GILLINGHAM will be facing the prospect of an old boys' backlash when they travel to Stoke tonight (Tuesday) for the second round of the Carling Cup.

Stoke manager Tony Pulis will be looking to take revenge on the club he left in controversial fashion, while former Gills strikers Carl Asaba and Ade Akinbiyi will also be keen to upset Andy Hessenthaler's team.

Gillingham will go into the match with confidence, having dispatched West Ham 2-0 in the league on Saturday. But loan signing Trevor Benjamin, one of the scorers in the victory over the Hammers, won't play at the Britannia Stadium because Leicester City don't want him cup-tied.

Nicky Southall, Andy Hessenthaler and Paul Shaw are all injury doubts for the game, which kicks off at 7.45pm.