Saturday 29th September will see the most important game of the season so far as Rochdale visit the MEMS Priestfield Stadium for match day 9 of the 2012/13 season. 10th placed Rochdale come to us with of the back of a 2 all draw at home to Dagenham and Redbridge having been 2 up at half time. Their last 2 way games, however, have seen victories: 1-2 at AFC Wimbledon and 2-3 at preseason favourites Rotherham. Rochdale have 3 joint top scorers this season with Dele Adebola, Bobby Grant and Andrew Tutte all having scored 3 goals each. As you can see from the stats below Rochdale have enjoyed more success on the road so far this season than the have at home. Overall record P8 W3 D3 L2 GF12 GA11 GD+1 PTS12 Away record. P4 W2 D1 L1 GF8 GA8 GD 0 PTS7 For me, and I mean no disrespect to Rochdale, I see the Gills' biggest test in this game will be complacency following our record breaking start to the season. Should we not be on the top of our game Rochdale definitely have it in themselves to punish us and will prove to be a stern test. It's great that we are top but we haven't achieved anything yet and it will take another fully committed match to see us maintain, at the very least, our 6 point lead at the top of league 2. This will be our last match in September, a month that has seen us only drop 2 points and concede 2 goals while winning 4 in a row and keep clean sheets in the last 3. So I'm sure MA will have the boys well organised and we will want to finish the month with another win at the Home of the Shouting Men. A bigger gate would also be welcome, although I have no idea how many Rochdale will bring down to us, and another great atmosphere generated will surely help the boys continue their fantastic start to the season. It's anyone's guess as to what the starting line up will be as MA is keeping us all guessing. This is my last stand in for brb who will return from his holiday in time for the game and I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for the continued support during my time as caretaker. Any visiting Rochdale fans to the board are more than welcome to post your predictions and I'm sure Hoadie will be placing his pre match thread so please comment on there too. Please vote in the poll and when making your predictions follow the usual format of scores and scorers all on 1 line as in my example which follows. UTG
Complacency will be our biggest threat. I'm going for a well worked win Gills 2 (Kedwell and Findley) Rochdale 0
Great win yesterday think we will continue on good form and the thought of perhaps Findley and Weston , if fit, on the flanks next Saturday is exciting and could create fear in the Dale back 4. Of course difficult to know who the starting 11 will be with MA continuing to rotate the squad but hey I am not complaining. Gillingham 3 Rochdale 0 (findley, Kedwell, Whelpdale)
Gills 2 - 0 Rochdale (Findley, Allen) Theres only one Malcolm Stedman...only one Malcolm Stedman, walking along, singing a song, walking in a Stedman wonderland! New song for the 2nd half too
Gillingham2 v 0 Rochdale ( Kedwell and Lee ) this is ours to lose Rochdale will be no push over and seem to recall they are a good away side UTG
They haven't ever been fantastic at Priestfield... Gills 5-1 Dale (Findley x2, Kedwell, Burton, Whelpdale)
Gills 2-1 Rochdale (Kedwell, Whelpdale) Rochdale will be tough with John Coleman wingeing in the ear of the 4th official and doing his best to intimidate the ref.
