Northampton Town travel to Priestfield Stadium this Saturday to face Gillingham in a League Two fixture, with both clubs desperate for their first goal of the season. The match kicks off at 15:00 BST on 29th August with the Cobblers looking to break a winless start.
Both teams have identical records of one draw and one loss from their opening two games, leaving them on a single point. Northampton Town currently sit 18th in the League Two table, having scored zero goals and conceded one for a -1 goal difference. They are already five points behind early leaders Barnet.
Northampton Town's campaign began with a 1-0 defeat away at Crewe Alexandra. The only goal of that game came from Josh March, with Cobblers goalkeeper Zach Jeacock involved in the play. Manager Chris Hogg has admitted that he has been happy with the level of performances despite the results. The club endured a difficult previous season, finishing bottom of League One with just 35 points.
Gillingham also lost their opening match, falling to Walsall. They responded with a 0-0 draw at Fleetwood Town last time out. In that game, forwards Ronan Hale and Will Goodwin both hit the woodwork, while the Gills' defence did not allow a single shot on target.
The head-to-head record favours Northampton Town, who have 55 wins to Gillingham's 42, with 20 matches drawn. The Cobblers are unbeaten in their last four meetings against the Gills. Their most recent clash was during the 2022/23 League Two season, a campaign which ended with Northampton's promotion.
That last encounter saw Louis Appéré score for Northampton, with Aiden O'Brien replying for Gillingham after an assist from Oli Hawkins. The winning goal for the Cobblers was netted by Will Hondermarck. You can review the full historical stats on our dedicated stats section.
Gillingham will be without winger Kadeem Harris for the long term after he ruptured his ACL last week. Conor McManus is likely to start in his place. In goal, loanee Ollie Wright hopes to make his debut after being sidelined since the first week of pre-season. Ashley Maynard-Brewer, on emergency loan from Sheffield Wednesday, has covered the last two games.
The Gills also bolstered their attack this week by signing striker Lamin Sillah on a season-long loan from Nottingham Forest. Sillah, who joined on Thursday, previously played for Olympiacos and impressed in their U19 side before moving to the West Midlands last summer. He is expected to begin the match on the bench.
Following this trip to Kent, Northampton Town's immediate focus shifts to their next League Two assignment. They host Crawley Town at Sixfields on Tuesday, 1st September. Crawley currently occupy 15th place in the table. Securing a first win and scoring their first goals of the season at Priestfield would provide vital momentum ahead of that home game. The club's current position and form can be tracked on our standings page as the season develops.
