Riley Harbottle floats in a cross for Wimbledon but Gillingham keeper Glenn Morris comes out of his goal well to claim.

AFC Wimbledon get us going at Plough Lane - or the Cherry Red Records Stadium, but that doesn’t quite have the same ring to it.

Who will have the last laugh of 2024 in League Two?

A minute’s applause rings around the ground before kick-off in a tribute by AFC Wimbledon to remember supporters of the club who are no longer with us.

Nice touch.

Jason Euell
Former AFC Wimbledon midfielder, on Sky Sports

Trying to get good possession, keep creating chances, that's the key thing for Gillingham.

Now it's about being clinical when they get those chances. The confidence is there as they are creating chances, the problems only really start when you are not creating any.

Having the quality of Bradley Dack and Armani Little, they are big players, they can cause problems to create the chances you need.

They need to stay positive, as individuals and as a group.

• AFC Wimbledon are unbeaten in their past five home EFL games against Gillingham (W4 D1), keeping a clean sheet in each of those victories.
• Gillingham lost their most recent EFL game against AFC Wimbledon 2-0 in March last season, and could lose successive such games for the first time since February 2020.
• AFC Wimbledon have won their final EFL game of the calendar year in each of the past two years, as many wins as in their first 11 such games (D3 L6).
• After beating Sutton 1-0 in 2023, Gillingham are looking to win their final EFL game of the year in successive years for the first time since 2005 (run of three).

Johnnie Jackson makes two changes to the AFC Wimbledon side that drew 1-1 with Swindon on Boxing Day.

Skipper Jake Reeves and Romaine Sawyers come into the starting XI, while Sam Hutchinson drops to the bench.

Omar Bugiel is not in the squad after going off in the 40th minute last time out.

Gillingham boss Mark Bonner makes three changes from the 2-0 defeat at Colchester four days ago.

Bradley Dack makes his first start in his second spell with the club since returning from injury, while Sam Gale and Armani Little also come into the team.

Jack Nolan and Aaron Rowe drop to the bench but Remeao Hutton does not feature at all.

Image source, Rex Features

One player Gillingham will be without from now on is midfielder George Lapslie.

The 27-year-old has agreed to join fellow League Two promotion-chasers Bradford City on a two-and-a-half year deal.

Lapslie has made 15 appearances and scored two goals for the Gills this season.

"I can't really believe my luck to have a side this size come in for me," he told the Bantams' club website.

"As soon as I knew I had a chance to get here I just to tried to grab it with both hands.”

Image source, Rex Features

Gillingham’s lightning fast start to the season seems like a long time ago now.

Since winning six of their opening eight games and sitting top of League Two on 28 September, the Gills have slipped to 13th.

Mark Bonner’s side have steadied the ship somewhat following a run of five straight defeats in October, with three wins and two draws from seven games before their 2-0 defeat at Colchester on Boxing Day.

Gillingham have struggled away from Priestfield with just one win in their past six on the road (D1 L4), although that did come 11 days before Christmas at MK Dons.

With the top half of the division still so tight, every victory carries even more weight - and a win tonight would lift Gillingham within three points of the play-offs and just four points off the automatic promotion spots.

Image source, Rex Features

Automatic promotion to League One is still very much within grasp for AFC Wimbledon.

So much so, as we’ve mentioned, a win tonight would see them climb six places from eighth to second on goal difference.

Johnnie Jackson’s side have stuttered slightly over the Christmas period, losing 1-0 away at Chesterfield before dropping points at home to strugglers Swindon Town in a 1-1 draw on Boxing Day.

But AFC Wimbledon have lost just one of their past six games (W3 D2) and are unbeaten in their previous five home matches in the EFL against Gillingham (W4 D1).

A good omen, perhaps? They will certainly hope so.

Now for a closer glance at this season's actual League Two table... Would you just have a look at this promotion race?

Only three points separate nine teams jostling for position below runaway leaders Walsall.

Victory for AFC Wimbledon tonight would see them jump up from eighth to overhaul Notts County in second by virtue of goal difference.

Six wins in their opening eight games meant Gillingham were leading the pack at the end of September but they have fallen away, losing eight of their 13 games since, though a win over the Dons would see them go within four points of second spot themselves.

Image source, Opta

We’re told that league tables don’t mean much in December, well, whoever says that clearly isn’t paying attention to the 94-team English League table for 2024.

Leeds lead the way with 96 points from their 45 games played this calendar year, 29 of them ending in victory, but of course without the promotion Whites fans were so desperate for.

Upwardly mobile Wrexham and their now League One promotion rivals Wycombe amassed 90 and 87 respectively across the 12 months with Liverpool and Arsenal completing the top five with 85 points, admittedly from far fewer games in the Premier League.

AFC Wimbledon go into tonight’s game in 36th place in the standings, with 61 points from 43 matches in 2024, but could jump up to 29th with three points tonight, overhauling Sunderland in the process.

Also in the top half, Gillingham lie in 43rd before kick-off, but only two points behind the Dons, meaning they could leapfrog the likes of Newcastle, Burnley and Blackburn and overhaul Wimbledon to go 34th if they can end the year with three points this evening.

Image source, Opta

While relegated duo Sutton and Forest Green bring up the rear in the 94-team table, National League champions Chesterfield have already amassed 34 points from 24 games this season, which is more than League One Burton and League Two Carlisle have managed in 44 matches.

Bromley’s 31 points from 22 games has them level with Carlisle, despite only joining the EFL in August.

Every other team was in action in League Two yesterday afternoon. Here's a quick recap of the results:

• Bromley 1-1 Swindon
• Carlisle 2-1 Accrington
• Bradford 2-1 Chesterfield
• Cheltenham 3-5 Notts County
• Colchester 1-1 Doncaster
• Fleetwood 1-1 Harrogate
• Grimsby 3-0 Port Vale
• MK Dons 1-1 Crewe
• Salford 1-0 Morecambe
• Tranmere 1-1 Barrow
• Walsall 2-0 Newport

Tap on any game to have a read of the report.

Image source, Rex Features

Good evening and welcome along for this special occasion... the final EFL match of 2024.

It's that funny old time of year when you forget which day of the week it is and ponder over the right time to take down the Christmas decorations.

One thing that is always a certainty over the festive period, however, is lots of football.

Nothing is won or lost at the halfway stage of the season, but it's a good gauge of whether your team will be aiming for promotion or scrapping for survival come May.

Both AFC Wimbledon and Gillingham can make a case for the former - perhaps one more strongly than the other.

Either way, tonight presents a good opportunity to see in 2025 in style. Let's get going...