Peterborough United vs Gillingham preview - Zakuani misses out once again for Peterborough

Posted Friday, August 28, 2015 by PA

Peterborough boss Dave Robertson will be without Gabriel Zakuani once again as he looks to end a run of three successive defeats against Gillingham.

The Congolese defender serves the second game of a three-match ban after being sent off for a challenge on Burton's Timmy Thiele last weekend.

Zakuani missed the 4-1 Capital One Cup reverse at the hands of Sky Bet Championship Charlton - which followed League One defeats by Sheffield United and the Brewers - at the ABAX Stadium on Tuesday evening for which Robertson made five changes, one of which saw midfielder Jack Collison return from a dead leg.

Kgosi Ntlhe (toe) and Michael Smith (back) are closing in on comebacks, as is fellow defender Jack Baldwin, who has been out of action since November last year with a ruptured cruciate ligament, although he is still some way from playing.

The Gills currently sit at the top of the table after a flying start to the season, which has seen them win three and draw the other of their four games to date and collect 10 points from a possible 12.

Manager Justin Edinburgh made four changes for the cup game in midweek and saw his side go down 2-0 at Championship Birmingham.

Last season's leading scorer Cody McDonald played the last 28 minutes at St Andrew's in his first appearance of the season, while skipper Doug Loft could return to contention after playing in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Orient on Wednesday after his recovery from a troublesome calf injury.

German defender Max Ehmer made his first appearance of the campaign in the midweek cup defeat following his summer move from QPR, which followed a successful loan spell last season, and he will be hoping for further action.