Preview: Gillingham vs AFC Wimbledon - prediction, team news, lineups

Gillingham and AFC Wimbledon stand in each other's way for a place in the EFL Cup second round as they go head-to-head at Priestfield Stadium on Tuesday.

Both teams emerged victorious in league action over the weekend and will head into their opening cup involvement of the season on a high.

Match preview

After coming from behind to claim a 1-1 stalemate in their League Two curtain raiser against Accrington Stanley, Gillingham went one better in their second outing against Walsall on Saturday.

Bradley Dack's solitary strike just before the hour mark proved to be the all-important moment which got the job done for Gareth Ainsworth's men in a drab affair.

Since a 3-1 defeat to Newport County, the Gills are now unbeaten in 14 straight league matches, although nine of them have ended all square.

However, Gillingham have been defensively solid during that span, keeping six clean sheets and conceding one goal or fewer in all but one of those games.

The team from Kent will now be aiming to avoid consecutive first-round EFL Cup exits, having bowed out at the same stage to Swansea City in last season's edition of the competition.

Currently without a defeat on home turf in competitive outings for over five months, Tuesday's hosts have been a tough nut to crack in front of their fans and will be confident of coming out on top here.

Back in League One for the first time in four years, Wimbledon came away empty-handed from their first assignment against Luton but wasted no time getting back to winning ways against Lincoln City.

Last season's top scorer Mathew Stevens opened his account for Johnnie Jackson's men from the spot before new arrival Nathan Asiimwe announced himself with a lovely goal 13 minutes from time.

That snapped a four-game losing streak for the Wombles dating back to pre-season, during which they also failed to find the back of the net while also conceding seven times.

Wimbledon have gone past the EFL Cup first round in three of the last four years and made it through to the third round in the 2024-25 season, where they were knocked out by eventual champions Newcastle United.

However, the only time Saturday's visitors suffered an early exit was back in the 2022 tournament, which saw them face off against the hosts and suffer a 2-0 defeat.

Gillingham form (all competitions):

AFC Wimbledon form (all competitions):

Team News

Veteran forward Sam Vokes is currently sidelined with a broken hand he picked up back in May and is still a considerable way off returning to action for Gillingham.

English duo Sebastian Palmer-Houlden and Aaron Rowe also miss out for the home side, with the former still awaiting his debut since joining from Dundee.

Euan Williams endured an injury-hit 2024-25 season where he made just 16 league appearances, and the 22-year-old is currently unavailable due to a knee problem.

Having been on a 15-game goal drought prior to his opener against Lincoln, Mathew Stevens will be pleased to be back amongst the goals and will be looking to pick up where he left off.

Joe Lewis was subbed off with an injury scare in the final knockings of his side's last outing, making him a doubt to feature here.

Should Lewis be deemed unfit to participate, Riley Harbottle will be expected to take his place in the middle of the back three with Ryan Johnson and Isaac Ogundere on either side.

Gillingham possible starting lineup:

Morris; Smith, Masterson, Ogie; Hutton, McKenzie, Little, Clark; Dack, Nevitt, Gbode

AFC Wimbledon possible starting lineup:

Bishop; Johnson, Harbottle, Ogundere; Seddon, Smith, Reeves, Asiinwe; Browne, Hippolyte; Stevens