- Gillingham have won 7, drawn 7 and lost 8 of their 22 home games in League Two, conceding 36 goals in the process.
- Shrewsbury Town have won just 4 of their 22 away games in League Two, losing 14 of those games and scoring just 20 goals on the road.
An open match is on the cards
Shrewsbury Town have a more solid and structured way of playing than Gillingham, as Gavin Cowan has implemented his own tactical preferences since joining the club in January 2026 and brought about a degree of stability to The Shrews.
The visitors set up with a back three, keep things compact, play with good width from their wing-backs and look to play a direct game with balls into the box and second balls after set-pieces. Shrewsbury haven’t been in bad form of late with two wins and two draws from their last five and they’re unbeaten in their last two.
Gillingham have had the opposite experience to The Shrews since Gareth Ainsworth took the reins in March 2025, with his team playing a pragmatic, high-tempo game with plenty of pressing, good wing play and a tactical flexibility that allows him to make changes if needed during the game.
Ainsworth’s team have lost momentum in recent weeks, however, winning just once in their last five and losing their last three including a 6-2 mauling away to Barnet.
Ainsworth’s Gillingham are the favourites
Gillingham sit 18th in League Two with 50 points from 45 games, whilst Shrewsbury are a point behind in 19th.
The hosts have shown themselves to be the more vulnerable side this season, and odds of 87/100 for a home victory seem a bit too short.
With Shrewsbury set up to be solid and Gillingham looking to press the life out of the game, a high-tempo clash with plenty of chances looks on the horizon, especially considering the 3-3 draw when these sides last met in League Two.
Garath McCleary has scored 2 goals in Gillingham’s last 5 games, so he’s looking the best option in the anytime scorer market.
Both teams to score is a solid play at 22/25, whilst Over 2.5 goals stands at 27/25.
