Gillingham will be backed by over 1500 fans as they head to Portsmouth in League One on Saturday afternoon.

A rare visit to Fratton Park is an opportunity for Steve Lovell’s side to make history, although defenders Connor Ogilvie and Bradley Garmston were laid low by an illness bug this week, so will be assessed.

Midfielder Callum Reilly is available again having been ineligible to play against his parent club Bury in the Gills’ last league match.

Defender Alex Lacey is stepping up his rehabilitation from an ankle problem. Midfielder Billy Bingham could be back from a broken leg by the end of match, but defender Aaron Morris (knee) remains a long-term absentee.

Portsmouth will be without captain Brett Pitman and winger Gareth Evans for the Gills visit.

Both players are continuing to recover from hamstring problems, but are closing in on a return. Defender Nathan Thompson serves out the last match of a four-game suspension.

Midfielder Stuart O’Keefe is likely to be out until mid-April following a hernia operation.

Portsmouth have faced Gillingham 15 times previously at home in all competitions and are yet to lose (W11 D4).

However, this is the Gills’ first league visit to Fratton Park since 2002/03 – they lost 1-0 with Arjan de Zeeuw on the scoresheet.

Pompey have lost three of their last four league games at home (D1), as many as in their previous 20 such games at Fratton Park.

Gillingham have only won one of their last four away games in League One (D1 L2), and have kept just one clean sheet in their last nine on the road.

Only Bristol Rovers (22) and Scunthorpe United (14) have won more points from losing positions than Gillingham (13) in League One this term.