Gillingam (1) 1 Bonne 2
Mansfield Town (1) 1 Keillor-Dunn 36
Attendance: 6,486
Admission: £19 Senior
Mileage: 38/1,860
Weather: 20degC.,
Whilst every match at Gillingham becomes a more pleasurable experience and, of course, I hope for nothing less than a win, these days I’m am able to view a game in a dispassionate manner.
So, leaving the ground after a highly entertaining draw, there was nothing but grumbles that a referee’s decision had cost the Gills the game and a result that they deserved.
Four or five years ago, I too would have been among those grumbling, but these days when a Gillingham result does not define my weekend, I can accept that, despite the controversial nature of Mansfield’s goal, they left Priestfield Stadium fully deserving of their point.
A virtually sold out Rainham End, a Gordon Road stand that has become equally vocal makes for a vibrant atmosphere that was given the encouragement of a goal within the first two minutes as Macauley Bonne converted a Connor Mahoney cross with a close range volley.
Gillingham might have been two, perhaps three, goals clear with Mansfield goalkeeper, Christy Pym saving well from Bonne and Connor Masterson shooting over before Mansfield equalised in controversial fashion.
A long forward pass from Lewis Brunt saw the visiting captain, Ollie Clarke, run at the Gillingham defence before being brought down by Ethan Coleman. There can be no complaints, it was a foul and, as is said professionally, it was a good yellow card for Coleman. But, as the referee, Jacob Miles took the card from his pocket, Clarke quickly played the free kick into the path of Davis Keillor-Dunn who slid the ball past the advancing Jake Turner.
The laws of the game are clear. Once the referee has begun the process of disciplinary action then the game should be brought to a halt. As he waved the game on, he was clearly carrying the yellow card, surely this constitutes the beginning of the caution. That he completed the disciplinary process after the awarding the goal is proof in point.
The early part of the second period saw Mansfield take the game to their hosts with Turner excelling with three good saves and one exceptional claw away from the feet of Keillor-Dunn.
The introduction of substitutes Jayden Clarke, George Lapslie and Ashley Nadesan (in particular) saw Gillingham add a variation to their long ball game and with it provide a grandstand finish but without reward.
It was a good game, but a shame that the referee became the centre of attention.
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