By Jack Nolan
August 17 2007

Gillingham host Tranmere Rovers at the krbs Priestfield Stadium on Saturday hoping to get their first points of the season, whilst avoiding anymore suspensions. The fixture sees frontman Delroy Facey play against his former side, Ben Chorley return to the club where he spent most of last season for the side of whom he scored his only Gillingham goal against.

Gillingham   Vs  Tranmere Rovers

Saturday 18th August 2007 - Kick-Off 3.00pm

Coca-Cola League One at krbs Priestfield Stadium

After two early season defeats, Rovers now immediately face one of their longest away trips of the season as they travel to Gillingham looking to record their first win.

After outplaying Leeds and at times Stockport, but still losing both games, Tranmere will be wondering already what they have to do to get a win.

Luckily for Rovers, they find tomorrows opponents in the same situation as themselves if not worse, with the Gills having lost 1-0 away in the League at Cheltenham last Saturday in a game that was overshadowed by the officals more than the football, then then falling 3-0 to Watford at Vicarage Road in the Carling Cup first round following a controversial red card and a penalty miss.

In the process of those two defeats though, Gillingham had three men dismissed and one limp off injured which will add early selection problems for Manager Ronnie Jepson. Although Steve Lomas and Ian Cox do return from suspension having served their one match bans.

Last season's encounter at the Priestfield was televised live on Sky TV and saw Rovers fail to perform in front of the nation as they lost 2-0 thanks to a Chris McCready own goal followed by a second from Crofts.

That defeat followed on from a nightmare game between the sides at Prenton Park only four weeks earlier when Rovers raced to a 2-0 lead inside five minutes before conceding three first half goals to lose 3-2 with current Rovers player Ben Chorley getting the winner for Gills.

Gillingham

Giilingham are without defender Efe Sodje for the visit of Tranmere Rovers to the krbs Priestfield Stadium on Saturday afternoon, having seen red at Vicarage Road for elbowing a Watford player and will serve a three match ban following a failed appeal.

Replacing Sodje in defence for The Gills will be Ian Cox who returns to the squad having served a one match ban. Steve Lomas will also return following suspension and will partner Andrew Crofts in midfield.

Striker Gary Mulligan will have a late fitness to determine whether he will be fit to face Tranmere, with David Graham set to replace him and Delroy Facey will face his former side partnering Graham in attack.

Defender Duncan Jupp will miss the visit of Tranmere as he is still sidelined through injury, and striker Guylain Ndumbu-Nsugnu is out on loan to League Two outfit Bradford City. 

Tranmere Rovers

Tranmere will have to do without key duo Chris Greenacre and Chris Shuker for the visit to Kent. The two have a back injury and calf injury respectively. 

Match Referee - Fred Graham (Essex)

Useful Stats

• Tranmere's Head-to-Head League Record v Gillingham at Priestfield:
• W2 D8 L4 F13 A18
• Tranmere's Head-to-Head League Record v Gillingham Overall:
• W9 D14 L5 F36 A32

• Form Guide - Gillingham Overall: W
• Form Guide - Tranmere Overall: L

• Hotshots - Gillingham: None
• Hotshots - Tranmere: Chris Greenacre - 1 Goal

26th January 2007 - Gillingham 2 - 0 Tranmere Rovers

(Coca-Cola League One)

Tranmere Team: Hart, Stockdale, Tremarco, McCready, Sherriff, Shuker, Mullin,McLaren, Davies (Zola 81), Taylor, Greenacre.

Subs not Used:  Ward, Ellison, Harrison, Johnston,

Goals - McCready og (22), Crofts (29)

Attendance - 5,378

Referee - P Armstrong (Berkshire)

Former Rovers striker Delroy Facey is likely be lining up against his old side on Saturday after signing for the Gills in the summer after a one season spell at relegated Rotherham United.

Released by Rovers in the summer of 2006, Facey joined Rovers teammate Ian Sharps at Millmoor later that summer and netted ten goals in 37 starts for the South Yorkshire side last season as they were ultimately relegated after a ten point deduction for going into administration.

Facey began his career at his home town club, Huddersfield Town before leaving after six seasons to join Bolton Wanderers.  After loan spells at Bradford and Burnley, he signed for West Bromwich Albion in 2004.

Delroy then spent just one season at Hull City and then one season at Oldham, including another spell back at Huddersfield on loan, before joining Tranmere in August 2005 where he netted eight league goals in 30 appearances including the goal that kept Tranmere in League One after a 2-1 win at MK Dons at the end of the 2005-06 season.