Preview: Gillingham vs. Doncaster Rovers - prediction, team news, lineups

Doncaster Rovers will look to climb off the foot of the League One table on Tuesday, when they make the trip to take on fellow strugglers Gillingham.

After a victory over Milton Keynes Dons, the visitors were brought crashing back down by a defeat to Wycombe Wanderers last time out, while their hosts only sit four points better off in 20th spot, having lost their last three league games.

Match preview

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Gillingham have had to endure a difficult start to the new campaign, collecting just seven points from the opening eight games of the League One season.

While they managed to follow up a draw against Oxford United with a vital 2-0 win over newly-promoted Cambridge United, Steve Evans's men have been unable to build a positive run, having now lost three consecutive league games.

A 2-0 defeat at home to Wigan Athletic immediately prevented an unbeaten run growing, before early goals from Garath McCleary and Brandon Hanlan saw Wycombe Wanderers condemn the Gills to their second straight defeat.

That run was stretched to three games on Saturday, as they were on the losing end in their clash with Sunderland, despite Danny Lloyd putting them ahead in the 25th minute, as Aiden O'Brien and Tom Flanagan flipped the game on its head before the Black Cats defended their lead for the final 20 minutes with 10 men after a red card was shown to Elliot Embleton.

Having now dropped to 20th spot, level on points with Shrewsbury in the relegation zone, the Gills will hope to correct their form and move clear of the bottom four when they meet the basement side on Tuesday.

Doncaster will also go in search of what would be a crucial victory in their bid to avoid relegation this term, after a particularly tough start to the campaign.

Rovers picked up just one point from their first six games to immediately drop to the bottom of the league, before finally putting a victory on the board as they defeated Morecambe 1-0.

That was followed by a 2-1 defeat to Plymouth Argyle and a crushing 6-0 loss to Ipswich Town, before Richie Wellens's men bounced back admirably with a vital 2-1 win over Milton Keynes Dons thanks to goals from Tommy Rowe and Tiago Cukur.

The Reds were unable to put another victory on the board last time out though, as their home clash against promotion-chasing Wycombe Wanderers resulted in a 2-0 defeat as Anthony Stewart and Adebayo Akinfenwa got on the scoresheet.

Following their eighth league defeat of the season, the Yorkshire outfit remain rooted to the foot of the League One table, but a victory over their 20th-placed hosts would see the landscape at the bottom end of the division vastly change, and Wellens will drill the importance of a positive result into his side ahead of the trip.

Team News

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Despite their disappointing form, Gillingham are unlikely to make wholesale changes for Tuesday's game, with Evans tending to stick with a regular core of starters.

Vadaine Oliver should continue to lead the line, having hit four league goals so far this season, while Danny Lloyd will again feature after his goal last time out.

Daniel Adshead will push for a return to the midfield, while John Akinde could be brought back in to join Oliver in the front line for a more manageable game.

Doncaster should remain without forward Fejiri Okenabirhie, who continues to miss out with a long-term injury.

Tiago Cukur will likely keep his place at the top of the pitch, despite only netting one league goal since arriving on loan from Watford.

Former Tottenham Hotspur man John Bostock will continue to be trusted to handle business in the engine room alongside Ben Close.

Gillingham possible starting lineup:
Cumming; Jackson, Tucker, Ehmer, McKenzie; Dempsey, Adshead, O'Keefe; Lloyd; Akinde, Oliver

Doncaster Rovers possible starting lineup:
Dahlberg; Knoyle, Williams, Anderson, Rowe; Bostock, Close; Hiwula, Dodoo, Vilca; Cukur

We say: Gillingham 1-1 Doncaster Rovers

With both sides struggling for form and both managers facing increasing pressure, something is bound to give on Tuesday, and we predict a share of the spoils which would not be overly beneficial to either team.

With two outfits struggling at the attacking end of the pitch, we see a low-scoring draw as the most likely outcome at Priestfield.

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