Morecambe v Gillingham
npower League Two
Saturday 28 August 2010
Kick-Off 3.00pm
Officials -
Referee: M.Brown
Assistants: G Hart & S Smith
Fourth Official: P E Curry
Boss Sammy McIlroy says his side will be going all out for their first win of the new league season when they face Gillingham at the Globe Arena on Saturday.
After losing two of their opening three league games this season the Shrimps are looking for their first ever win over the Gills who beat them on both occasions in their promotion winning season a couple of years ago. McIlroy says he has been pretty happy overall with his side's performances but obviously not the results.
He said: "The football has been good overall but we are getting punished for every mistake we make and not having much luck at the other end. Having said that we have given three penalties away already this season and conceded goals at vital times in games and we have to put that right.
"I am still confident that we have a good squad and I have been happy to build them up as such but we need a win now it's as simple as that. We threw it away against Burton and if we let our guard drop again against a side like Gillingham we will suffer. We are not far away I am convinced about that but we just need to raise our game now, especially at home. The crowds we have had at the new stadium have been brilliant and we want to win on Saturday to maintain that.''
Gillingham's former Gravesend keeper Lance Cronin will make his Gillingham debut on Saturday after Alan Julian was ruled out for around two weeks with a hairline fracture of his hand. Another absentee is Curtis Weston who has been told to rest his troublesome thigh injury. However coming back into contention are skipper Barry Fuller, Cody McDonald, Jack Payne and Mark McCammon who all returned to training this week and could play some part.
Like Morecambe the Gills are looking for their first League 2 win of the season.
We've met before -
The Gtwo sides have only met twice before with Gillingham doing the double over the Shrimps in the 2008-09 season. The first ever meeting, in October 2008, ended in an emphatic 5-0 victory for the Gills at Priestfield when the scorers were Mark Bentley, Simeon Jackson (2), a David Artell own goal and one from Mark McCammon.
Three months later Curtis Weston scored the only goal of the game in the return at a wet and windy Christie Park. The midfielder was on hand to score in the 19th minute when Gary Mulligan's shot beat keeper Barry Roche and rebounded to him off a post.
BETTING
THE LATEST BETTING ODDS FROM CORAL
Morecambe to win 5/4, Draw 11/5, Gillingham to win 7/4
First goalscorer (Morecambe)
Phil Jevons 11/2
Mark Duffy 14/1
Chris McCready 25/1
Laurence Wilson 40/1
