[ 6 Apr 26 ] GILLS v Accrington Stanley Match Thread

[Garawa]

- The Gills have won 11 of the 23 meetings whilst Accrington have won 6. The Gills are winless in 4 meetings, drawing the most recent 2, after winning 3 in a row between March 2022 and January 2024.
- Accrington won this fixture last season after the Gills won the previous meeting between the sides at Priestfield. The Gills have won 2 of the previous 7 home games against Accrington and failed to score in 3 of them however they did keep 4 clean sheets.
- After a spell of 11 wins from 18 games in all competitions, Accrington had since been winless in the 8 games played before winning at home on Good Friday. They had lost 6 of those 8 games including the 3 before their 2-0 win against Crewe in their last game.
- Between December and February, Accrington won 4 of the 7 away games they played. Since then, they have not won on the road in 3 attempts, losing 2 of them and failing to score in the most recent 2.
- Accrington Stanley have not scored a first half goal in the last 5 games and have only managed 2 goals before half time in the previous 11 matches. The Gills have only scored 1 first half goal in their previous 11 matches.
- 60.0% of all of Accrington's goals in League 2 have given them a lead, the highest proportion in the division.
- With 40 goals scored (3 teams scored fewer) and 44 conceded (5 teams conceded fewer), the 84 goals in Accrington's League 2 games is the fewest amount in the division.

[Mon 6th April 2026] EFL Sky Bet League 2: Gillingham FC v Accrington Stanley
Opposition Manager: John Doolan Matchday Team: Ollie Wright, Donald Love, Freddie Sass, Farrend Rawson, Shaun Whalley (Luke Butterfield), Isaac Sinclair, Dan Martin (Liam Coyle), Tyler Walton, [c] Seamus Conneely (Paddy Madden, Connor O'Brien (Devon Matthews), Josh Woods (David Abimbola)
Opposition League Position: Sky Bet League 2 (15th)
Referee: George Laflin
Attendance: 5,383 (59)

(15:00) Kick Off [ 4 - 2 - 3 - 1 ]
(15.08) A strong header from the visitors goes narrowly wide.
(15.16) Stanley, under huge pressure, throw bodies behind the ball and, amongst a gaggle of players, huge cries of handball and a penalty for the Gills are waved away.
(15.29) Swift passing from the Gills ends with Hale side footing narrowly over the bar from close range.
(15.36) GOAL! Gillingham 1-0 Accrington Stanley: Smith
(15.44) Having scored directly from a corner earlier, another powerful Smith header from another corner is going in but is stopped by bodies on the line.
(15.45) There will be 3 minutes added to the half.
(15.48) Half time 1-0

(16.04) The second half kicks off.
(16.13) A fantastic whipped cross misses Cirino's diving outstretched foot at the far post.
(16.14) GOAL! Gillingham 2-0 Accrington Stanley: McCleary
(16.19) Cirino fires across the keeper and narrowly wide of the far post.
(16.29) More great play from Cirino who curls a shot into the box which deflects narrowly wide of the post for a Gills corner.
(16.40) Red Card! Another high boot and Walton connects with Khumbeni, this time the ref feels it is a straight red.
(16.49) The fourth official indicates a minimum of 9 additional minutes.
(16.52) A mammoth of a long drive from Seb is parried over for corner.
(16.54) Red Card! Only just on as a sub, Abimbola gets a straight red for an off the ball challenge on Gale.
(16.59) FULL TIME 2-0

Gills' League Position After Game: 17th
Match Report: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/cwyv399yrrpt
Match highlights: