Preview: Gillingham

24 August 2021

It's another step into Carabao Cup action on Tuesday evening for Cheltenham Town as they travel to take on Gillingham (kick-off: 7.45pm).

The Robins are in round two for the visit to Kent to take on the Gills who are a rival League One side.

Victory over Bristol Rovers earlier in the month has earned the club a chance to fight it out for a third round spot.

Fans are advised that all tickets for the fixture must be bought in advance - there will be no tickets available to buy on the night at Gillingham.

Team news

There are no new injury concerns after Saturday's game but as was the case with the club's round one fixture at Bristol Rovers there may be a number of changes to the starting XI.

It may see the likes of Lewis Freestone, Taylor Perry (pictured) and George Lloyd thrown into the side as Michael Duff continues to utilise the whole of his squad in the opening weeks of the season.

Media talk

Michael Duff has been speaking to the press ahead of the match as he prepares to take on Gills boss Steve Evans for the first time as a player or manager.

"I don't think I've ever come across him or played against him. I've obviously not come across him as a manager," he said.

"You know what's coming. He's competitive, he's fiery and wants to win and his teams are the same.

"Win the next half of football - it never changes. We don't try and prioritise games. From a players point of view just don't overthink it.

"There's so much noise about certain things. Whoever is playing is still expected to go and compete and run around and try and win a game of football."

Watch the full press conference with Duff by watching on iFollow.

Defender Lewis Freestone has also been speaking to the media ahead of tonight's fixture.

Opposition

Gillingham claimed their first League One victory of the season on Saturday with a 2-1 success over Morecambe. Their only other win so far was in round one of the Carabao Cup where they overcame League Two side Crawley on penalties.

In their squad they've got plenty of League One experience. Defender Max Ehmer is back with the Gills for his second spell, midfield man Stuart O'Keefe brings quality, while their summer recruits include Gambia international Mustapha Carayol and Liverpudlian midfielder Danny Lloyd who was last with Tranmere Rovers last season.

Their forward line includes the physical presence of Vadaine Oliver and Scotsman Alex MacDonald who will know the Robins well from the time he spent at Mansfield Town.

The manager: Steve Evans

Not many in the Football League can boast a managerial career as long as Gills boss Steve Evans.

The Scotsman started managing in non-league football in 1994 at Stamford, and after two spells with Boston United broke into the Football League with Crawley Town.

Further spells at Rotherham United, Leeds United, Mansfield and Peterborough United have followed before he was appointed into his current position in May 2019.

Head-to-Head

Win: 2
Draw: 5
Loss: 5

This record is from matches played across League One, League Two and the FA Cup.

Tickets & travel

All tickets for the game must have been bought in advance from the Cheltenham ticket office. Please do not travel if you've not purchased in advance or expect to be able to buy on the night at Gillingham.

Ticket prices for the match are:

£15 Adults
£10 Senior
£5 Under 18s

Supporters who have booked on the Travel Club coach going to the game must be aware that the coach leaves from the Jonny-Rocks Stadium at 2.30pm.

Fans are reminded that Gillingham have gone entirely cashless inside their stadium.

Coverage

Social media: Follow @CTFCofficial on Twitter for team news and updates, CTFC on Facebook for score updates and @CTFCofficial on Instagram.

Website: Read the match report post-match and see reaction to the result from inside the camp.

Radio: Tune in to live commentary on BBC Radio Gloucestershire and on iFollow.

Highlights: Watch extended highlights on iFollow, on YouTube, Sky Sports and Quest.

Match Reports

Report & highlights: Gillingham 1-1 Robins (Robins win 5-4 on penalties)

24 August 2021

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Gillingham v Cheltenham Town - Extended highlights - Tue 24th August 2021

Extended highlights of Gillingham v Cheltenham Town, Tue 24th August 2021 in the Carabao Cup

Cheltenham Town progressed into the third round of the Carabao Cup for the first time in the club's history after this penalties win at Gillingham tonight.

They weren't at their best before the interval but Aflie May's third goal of the campaign cancelled out Vadaine Oliver's early goal by the half-way point.

Michael Duff's side were much the better of the two sides in the second half and created a string of chances to win the game in normal time but they couldn't convert them, leaving the game to be decided by penalty kicks.

Conor Thomas, Callum Wright, George Lloyd, Ben Tozer and Ellis Chapman made no mistake while Owen Evans pushed away Stuart O'Keefe's effort, meaning the Robins will go into the hat in tomorrow night's third round round draw for the first time ever.

Duff rang the changes here, retaining just four of his starting XI from the unsuccessful trip to Fleetwood four days ago. Only Ben Tozer, Sean Long, Liam Sercombe and May started but the team as a whole looked lethargic and disjointed by their standards during the opening 45 minutes, going on to ship the first goal in the 20th minute.

It came down the left, Ben Reeves finding Oliver with a decent cross to beat Evans but it was too easy from a Cheltenham persepective.

It was the second time in four days that a goalscorer from the infamous 3-0 play-off semi-final defeat by Northampton Town two years ago had returned to haunt Duff's side after Callum Morton had done so on the Fylde Coast.

But in similar circumstances to Saturday, May popped up somewhat against the run of play to square the match only four minutes later. Ellis Chapman launched a long diagonal ball into George Lloyd, who laid it off to enable the diminutive striker to notch from 16 yards.

Duff replaced Sean Long with Will Boyle at the interval and his side went on to perform with far more purpose. Danny Lloyd did have the first chance of the second period, powering a header narrowly over the bar but that was just about it from the home side for the remainder of the game.

Taylor Perry created a good chance from the left shortly afterwards but he couldn't find May, while Chapman couldn't keep his following effort on target.

Wright was pressed into action on the hour in place of Sercombe and almost immediately fashioned the second goal with a corner from the right, picking out Lewis Freestone for a free header but Aaron Chapman, the Gillingham number one, held it.

There were two late chances to avert penalties. First a trademark Tozer throw was flicked on by Boyle but Wright couldn't find the target with his header. Then Duff's side opened up a three-on-one with Wright opting to roll it into the path of Perry, but the midfielder was struggling with cramp and ended up blasting it high and wide of the target.

So penalties it was, but ulitmately a passage into the third round of the competition for the first time ever thanks to Evans' heroics.

GILLINGHAM (4-3-3): Chapman; McKenzie, Ehmer, Bennett, Tutonda (Akehurst 36); O'Keefe, Adshead, Reeves; Oliver (Tucker 46), Lee, Lloyd. Subs not used: Cumming (Gk), Jackson, Dempsey, Phillips, Carayol.

CHELTENHAM TOWN (3-5-2): Evans; Horton, Tozer (c), Long (Boyle 46); Blair, Sercombe (Wright 60), Chapman, Perry, Freestone; Lloyd, May (Thomas 66). Subs not used: Flinders (Gk), Williams, Bonds.

REFEREE: D Rock

ATTENDANCE: tbc