Southend vs Gillingham Predictions

• Southend are the lowest home scorers in League 1 this season.
• Gillingham have the second-best travelling defensive record in League 1 this term.
• Less than four goals have been scored in 97% of Gillingham’s away matches this term.

Sorry-looking Shrimpers

It was another disappointing Saturday afternoon for the Shrimpers, as they slumped to yet another defeat, this time losing by two goals to nil in front of a home crowd. Tuesday’s hosts have now lost each of their last three, while they’ve won only one of their last five. Things had started to improve, especially at this venue, but recent performances suggest that the fight may just be going out of Southend’s game again.

That said, two of their last three have come away from home, while they were up against an exceptional Coventry when last in action at this venue. Aside from their defeat last time out, Southend are unbeaten in four at home. Then again, their overall home record doesn’t exactly bode well. Their record against top-half teams, which Gillingham certainly are, is poor.

The Shrimpers have won none of their seven home matches against teams that currently reside in the top half, losing five out of seven. In those seven matches, they’ve kept zero clean sheets and have conceded a worrying 23 goals. They’ve scored seven, failing to score on three occasions.

Gills keep moving forward

For a brief moment, as they went a goal down early doors, Gillingham looked in danger of seeing their unbeaten run come to an end on Saturday afternoon, though Steve Evans men steadied the ship and showed exactly what they’re made of to turn it around, eventually winning by three goals to one. It’s now 13 league matches since the Gills last tasted defeat. With three wins in their last four, Evans side are well and truly gearing up for a run at the play-off places.

The Gills haven’t exactly been menacing away from home this term, as a total of just 12 goals for suggests, but they have been very, very sturdy, especially in the last few months. They’ve lost just three of their 15 travelling matches, while they’ve kept an impressive five clean sheets in their last ten, only one of which they’ve lost. They’ve conceded more than once in just two of their last ten. It’s fair to say that Gillingham can restrict teams.

Visitors to edge it

Gillingham haven’t been prolific in terms of wins away from this term, but their solid efforts suggest that they can get the better of a struggling Southend side. The Gills have kept a clean sheet in four of their last eight travelling matches, which bodes well given Southend’s distinct lack of shutouts. Two of those clean sheets came away against bottom-half teams. Additionally, Southend rank as the worst team in terms of shots on target for at home, which is good for the visitors given their already sturdy rear-guard. Lots of teams have scored lots of goals against the Shrimpers’ rather rickety back-line, but Gillingham haven’t made a habit of being involved in high-scoring goals on the road, so backing the visitors to make use of their extra defensive ability and come out on top in sturdy, low-scoring fashion appears to be the best option. After all, less than four goals have been scored in 97% of Gillingham’s travelling matches.