Match Preview: Gillingham

5 September 2019

Setting the scene…

Tranmere Rovers are back at Prenton Park on Saturday afternoon as they host Gillingham in Sky Bet League One, 3pm kick-off.

Micky Mellon’s men return home having earned a deserved late 1-1 draw away to Rotherham United, with Stefan Payne bundling in a 95^th minute equaliser from close-range.

Gillingham, who are 16^th and managed by Steve Evans, journey up to the Wirral after beating Bolton Wanderers 5-0 at Priestfield last weekend.

Team News:

New loan signing, left-back Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, is in contention to make his Rovers debut against the Gills.

Corey Blackett-Taylor remains suspended following his sending off away at Bristol Rovers, but Ollie Banks will be available for selection having served his one game ban.

Morgan Ferrier (knee), Jake Caprice, (ankle) Mark Ellis, (knee) Evan Gumbs (ACL) and Ishmael Miller (hamstring) will all be sidelined.

One to Watch

Forward Alex Jakubiak currently leads the way in Gillingham’s goal scoring charts with three goals having joined on loan from Watford.

Jakubiak, a native of Westminster, London, started out in the academy of his parent club, penning professional terms in 2014.

Making his Hornets debut against Huddersfield Town in May 2014, Jakubiak has spent time away from Vicarage Road at Braintree Town, Oxford United, Dagenham and Redbridge, Fleetwood Town, Wycombe Wanderers, Falkirk and Bristol Rovers.

The 23-year-old moved to Gillingham in June and has impressed for Evans’ side so far.

Jakubiak was also capped twice by Scotland U19s in 2014.

Match Officials

Referee: Michael Sailsbury

Assistant Referees: Alix Pashley and Wade Smith

Fourth Official: Steven Rushton

Tickets

Fancy coming down to Prenton Park to cheer Micky and the lads on as TRFC host Gillingham?

Tickets for the SWA are on sale and start from the below prices:

Adult: £19

Senior (65+): £12

Young Persons (18-22): £12

U18s: £6

U12s accompanied: £2

To purchase your tickets online for TRFC vs Gillingham on Saturday, CLICK HERE.

Past Meetings

Tranmere Rovers will take on Gillingham for the first time since the 2013/14 season on Saturday.

TRFC have won 13, drawn 14 and lost 7 of their fixtures played against the Gills.

Match Coverage

The SWA can listen to uninterrupted match commentary of Tranmere Rovers’ home Sky Bet League One fixture against Gillingham.

Your match day commentary team of Phil Wilkinson, Rob Edwards and Adam Siddorn will guide you through events at Prenton Park.

iFollow Tranmere is the only place you can listen to devoted TRFC coverage and if you sign-up, you can watch exclusive behind the scenes content, interviews and match highlights.

An audio match pass on iFollow costs just £2.50!

To sign-up, CLICK HERE.

Alternatively, you can follow the action through our social media channels below, with full text coverage during the fixture, followed by a match report.

Twitter: @TranmereRovers

Facebook: @trfcofficial

Instagram: @tranmererovers

Did you know

Midfielder Ben Pringle, who spent the second half of 2018/19 on loan at Tranmere, helping Rovers win promotion from the Sky Bet League Two Play-Offs, is set to make his Gillingham debut at his former side.

Pringle signed for Gillingham earlier this week, reuniting with boss Evans, who he had played under during their time together at Rotherham United.

Match Previews

Match Reports

Report: Tranmere Rovers 2-2 Gillingham

7 September 2019

Second-half goals from Connor Jennings and Paul Mullin secured a spirited 2-2 home draw for Tranmere Rovers against Gillingham at Prenton Park in Sky Bet League One on Saturday afternoon.

Alex Jakubiak and Alfie Jones scored in the first-half to put the visitors 2-0 up at half-time.

But Rovers roared back after the break and were level through goals in three second-half minutes from Jennings and Mullin to earn a share of the spoils.

Manager Micky Mellon named an unchanged starting line-up for the fixture with the Gills to the one that earned a 1-1 draw away to Rotherham United last weekend.

Tranmere began brightly on a sun-kissed afternoon on the Wirral, and almost led within the opening six minutes when Paul Mullin bent a shot from the left-edge of the box across goal to crash off the base of Jack Bonham’s post.

Gillingham were in front on 16 minutes when Jakubiak pounced on the rebound when Rovers goalkeeper Scott Davies’ kept out an initial Max Ehmer header from a corner.

In response, Tranmere went close through Mullin again, who linked up well with Stefan Payne but saw his low strike pushed behind by Bonham.

Jennings later flashed a volley just over the crossbar as Tranmere pushed to level.

Davies later did well to thwart Mikael Mandron in a one-on-one situation after the forward had been played through.

Steve Evans’ Gills found themselves two goals up with 35 minutes played, when Ben Pringle’s attempt from the right was palmed out by Davies to Jones, who struck into an empty net.

Rovers made two changes after the break in an attempt to find a route back into the contest, with Ollie Banks and Calum Woods replaced Kieron Morris and Sid Nelson.

With seven minutes of the half played, Jennings was neatly played in by Mullin and from the right-side of the penalty area, with just Bonham to beat, he struck his right-footed attempt which was saved by Bonham’s feet.

But Rovers pulled themselves level by scoring twice in three minutes after Mullin had seen a penalty tipped around the post by Bonham.

From Ollie Banks’ resulting corner from the left, Payne’s header was tipped onto the crossbar by Bonham but the scramble that followed allowed an unmarked Jennings to prod home with the outside of his right-boot from six-yards.

And TRFC’s fighting spirit proved a catalyst to equalise after 70 minutes when Payne provided his second assist, feeding Mullin down the right, who burst into the box to find the roof of Bonham’s goal.

Rovers searched for a winner late on, but earned a deserved point after coming back from two goals down, as they head to Oxford United in the third-tier next weekend.

TRFC: Davies ©, Ridehalgh, Ray, Monthe, Nelson (Woods, 45) Morris (Banks 45), Potter, Perkins, Jennings, Mullin (Hepburn-Murphy 82) Payne

Subs not used: Pilling, Ponticelli, Gilmour, Borthwick-Jackson

Match Reports

Tranmere Rovers Football Club

Standings

Match Preview: Gillingham

Report: Tranmere Rovers 2-2 Gillingham

Standings

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