[ 20 Sept 25 ] Newport County v GILLS Match Thread
Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2025 9:31 pm - Against the reformed Newport County, the Gills are winless and have lost all bar 1 of the 7 meetings - a draw in the league cup which Newport won on penalties. The Exiles then won all 6 league encounters since over the last 3 seasons.
- Both the original and reformed Newport sides are unbeaten in 7 visits to Priestfield, winning 4 of them. The Gills have only managed 2 wins in the last 13 meetings - both at Newport with the last coming in August 1986.
- Newport have lost 11 and won just 1 (matchday 2 in the league) of their last 17 league games. They have been winless in 6 league games since, including 5 straight defeats (6 in all competitions) before their away draw last week. The Gills are unbeaten in 22 since losing at Newport in March.
- Newport have lost their last 3 home games in the league and their last 4 in all competitions. They are winless in 10 league and cup games at home since their last home win in mid-March, losing 7 of them and conceding 17 goals. The Gills will set a new club record of 21 league games if they avoid defeat.
- The Gills and Newport are 2 of 4 sides in League 2 to have scored just 1 first half goal. Between them, they have witnessed just 8 goals scored and conceded before half time (3 in Gills games). In the second halves there have been 30 goals - 11 scored by the Gills and 7 for Newport.
- Newport are the only side in League 2 yet to keep a clean sheet and it is 10 league games since they last earned one. They have kept 3 in 23 league games whereas the Gills have kept 3 clean sheets in 4 league games and their last 23 games in the division produced 10.
- Newport have taken 72 attempts at goal (on target, off target and blocked), the fewest amount in the division and averaging 9.0 shots per league game.
- Newport's 8 league games have seen them win just 23 corners, the fewest total in the division. They have conceded 24 more corners than they have won and have also given away 24 more fouls than they have won, both being the worst differences in League 2.
[Sat 20th September 2025] EFL Sky Bet League 2: Newport County v Gillingham FC
Opposition Manager: David Hughes Matchday Team: Nik Tzanev, Tom Davies, [c] Matt Baker, Lee Jenkins, Habeeb Ogunneye, Cameron Antwi, Sammy Braybrooke, Kai Whitmore (Ben Lloyd), Nathan Opoku (Michael Spellman), Michael Reindorf (Courtney Baker-Richardson)
Opposition League Position: Sky Bet League 2 (22nd)
Referee: Leigh Doughty
Attendance: 4,022 (601)
(15.00) Kick Off [ 4 - 2 - 3 - 1 ]
(15.01) GOAL! Newport County 1-0 Gillingham: Opoku
(15.07) Penalty! Booked just 3 minutes earlier, Andy Smith challenges for the ball on the edge of the box and the referee awards a penalty for his foul against Antwi.
(15.09) Antwi takes the penalty himself. Glenn Morris dives to his right and saves it. Antwi collects the rebound and puts it wide!
(15.11) Morris makes a great save to deny Antwi again.
(15.22) Jonny Williams has a great effort denied.
(15.23) GOAL! Newport County 1-1 Gillingham: Dack
(15.28) Morris again denies Antwi with a good save.
(15.36) GOAL! Newport County 1-2 Gillingham: J Smith
(15.40) Newport attack from the restart. Morris pulls off a good save from Kamwa and the rebound is hit into the ground before the Gills defence clears.
(15.44) Penalty! Sam Gale is sent flying on the right hand edge of the box after a challenge by Baker.
(15.46) GOAL! Newport County 1-3 Gillingham: Dack (pen)
(15.49) Half time 1-3
(16.04) The second half kicks off.
(16.31) Dack tries to lift the ball over the 'keeper and into the top corner for his hattrick but the keeper flicks it over the bar for a corner.
(16.32) Seb Palmer-Holden finally makes his debut following his pre-season injury.
(16.39) McKenzie's driven effort takes a deflection just wide of the post for a corner.
(16.49) 6 minutes will be added to the end of the match.
(16.52) Vokes forces the goal-keeper into a good reaction stop.
(16.55) FULL TIME 1-3 - new club record set
Gills' League Position After Game: 1st
Match Report: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/c98d9l1eq0mt
Match highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tFRUzn1mQs
- Both the original and reformed Newport sides are unbeaten in 7 visits to Priestfield, winning 4 of them. The Gills have only managed 2 wins in the last 13 meetings - both at Newport with the last coming in August 1986.
- Newport have lost 11 and won just 1 (matchday 2 in the league) of their last 17 league games. They have been winless in 6 league games since, including 5 straight defeats (6 in all competitions) before their away draw last week. The Gills are unbeaten in 22 since losing at Newport in March.
- Newport have lost their last 3 home games in the league and their last 4 in all competitions. They are winless in 10 league and cup games at home since their last home win in mid-March, losing 7 of them and conceding 17 goals. The Gills will set a new club record of 21 league games if they avoid defeat.
- The Gills and Newport are 2 of 4 sides in League 2 to have scored just 1 first half goal. Between them, they have witnessed just 8 goals scored and conceded before half time (3 in Gills games). In the second halves there have been 30 goals - 11 scored by the Gills and 7 for Newport.
- Newport are the only side in League 2 yet to keep a clean sheet and it is 10 league games since they last earned one. They have kept 3 in 23 league games whereas the Gills have kept 3 clean sheets in 4 league games and their last 23 games in the division produced 10.
- Newport have taken 72 attempts at goal (on target, off target and blocked), the fewest amount in the division and averaging 9.0 shots per league game.
- Newport's 8 league games have seen them win just 23 corners, the fewest total in the division. They have conceded 24 more corners than they have won and have also given away 24 more fouls than they have won, both being the worst differences in League 2.
[Sat 20th September 2025] EFL Sky Bet League 2: Newport County v Gillingham FC
Opposition Manager: David Hughes Matchday Team: Nik Tzanev, Tom Davies, [c] Matt Baker, Lee Jenkins, Habeeb Ogunneye, Cameron Antwi, Sammy Braybrooke, Kai Whitmore (Ben Lloyd), Nathan Opoku (Michael Spellman), Michael Reindorf (Courtney Baker-Richardson)
Opposition League Position: Sky Bet League 2 (22nd)
Referee: Leigh Doughty
Attendance: 4,022 (601)
(15.00) Kick Off [ 4 - 2 - 3 - 1 ]
(15.01) GOAL! Newport County 1-0 Gillingham: Opoku
(15.07) Penalty! Booked just 3 minutes earlier, Andy Smith challenges for the ball on the edge of the box and the referee awards a penalty for his foul against Antwi.
(15.09) Antwi takes the penalty himself. Glenn Morris dives to his right and saves it. Antwi collects the rebound and puts it wide!
(15.11) Morris makes a great save to deny Antwi again.
(15.22) Jonny Williams has a great effort denied.
(15.23) GOAL! Newport County 1-1 Gillingham: Dack
(15.28) Morris again denies Antwi with a good save.
(15.36) GOAL! Newport County 1-2 Gillingham: J Smith
(15.40) Newport attack from the restart. Morris pulls off a good save from Kamwa and the rebound is hit into the ground before the Gills defence clears.
(15.44) Penalty! Sam Gale is sent flying on the right hand edge of the box after a challenge by Baker.
(15.46) GOAL! Newport County 1-3 Gillingham: Dack (pen)
(15.49) Half time 1-3
(16.04) The second half kicks off.
(16.31) Dack tries to lift the ball over the 'keeper and into the top corner for his hattrick but the keeper flicks it over the bar for a corner.
(16.32) Seb Palmer-Holden finally makes his debut following his pre-season injury.
(16.39) McKenzie's driven effort takes a deflection just wide of the post for a corner.
(16.49) 6 minutes will be added to the end of the match.
(16.52) Vokes forces the goal-keeper into a good reaction stop.
(16.55) FULL TIME 1-3 - new club record set
Gills' League Position After Game: 1st
Match Report: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/c98d9l1eq0mt
Match highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tFRUzn1mQs