Our prediction for this League 2 match:
Rochdale and Gillingham square off against each other at Spotland Stadium in what is expected to be a close League Two encounter. The Dale failed to win the previous six league matches, with the team remaining in the rock-bottom position, and, no doubt, they are low on spirits following a 2-1 loss to Leyton. Veteran striker Ian Henderson should continue to lead the line for the hosts despite failing to find the net in the midweek defeat.
The Gills, on the other hand, quickly bounced back from a 2-0 loss to Mansfield Town, with the team beating Grimsby in front of home fans. The visitors aim to escape the danger zone, and we predict that they will take advantage of the current situation in Rochdale’s dressing room. As for the visiting team, George Lapslie should keep his place in the starting XI after scoring the opener against Grimsby.
Highlighted Player (Eoghan O\'Connell):
Eoghan O’Connell is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a center back for Rochdale. O'Connell, who hails from the village of Douglas, was born on the 13th of August, 1995. In his early days, the defender used to play for two renowned Irish academies in College Corinthians and Avondale United before switching to the Celtic Academy in 2011.
He made his professional debut on the 29th of March, 2014, featuring in Celtic's 1-1 draw against Ross Country in the Scottish Premiership. His time at the Hoops included sporadic first-team appearances and loan spells with teams Oldham Athletic, Cork City, and Walsall. However, he won Celtic's Academy Player of the Year 2014 award and was included in the reputed Irish publication Journal.ie's " 10 most promising young Irish Footballers" article. His search for regular playing time brought O'Connell to Bury, whom he joined in June 2017.
He remained at the club for two seasons before signing for his current club Rochdale on a two-year contract starting on the 4th of July, 2019. Additionally, the 24-year-old has capped for the Republic of Ireland's under-19 and the under-21 team. He made his under-21 debut on the 2nd of September, 2017, in a 2-0 UEFA European Under-21 Qualifier win over Slovenia.
Highlighted Team (Gillingham):
Founded back in 1893, Gillingham FC are an English club that compete in the League One. The Gills are well known for their blue shirts with black stripes, but they wear white shirts with a little yellow and blue, and yellow shirts when playing on the travels.
Priestfield Stadium is the club’s home ground, with the venue holding up to 11,582 spectators. Gillingham City have been playing at the stadium since the club’s foundation. Speaking of the club’s main rivals, over the years the Gills have built up a rivalry to Swindon Town. However, it has to be noted that Swindon fans do not consider Gillingham their biggest rivals.
Former goalkeeper Roy Hillyard is the Gillingham City player with the most appearances. The English shot-stopper played for Gillingham City from 1974 to 1991, making 655 appearances for the club. Brian Yeo is the team’s all-time top scorer, netting 149 goals in 387 appearances for the club from 1963 to 1975.