Gills striker Adebayo Akinfenwa gets above the Bury defence at Priestfield on Saturday Picture: Barry Goodwin

Following the home draw against Bury, our panel of Gillingham supporters are split in their predictions for Saturday's League 2 game at Shrewsbury, while our guest Shrews fan is going for a narrow home win.

SAM LIVINGSTONE

(Pangbourne)

"With many results going our way midweek and at the weekend, the top of the table still looks tight. After we play Shrewsbury, our matches get progressively less difficult, as we play teams from lower down the league so I’m still confident we can get into the automatic spaces.

"We have, however, drawn four matches from our previous five and need to start converting some of these into wins. Cody seems to have gone off the boil recently but luckily Weston is starting to pick up the scoring habit again.

"I think the Gills will win this in a closely fought contest."

Prediction: Shrewsbury 1 Gills 2

MALCOLM SMITH

(Grimsby)

"After a welcome break this week, it is back into the fray for Hess’s men and the games don’t let up. Hess has said that we have cup finals all the way until the end of the season and looking at the fixtures, he isn’t wrong!

"After Shrewsbury we have more ‘winnable’ games but trips to Southend, Aldershot and Burton will be anything but easy. Yet in all of these games we need to be taking three points.

"I don’t think we can hope for more than a draw this weekend, which could see us drop out of the play-off places. A win would lift everyone and put automatic promotion firmly back on the table."

Prediction: Shrewsbury 1 Gills 1

JAMES STAPLES

(Greenwich)

"This weekend represents a massive test. We need to put in a performance to show we can compete with the best in the league away from home.

"There are teams below us, such as Southend, hitting a good run of form and they are now pushing to get into those play-off spots.

"Although we’ve maintained our unbeaten run, it is clear the draws need to be converted to wins if we are to keep pace.

"On Saturday, Bury had done their homework and exposed the space created down our wings as a result of playing a midfield diamond.

"With this in mind, I would like to see Hess adopt a flat four with Barcham returning to the starting XI and offering pace and width to the team.

"I’d be happy with a point but have to be realistic and go with my head. I think Gills will score first (Garry Richards, pictured) but eventually surrender the lead."

Prediction: Shrewsbury 2 Gills 1

JAMES PEMBLE

(Gillingham)

"After a slightly disappointing result on Saturday and a fairly bad performance second half, I’m hopeful that we can get a result from what is now our biggest game of the season so far.

"Shrewsbury are going well but I do think we’ll go there and score and hopefully we can get out of the habit of going 1-0 down away from home and get a win. However, reluctantly, I’m going for a score draw."

Prediction: Shrewsbury 2 Gills 2

ANTHONY THOMAS

(Shrewsbury fan)

"It’s four wins in a row for the Shrews but we’re taking nothing for granted, especially against a Gillingham side that had little problem in beating us earlier in the season.

"Boss Graham Turner improved his team in the January transfer window, in particular bringing in two midfielders in Nicky Wroe and David Davies, who are far more action-packed and combative than the previous duo. In young winger Jon Taylor, we also have one of the hottest properties in the league at the moment.

"Our defence will need to be in good form to keep Cody McDonald and the beast that is Adebayo Akinfenwa quiet. It’s going to be a tight one yet I think the Shrews will edge it by a single goal."

Prediction: Shrewsbury 1 Gills 0

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