We take a look ahead to Saturday’s Sky Bet League One clash against Gillingham at the ABAX Stadium.
Peterborough United entertain Gillingham at the ABAX Stadium on Saturday (3pm) in Sky Bet League One action and there is set to be a big crowd as the football club celebrates local junior football with our inaugural Junior Alliance Day.
Over 1,000 local youngsters will be watching the game through that scheme and the Schools Initiative also welcomes a similar amount through recent visits. Posh are five points adrift of the play-off positions with a game in hand while the Gills are six points clear of the drop zone in a congested lower half of the table.
TEAM NEWS
Posh have been boosted by the news that central defenders Rhys Bennett and Josh Knight have overcome injuries and are set to return to the squad. Siriki Dembele came through 90 minutes in a reserve team draw with Plymouth Argyle at the training ground on Tuesday and is available.
Gillingham are without former Posh defender Gabi Zakuani due to a season ending injury, although that has been said before about the ‘Wall’ and he has made a miraculous recovery so we won’t rule him out until the game starts. Another ex-Posh player, Leo Da Silva Lopes is expected to start. He scored in the recent 4-2 win at AFC Wimbledon.
FROM THE GAFFER
“Gillingham have good attacking players. I watched them last week and they were a threat. They have had some good results on the road, beating some top sides, but we know that it has to be about us. We know that we have to win four, maybe five of the remaining games to give ourselves a chance. We have to take each game as it comes,” Darren Ferguson said.
FROM THE OPPOSITION
"They [P'boro] have had an up and down season themselves. They can be excellent on their day and if they are given time on the ball they are a very good side. We have our way of approaching it and we will be prepared properly,” Gillingham boss Steve Lovell said.
TICKET NEWS
Tickets are on sale at www.theposhtickets.com, via the Ticketmaster hotline 0844 847 1934 (calls cost 7ppm plus your network access fee) and in person at the ABAX Stadium Box Office. The Motorpoint Stand and South Stand are extremely busy thanks to the two initiatives taking place on match day.
FAN ZONE
The fan zone featuring the target zone, Foot Darts and Foot Pool will be in operation from 1pm (adjacent to the ticket office) with the mobile bar also open.
MAN IN THE MIDDLE
The match referee is Robert Jones.