla paper over evidence of subsidence. In a game largely devoid of quality, Gills snatched a fairly undeserving winner in the 103rd minute courtesy of a rare flash of quality from Robbie McKenzie, to the delight of the 237 heroes in the away end who had made the longest trip of the season.

Tomorrow we welcome Fleetwood Town to Priestfield as we seek back-to-back wins for the first time since January. Given we've not managed to beat a single side above those in the bottom 6 since mid-September, you will forgive me for doubting our ability to end up with three points come 5.00pm. Fleetwood have seen off their own dreadful run of form, which started immediately after beating us on 20th December, losing six of their next eight, a period which saw the departure of manager Peter Wild. Interim replacement Matt Lawlor has seen his side go five unbeaten, with three wins in that spell.

Give him his due, GA did really mix things up last weekend, with six changes to a first XI that had faltered badly in recent defeats. While this didn't magically raise the overall performance above stodgy, we were impacted by injuries, with Antwi and Little both taken off injured during the game and Bradley Dack unfit to even appear as sub. I feel as though I've typed this all season, but Masterson and Khumbeni remain out; Jonny Williams and Shad Ogie look like we've seen the last of them; and the increasingly maligned Josh Andrews was apparently injured for last weekend rather than dropped. Apparently, two, maybe even all of the injured from Barrow could feature tomorrow, but I'll believe that when I see it.

Jake Turner was also picked in goal ahead of Glenn Morris last time out and, while he had next to nothing to do with no shots to be saved, one oppo corner did bounce off the top of his crossbar. The Cirino-backers amongst us were pleased to see Lenni come on as a later sub, and it was his corner that led to the winning goal. More please.

Tomorrow will be the 21st meeting of the two sides across the 14-year history of the fixture, Gills with an unenviable record against the Cod Army, having won just four of those matches versus ten defeats. When we do win, we usually win well, as we only trail in the goal difference by a single goal. We've not won against these opponents at Priestfield since 2018, two goals inside the opening 20 minutes from Eaaaaaves and Hanlon, followed by a third ten minutes into the second half (again from Eaaaaaves), gave us a convincing 3-0 win. However, for the highlights, it's got to be Gills running rampant in the first half of a 5-1 win back in 2015/16, having gone a goal behind early in the game. Rory Donnelly's run and sublime chip for our fourth goal before the break was worth the entrance fee alone.

Still struggling to find much enthusiasm for this. Whilst the three points were welcome last time out, the performance did not show a great deal to get excited about, even with the changes to the side. It would appear a large number of fans feel similarly, over 240 tickets remain in the Rainham End, and there's significant availability elsewhere in the ground, without quite reaching Spurs v Palace levels of empty seating, bar the unused BMS. Fleetwood will surprise if they break the three figure mark for away fans, thus joining Harrogate, Salford and Barrow in the sub-100 club this season.

It's about time our long-suffering home fans got a performance to lift them out of their seats, the chances of that being in delight at our thrilling football, rather than to head to the exits early is sadly more likely to be stacked in favour of the latter option. Only 13 games to go, lucky for some...

Enjoy the game, and...

COYG!!!