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The Blues make the long journey down to Kent to take on the Gills tomorrow afternoon, hoping to improve upon a relatively disappointing previous return from this fixture. Of the 20 games played at the Priestfield Stadium, the Cumbrians have recorded just four wins, and Gillingham have come away with 10 victories, with six of the matches ending all-square.
The last time the two teams met in Kent was back in February 1998, with the Gills carving out a narrow 1-0 victory in a Division Two (third tier) match, Stephen Butler grabbing the only goal of the game for the home side in the 71st minute in front of 6,270 spectators. United's last win at the Priestfield Stadium came in their 1994-95 title winning season as a second-half Dean Walling goal on New Years' Eve saw them claim all three points in a tight match that saw just 3,682 fans watching on.
Gillingham's biggest victory at home over the Blues was in the 1961-62 campaign when they trounced United 4-1 in the old Fourth Division, George Walker bagging the solitary goal for the Cumbrians in front of 5,483 spectators.
Meanwhile all Carlisle's four wins at the Priestfield Stadium have come by a narrow one goal margin, one of those victories being one of only two wins on the road in United's disastrous 1991-92 season which saw them finish bottom of the Football League, Michael Holmes and Andy Watson scoring the United goals that day in a match that saw a paltry crowd of only 2,179 fans watching on.
Carlisle only being saved from relegation into the then Vauxhall Conference at the end of that dire campaign as the league was supposedly expanding to 94 clubs, Aldershot stumping that idea though as they went out of business and resigned from the league on the 25th of March 1992.
For a detailed analysis of the head-to-head between the two sides, click here
| Recent encounters between the teams: | |||||
| 1997/1998 | Sat 21 Feb | Gillingham | 1 - 0 | Carlisle | LGE1 |
| 1997/1998 | Sat 27 Sep | Carlisle | 2 - 1 | Gillingham | LGE1 |
| 1994/1995 | Sat 08 Apr | Carlisle | 2 - 0 | Gillingham | LGE2 |
| 1994/1995 | Sat 31 Dec | Gillingham | 0 - 1 | Carlisle | LGE2 |
| 1993/1994 | Sat 26 Mar | Gillingham | 2 - 0 | Carlisle | LGE2 |
| 1993/1994 | Sat 02 Oct | Carlisle | 1 - 2 | Gillingham | LGE2 |
| 1992/1993 | Sat 13 Mar | Gillingham | 1 - 0 | Carlisle | LGE2 |
Recent respective form guides
Gillingham have had an average home run of late, winning and losing three each of their last six games at the Priestfield Stadium, two of those defeats coming back-to-back last time out against Nottingham Forest in the league (0-1) and then in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy (1-2). A generous eight goals have been both scored and conceded in this period.
The away form of Carlisle has been pretty dire recently, attaining just three draws from their previous six away games, the Cumbrians having problems at both ends of the pitch as they have notched only four goals but have leaked an alarming ten, five of those shipped coming in a 5-1 hammering at Crewe.
Gillingham find themselves struggling down in 17th position, just three points above the drop zone, in the league having picked up 18 points from their 15 matches played to date.
Carlisle lie just one spot outside the play-off positions in the League One table, three points off the second automatic promotion place, picking up 23 from their 15 games so far.
For a detailed analysis of team form guides throughout the leagues, click here
| Current home and away form guides: | P | W | D | L | F | A | P |
| Gillingham | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 11 | 13 | 5 |
| Carlisle | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 7 |
FootyMad's prediction ...
Not a lot has been going right generally for Carlisle on their travels as of late, but the Footymad panel can certainly see them gleaning a point from their game at Gillingham. No-score draw
| Sequence statistics: | |
| Gillingham | Been beaten in last two home matches. Not won in their four most recent games. |
| Carlisle | Not won in previous ten away matches. |