Gillingham tomorrow, then. They are, of course, one of only two teams to have beaten us away from home this season, having conceded two goals to them done at the Priestfield in September. What made that worse on the day is that it was an ex Dingle, Gary Mulligan, who scored both goals.

The Saddlers will be desperate to improve their home record which is trailing somewhat behind their away record (the best in the Division). If they were of a par, even, we’d be just two points behind Swansea in second place.

It looks as if we will have a clean injury sheet, with Richard Money saying that he is very hopeful of Tommy Mooney being fit, Michael Ricketts being ready to re-appear and Boertien and Dobson back in the squad. That means that only Danny Fox, due to sign for Coventry today, and the suspended Dann and Demontagnac will be missing.

The line up, however, is fairly problematical, but I’ll go for:-

Ince, Weston, Roper, Gerrard, Boertien, Sonko, Wrack, Bradley, Holmes, Mooney, Ricketts.

Of the outfield players, Dobson, Taundry, Manny Smith and Deeney are likely to make up the bench.

Mind you, with my record of trying to predict Dicky Dosh’s mind of late, expect to see Dobbo filling in for Dann!

As for the Gills, defender Simon King and midfielder Dennis Oli are expected to miss the game with hamstring injuries, and goalkeeper, Simon Royce is suspended after being sent off against Oldham in the nil – nil last game. That means that former Dunfermline and Dundee United ‘keeper Derek Stillie will be playing.

Manager Mark Stimpson, the former Stevenage boss, has used his non league contacts to bring in a host of players, including John Nutter, Mark Bentley, Stuart Thurgood, Adam Miller and Leroy Griffiths. All were well respected in the non League scene and it will be interesting to see if they make the step up, assuming they start.

They have also brought in Craig Rocastle from Port Vale on loan, as well as Adam Bygrave from Reading. Defenders Efe Sodje and Ian Cox stand a chance of making their come backs from injury.

All that means their line up is even harder to predict than ours. They did line up against Oldham like this, however:

Royce, Southall, Cox, Bygrave, Nutter, Bentley, Crofts, Thurgood, Miller, Cumbers, Mulligan.
Subs: Facey, Clohessy, Cogan, Stillie, Griffiths

Predictions?

Stimpson has managed an upturn in fortunes for the Kent club since taking over, but they are still not clear of danger, just four points above the relegation zone and eleven behind the Saddlers. They have managed only two away wins so far this season.

Against that, the Saddlers’ home record is not the best and badly needs to be improved if we are going to stay in the play off race. Let’s hope that doesn’t start preying on the players’ minds.
With the return of Ricketts and Mooney, I still think we are likely to have a little too much for them.