Roker Report Score Predictions: How will we fare back at home against Gillingham?

Good round for all our panel after the Ipswich result but especially for Jack. Maximum points with correct score and scorer makes him outright leader, stretching his lead to two despite Malcolm picking up two himself.

The chasing pack in Matthew, Phil and Will all picked up a point to hang on to the top two’s coat tails. At the bottom, Martin’s two points saw him narrow the gap between himself and Will to five.

Plenty of points at stake as our score predictors now need to decide if Sunderland can stop being consistently inconsistent and put a run of results together. Let’s find out what our panel go for in this round of predictions...

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Philip Butler predicts...

Score Prediction: Sunderland 1 - 0 Gillingham

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Charles Thomas Wyke

I’m going for a repeat of Tuesday’s result for Lee Johnson’s men as we keep up our stellar defensive record while Sunderland’s number nine moves one step closer to a ticket for Euro 2020 – as a fan.

We haven’t won three in a row since February, and our home form has been patchy at best. On paper, Ipswich was the toughest of our last three matches so there’s no reason why we can’t continue to build up a head of steam and start looking toward the automatic places before most League One games have even kicked off.

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

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Malcolm Dugdale predicts...

Score Prediction: Sunderland 2 - 0 Gillingham

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Charlie Wyke

I narrowly missed out on a successive four point haul in the Ipswich game. Had the Willis chance, or one of the other decent efforts that well blocked by the Tractor boys’ defence bulged the net after Charlie’s classy opener, that would have been the case.

The upcoming challenge this Saturday afternoon is a very different prospect, but in several ways it is just as hard to call. Last time out, while Sunderland were grinding out a 1-0 away win versus ten men at Portman Rd, Gillingham were banging four past Crewe at home, where the opening three came in the first half. It was only in the last ten minutes that a consolation spoiled Gillingham’s clean sheet.

Looking at their recent form, there is an argument that The Gills are one of the most see-saw teams out there. With defeats to Plymouth, Burton and Northampton, and draws in two fixtures against Accrington, you can understand why they are 12th having played one more than us. That said, if the team from last Saturday turns up, or the one who also battered Rochdale 4-1 ahead of Christmas, then they can clearly be a team who deserve respect for their goal threat.

I’m backing the lads to not only grab a win but to take more than one chance this weekend. Wyke is on a great streak, and despite his die-hard critics shouting down his success, goals breed confidence so he will be up for carrying on his run.

Interestingly, in most of the games that Gillingham have lost, they have let a goal in around the half hour mark, so I’d like to see the lads have a go from the off and take a lead that they can build on. As per Ipswich and Shrewsbury though, three ugly points will do too, as there are no prizes for stunning football, only for league points totals. The playoff places beckon, let’s have one.

Photo by Hannah Fountain - CameraSport via Getty Images

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Matthew Foster predicts...

Score Prediction: Sunderland 2 - 1 Gillingham

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Aiden O’Brien

I don’t always like to be wrong, but I don’t mind it when it involves a Sunderland win after I have predicted otherwise.

Not to mention Charlie Wyke. I have criticised him throughout this season, but he’s in a rich vein of form, and will be a key player in our bid to clamber up the table.

We face a Gillingham side today that have just come off an impressive 4-1 win against Crewe and will be in a confident mood. They will want to expand on their upturn of form, having gone the last three unbeaten.

But this is a Sunderland side with three wins in our last four games, and our own confidence growing. While we have been rather uninspiring for large portions of our last three victories, the winning goals in all were well taken.

In fact, Tuesday night’s goal was my favourite so far; with it taking only five passes from our own area, before Wyke was burying his chance past Holy.

While we’ve not won three league games on the bounce since February 2020, I can’t help but allow the wave of optimism sweep over me, and I’m going for our fifth home win of the season.

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

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Jack Howe-Gingell predicts...

Score Prediction: Sunderland 2 - 0 Gillingham

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Aiden McGeady

Another good win in the week over a miserable Ipswich side has us in a position to get three wins on the spin. We could really do with a good run and our next few games should give us a platform to do that.

Gillingham are six points behind Sunderland, sitting among the mid-table pack. They only have two wins from their last six, losing three of them - so we should be looking to come away with maximum points.

Jordan Graham remains one of their best players with seven goals and seven assists to his name this season so far. The likes of John Akinde and Vadaine Oliver will provide a physical and aerial threat, with the latter also scoring seven this season.

Sunderland are likely to go into the game with an enforced change due to Bailey Wright’s injury on Tuesday. This is a chance to see how a partnership of Willis and Sanderson will work out. The pair are highly athletic, and I’d fancy them to be up for a physical challenge, with their pace being a real asset.

Elsewhere, Charlie Wyke continued his rich vein of form. He has seven in his last seven games and I hope he can continue to get us on the front foot.

Overall, there are potential banana skins in this one but Gillingham are not in great form and I fancy us to do win comfortably.

Photo by Hannah Fountain - CameraSport via Getty Images

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Will Jones predicts...

Score Prediction: Sunderland 3 - 1 Gillingham

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Charlie Wyke

Always happy to be wrong when we win. We are winning with driven and sly tactics, taking the game out of the opposition. Winning 1-0 is the best way to win.

We are getting closer and closer to the two points per game mark under LJ and now we have a run of games that on paper, are all winnable. This is the time, we have the squad to rotate and not feel the fatigue. Every game here is a chance when two or more of the teams above us are playing each other and will drop points.

We are finally getting a run and an identity and it’s amazing to see. Another 1pm kick off, and after AFC Wimbledon recently let’s hope Charlie Wyke is in a similar mood that got him a hat-trick.

Gills are coming off a big win in midweek, but that means nothing when it comes to this league. It knows no bounds when taking away records.

Having only just beaten them under Parky with a red card, a Burge penalty save and a Maguire penalty going in our favour, Steve Evans’ side will believe they have a score to settle. I doubt they will sit back and that will play straight into our hands.

Despite not being overly confident at home at the moment, I fully believe we can rip these to shreds, eat them up and spit them out on their journey home before the 3pm kick offs. LET’S KICK ON LADS.

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Getty Images

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Martin Wanless predicts...

Score Prediction: Sunderland 2 - 0 Gillingham

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Charlie Wyke

While not spectacular, and not as comprehensive as it should have been, Tuesday’s win was a crucial one given our continual failure to back up a positive result with another. The acid test for Johnson comes this Saturday, however. After a poor run of form at home, can we respond positively when Steve Evans’ waddles into town with his Gillingham side in tow?

The very mention of Gillingham still sends shivers down my spine, so it’d be nice to dispatch them away with a good performance. They were, of course, the last team we faced with fans in the ground, and that 2-2 draw ended up being more costly than we could ever have envisaged at the time.

After beating them in less than convincing style at Priestfield earlier in the season, a win here could really kickstart our season. I’m going for a solid, if unspectacular, 2-0 win for us. Here’s hoping.

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images