Match Report
Gillingham, 20th on 40 points, faced a 44-point deficit to Sunderland (5th, 84). Against a league average of 1.35 goals per team per game, Sunderland ran at 1.72 scored and 1.15 conceded, Gillingham at 0.76 and 1.5.
Defeat had not touched Sunderland in 6 games.
9 meetings are on record — 4 won by Sunderland, 2 by Gillingham, 3 drawn, at 3.11 goals per meeting. Home advantage has meant little here: 33% of the meetings went to the host. 67% of these meetings featured a goal for each side.
The venue was Stadium of Light in Sunderland, with room for 49,000 spectators. Half-time and full-time told different stories: it was 0-0 at the break, before 1 more goal closed it at 1-0.