Changing fortunes
Gills welcome the Mariners back to Priestfield with memories of April’s heavy defeat. But has the balance of fortunes shifted?
With just over 15 minutes remaining, Gillingham and Grimsby were level at 1-1. Andy Cook had put the visitors ahead shortly before half time. Garath McCleary equalised ten minutes after the restart.
In the 74th minute, a defensive mix-up involving goalkeeper Glenn Morris handed Jaze Kabia a simple chance to restore Grimsby’s lead. Gillingham’s defence then collapsed – not for the first time in the season - as Kieran Green and Charles Vernam added two more goals in the final ten minutes to complete a 4-1 victory at Priestfield. It was an emphatic result that secured Grimsby’s league double over Gillingham and strengthened their play-off push, which ultimately ended with a seventh-place finish.
Six months later, Grimsby return to Priestfield on Saturday looking considerably more vulnerable. David Artell’s side find themselves in the bottom half of League Two, struggling for results and beset by injuries. Grimsby will arrive having not won any of their six away league games this season.
Gillingham, meanwhile, remain in the play-off positions but have their own concerns about injuries, defensive lapses and missed opportunities. Saturday offers the Gills an opportunity to put a disappointing recent record against Grimsby behind them by returning to winning ways at home.
The Mariners’ rising and falling tide
Artell took charge at Blundell Park in November 2023 and steered Grimsby away from the threat of relegation back to the National League that they had climbed out of the previous year. The following campaign brought a ninth-place finish with the Mariners narrowly missing the play-offs. His side improved again last season securing a play-off place with 78 points. They lost 4-3 on aggregate to Salford City in a dramatic semi-final with an extra time winner ending their promotion ambitions. They also enjoyed a memorable League Cup campaign that saw them knock out Manchester United in the second round.
Kabia, who restored Grimsby’s lead at Priestfield last April, had also proved instrumental in the Mariners’ 1-0 victory at Blundell Park the previous October, winning the penalty from which Charles Vernam scored and drawing the foul that led to Remeao Hutton’s dismissal.
The forward scored 24 goals in 57 appearances in all competitions last season. In August, he joined Leyton Orient for an undisclosed club record fee for the London side. The departure of such a productive forward is one of several challenges Artell has faced this season.
False start
Grimsby took 13 points from their first seven league matches without defeat but have added just one point from their last five games. That came in a draw at Rochdale on Tuesday. Trailing 1-0 at half-time, the Mariners recovered through goals from Kieran Green and Jamie Walker to lead 2-1, only to concede a late equaliser in the 88th minute. Artell believed Grimsby deserved to win comfortably and had produced an excellent performance despite their problems.
Grimsby’s injury problems are most pronounced in defence. Edon Pruti suffered a serious leg injury in last Saturday’s home defeat to Northampton and underwent surgery earlier this week. Artell switched to a three-man defence at Rochdale and following the game revealed that seven of his ten defenders were unavailable including Doug Tharme whom he confirmed had suffered a rupture of his hamstring that may now require surgery.
The Gills’ familiar frustrations
After last Saturday’s disappointing 3-1 defeat at Accrington, Ainsworth demanded a response against Port Vale at Priestfield. Led by James Brophy and Nick Freeman, Gillingham showed encouraging signs in the first half, but Port Vale improved after making three substitutions at the interval. Ainsworth’s own injury-depleted squad lacked equivalent options to build on the half time lead provided by Ronan Hale’s penalty. Missed chances early in the second half, compounded by poor defending for the equaliser, allowed familiar concerns to resurface.
Both teams’ injury concerns make Saturday’s team selections uncertain. Ainsworth indicated after Tuesday’s game that he expected more of his squad back available this Saturday.
An uncomfortable recent record
Gillingham have not beaten Grimsby in their last six encounters, losing four and drawing two. Their last win against the Mariners came in February 2023 - a 2-1 victory at Priestfield. George Lapslie opened the scoring, Gavan Holohan equalised before Oli Hawkins won it with an 87th minute header.
The overall head-to-head is 44 competitive meetings: 20 Grimsby victories, 12 Gillingham and 12 draws. October 1971 saw three meetings between the sides in the space of seven days. The first was a drawn third round League Cup tie at Priestfield with Grimsby winning both the replay and the intervening Fourth Division fixture played at Blundell Park.
Recent connections
Andy Smith has started all 12 of Gillingham’s league games this season. He spent two loan spells with Grimsby from Hull City helping them win promotion through the National League play-offs in 2022. He returned to Blundell Park for the 2022/23 season, making 47 appearances in all competitions before joining Gillingham on loan in February 2025. The move became permanent four months later.
Josh Andrews moved the other way this summer although an early season knee injury has limited his involvement to just 17 league minutes and another brief appearance in the League Cup.
Verdict
At their best, Gillingham have produced some impressive attacking performances this season, but inconsistency and defensive frailties remain. Saturday offers another opportunity against opponents who are also injury-hit. Despite their poor recent record in this fixture, home advantage and their stronger league position should give The Gills a reasonable chance of at least a narrow win.
Prediction: Gillingham 2-1 Grimsby Town
David Tickner writes regularly about Gillingham Football Club on Substack. You can read, follow or subscribe for free at Gills Journal | David Tickner | Substack
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