Gillingham fans are in two minds about whether their side can overcome their poor form and rally to break their away-day duck.

JIM STAPLES

Greenwich

It’s clear that Hess is determined to draw on the positives from the defeat at home to Crewe last week; namely the improved work-rate and energy from his team. This, and the fact they were playing with a man down for the majority of the game, is likely to form the basis of his pre-match team talk.

Given the chance my own personal message to the players, at least the ones who have been here since the start of the season, would be slightly different. I’d like to look them in the eye and ask if they honestly believe they have been turning in performances worthy of a professional footballer in the past few weeks. If they honestly believe they are showing enough passion and commitment to my club, and if they honestly have the desire to turn things around and do something out on the pitch to change our fortunes.

Our club is becoming a joke. Losing at home to teams in League 2 will soon become acceptable and if that happens we are in real danger of going down. I have no real faith in our away form being turned on its head anytime soon.

The predictions in this very column from myself and fellow fans seems indicative of the complete loss of confidence we all have in the club. Where once we were all optimistic there is now a sense of inevitability in Saturday afternoons.

The injury list is unfortunate but the players we have should still be performing better, no excuses. Any player returning to fitness should be given a starting place as soon as they are physically capable of holding one down. I honestly believe it’s the only way things will improve and it seems Hess now recognises this fact too.

Oxford are on a bad run but I think they’ll beat us by showing more passion and quality than our current squad can muster.

Prediction: Oxford 1 Gills 0

PAUL BLAKELEY

Maidstone

I’m actually a lot more hopeful for the Gills’ plight after the Crewe game than I was after the Dover debacle.

We showed a lot more fight and spirit and even recognised that to get out of this situation we’re going to have to play some intelligent football. With a massively depleted squad we were always going to be up against it so it was heartening to see an improved display.

The loanees all looked good and will be great additions if they can replicate that form. It was also good to see Jackman back on the pitch and looking quite solid, especially seeing how long he’d been out. We could do with his bite and intelligence.

The centre back situation is a worry so that will need a loanee by the looks of it. Hopefully we can keep 11 men on the field and give it a good go, especially as it would be great to go to Barnet on a high. Gills win (ha!) 2-0.

Prediction: Oxford 0 Gills 2

MALCOLM SMITH

Grimsby

With the current injury crisis I think we would be too optimistic to expect great things. Two teams on bad runs and something will have to give.

If we could pull this one out of the bag and get the much needed points (let alone away win) then with the return of key players in the next few weeks things may begin to look rosier by the turn of the year.

Realistically though, bearing in mind the run we and Oxford are on, I expect both teams to shut up shop and a draw would give us a much needed point.

Prediction: Oxford 0 Gills 0

SAM LIVINGSTONE

Pangbourne

Gillingham have so often played their best football with their backs against the wall and the Oxford game, I hope will be no exception. We are crippled by injuries and we are on an awful run of form, not to mention the dreaded away record.

With a game looming against Mark Stimson, I think that the Oxford game will be a simply fantastic match and I anticipate our first away win against all the odds. Oxford are also on a terrible run of form, so I think that the game will be nervy but our quality will hopefully shine through.

If Hess doesn’t win this then I think the pressure may tell, yet if he wins then I think we can get a few wins on the roll and move up the table, so I think that this could be a massive turning point in our season.

The Gills to win in 2-1 with Akinfenwa opening the scoring, only to be pegged back by Constable. Late on though I would bet on Cody McDonald to get the winner.

Prediction: Oxford 1 Gills 2

ALEX SARSON

Wellingborough

This week we go up against a team that have lost their last four on the bounce and a team we have regularly beaten in recent times. That’s a win for Oxford this weekend then.

Some panic and rushed loans that may work out, but may not, are not enough for me to think Hess is changing the fortunes of the club on the field long term. The news today that the club has had to 'reassess the promotion pledge’ is possibly the most laughable comment since the media black out 'until we beat Crewe’. Love how that one turned out.

I am sick of the club, the people running it, the management being tactically useless and the players who don’t care.

Overall I hope we win, we need it, regardless of it being home or away. We just need points to make sure we survive this division. That’s the best outcome of this season unless there is an unexpected and radical shake up of the club, top to bottom.

Nothing changes this weekend. Oxford 2-0 Gillingham in a lacklustre and depressing continuation of our form.

Prediction: Oxford 2 Gills 0

OXFORD FAN

PAUL BEASLEY

A lot of people are starting to realise the gap between the Conference and League 2 is bigger than first thought.

Manager Chris Wilder has seen this and he’s brought in three more experienced players and we’re hoping that will make the difference. There were glimpses last week that it could, with a midfield battler, experience up-front and a tall centre-half, but it’s still early for them.

There is a bit of concern creeping in here and we’ve got the worst form in the league with just three points from our last six but we’ve not lost all hope. Expectations before the season we to make the play-offs or just off and it’s still tight.

We were just praying Gillingham would have got that away win before they came to us and I’m sure all fans are thinking the same. They are in a nightmare scenario away from home and Gillingham have nothing to lose.

The thing this season is that you can usually spot one ridiculously bad side but I can’t spot one yet. Even Barnet are not that bad. It could mean two reasonably good sides go down and you really don’t want to go down!

Prediction: Oxford 1 Gills 1