Back to Boundary: Gills look to extend their unbeaten run against the winless Latics
A trip to Boundary Park should, on paper, give us another chance to bank points. But newly promoted Oldham Athletic have been no pushover since they got back into the EFL, and our unbeaten start will be put to the test by a Latics side that's drawn four of their first five matches. Saturday’s clash (3 pm BST) puts Gareth Ainsworth’s high-flying Gills against Micky Mellon’s work-in-progress Oldham in a contest full of storylines.
It's all about momentum and method
Gareth Ainsworth has been upfront about wanting an attacking team at Priestfield. Earlier in August, he told Kent Online he'd play on the front foot and was hoping to get summer signings Seb Palmer-Houlden and Sam Vokes back soon after they had hamstring and broken-arm issues. He also gave a shout-out to winger Aaron Rowe’s sharpness and said we'd be "better going forward" once our forwards were back.
The feeling around the club is buzzing. After we won back-to-back against Chesterfield and Crewe, Ainsworth gave a shout-out to owners Brad and Shannon Galinson for backing him. He also said that the fans, players, and staff are "all on the same page." In a club interview, he explained that his squad has learned to win in different ways. Academy graduate Sam Gale’s late winner against Crewe came from a set-piece, which made Ainsworth credit his coaching staff for their work. He called Gale "a super, super special kid." He also added that we've found "four or five different ways to get results" in the first six games, which shows that being flexible on the field is a big part of why we're unbeaten.
There are still some tricky decisions for the boss. Before our trip to Tranmere, Ainsworth said momentum is huge but admitted he was "tossing and turning at night" over who to pick, with injured forwards Vokes and Rowe coming back. He expects Seb Palmer-Houlden to be back soon too, while Euan Williams is still out for the long haul. With all that going on, it looks like we could shake up the forward line at Boundary Park.
Cautious but hopeful
Over on the Vital Gillingham forum, the mood is positive but careful. Most supporters think we'll get a tight win — 0-1, 0-2, or 1-1 were popular guesses. A few fans think Josh Andrews or Robbie McKenzie will score, while others reckon returning wide man Aaron Rowe or playmaker Bradley Dack could make the difference. One poster even said Oldham would win 2-0, which shows people respect how tough the Latics are. Overall, there's cautious optimism. Everyone knows Oldham's draws prove they're solid at the back, but they trust Ainsworth's side to get another result.
Latics learning on the fly
Oldham’s return to League Two has not been easy. Injuries have messed up Micky Mellon’s squad from the start. The Real EFL reported that winger Jack Stevens got a chipped ankle bone and will miss about three months, which robs Oldham of pace and balance. Earlier in the month, the site noted that loanees Kai Payne, Tom Pett, Harry Charsley, striker Joe Garner, and right-back Jake Caprice were all out. Mellon's options were so thin he could barely name a bench, although Charsley and Caprice are now close to coming back.
On the pitch, Oldham has shown some fight. They got a 1-1 draw with Colchester in their first home game, which Mellon praised, saying his players were getting used to League Two and that he was frustrated they didn't finish off more chances. Two weeks later, he was "gutted" after they gave up a "rubbish goal" from a set-piece in a 1-1 draw at Fleetwood, but he still praised his team’s effort and the travelling fans. Those results, along with draws against MK Dons and Bristol Rovers and a loss to Swindon, put Oldham in 18th place. They're winless after five games with four draws and one loss. Micky Mellon’s team will be desperate to break that streak at home.
Historically, this fixture favors the Latics. Oldham’s club preview points out that we finished 17th last season and that Jayden Clarke’s seven goals and goalkeeper Glenn Morris’s great saves couldn't hide our poor away form; our cup runs were also rubbish. The same feature says Oldham is unbeaten against us in their last five League One meetings, with draws in 2017-18 and wins for Oldham in 2016 and 2015. But right now, the form is completely different: we're sitting in fifth after three wins and two draws and have yet to lose under Ainsworth.
German Gills Score Prediction
With our momentum, a nearly full-strength forward line, and set-pieces that are working, we should be looking forward to this trip north. Oldham’s injury problems and lack of a sharp attack mean Mellon is still trying to figure things out. Their defense will be under pressure from our different attacking threats. Still, Boundary Park has always been a tough ground for us, and Oldham will be fired up by their home crowd and the hunger to get their first win. Expect the hosts to come out fast and look for Josh Hawkes’ creative play and Kane Drummond’s energy, while Mellon’s side will hope returning wing-back Caprice adds some width.
Our ability to win games in different ways and the likely return of either Vokes or Palmer-Houlden should be enough to turn the game in our favor. If our defense stays as tight as it's been — we've only let in two goals so far — we could sneak a win.
Score Prediction – Oldham Athletic 0–2 Gillingham
Written by Rhys - German Gills
