Brentford 4 Gillingham 0

Match 43/09/795 - Saturday, 6th February 2010 - League One

Brentford (3) 4 MacDonald 10,33 (2 pens), Weston 35, 79
Gillingham (0) 0
Att. 6,036

Entrance: £22
Programme: £3
Mileage: 100/5,230

Match Report

There have not been many occasions in my football supporting lifetime that I’ve felt the need to leave a game with more than 10 minutes remaining, but when Myles Weston’s shot cannoned off a post only to rebound into the net off the back of Alan Julian, I just could not stomach any more.

It is true to say that the unlucky rebound was par for the course on a day when Gillingham had no rub of the green, but the manner of the capitulation rendered the end whistle abuse of manager Stimson predictable, not that I was hanging around to utter my tuppence worth.

Train fares, match ticket, a programme and a cup of gnats piss masquerading as tea left me with little change from £45 and left me musing how I might better have spent the money. Firstly, I could have bought eight packets of cigarettes, not that I smoke or advocating that the weed is better for your health than Gillingham Football Club but I’m sure they would have resulted in greater satisfaction. I could have parked my backside on a bar stool at the local tonight and consumed about a dozen pints of Harveys, once again it wouldn’t do my health any good but, with my low capacity for drink, it would have obliterated this memory for a week. Or I could have alighted the train at Charing Cross, wandered under the Arches and passed the money on to one of the homeless, true they would probably have spent the cash on beer and fags but it would have done my soul the world of good.

And that is the crux of the problem at this moment, those that should be the heart and soul of our club, the players and the management, are showing scant regard for the wearing of the shirt. Less than three weeks ago they stood accused of a lack of pride, effort, call it what you like, in the FA Cup defeat at Accrington. Three draws papered over the cracks, but today the lack of any backbone surfaced again as Brentford inflicted the heaviest defeat of the season.

It could have been so different. Kicking towards almost 1,200 of their own supporters, Mark Bentley and new signing James Walker opened up the home defence to allow Simeon Jackson a one-on-one with Bees’ keeper Wojciech Szczesny. Such is Jackson’s luck at this moment in time that the merest touch from the keeper was enough to steer it onto the inside of the post and eventually to safety. Chances for Andy Barcham and Jackson followed before an inexplicable back pass from Darren Dennehy (pictured) sent Charlie MacDonald clear only to be brought down in the box by Alan Julian for an incontestable penalty that was converted by the ex-Gravesend striker. In what might be considered the only good fortune enjoyed by the visitors all afternoon, the Gills’ keeper was unpunished in terms of a card for the foul.

If the first penalty carried no doubt, the second certainly did. Kevin Maher was adjudged to have fouled another Bee with an unpronounceable name, Toumani Diagouraga, just inside the box. Even from the length of the field, it could clearly be seen that Maher won the ball. MacDonald struck the spot kick high into the opposite corner to his first to double the home advantage. And from that unfortunate decision, Gillingham as an opposition, gave up the ghost.
Within two minutes, Myles Weston seized on Julian’s clearance 30 yards from goal and brushed aside a couple of spineless challenges to rifle a third.

James Walker managed to make no contact with a header when it was easier to score prior to half time and when he blazed over early in the second half from close range after a Bentley header had been touched onto the bar, it signaled the end of a less than auspicious debut.

Brentford played the second half in cruise control and Gillingham had little in the way of guile or spirit to shake them from their slumbers. Luke Rooney, on as substitute for Walker, loosely cleared to Weston who strolled into the box and unleashed a fierce shot that rattled the upright only for the rebound to hit the unfortunate Julian on the back and end up in the net.

If my team had no stomach for the fight, then neither would I. Enough was enough, and judging by the amount of disgruntled Gillingham supporters on the platform at Brentford Station for the early train back to Waterloo, plenty had taken the same action. Those that remained were clearly on a course to vent their spleen at the under-fire manager and his gutless charges who deserved no less than every decibel of abuse that was hurled at them.

Brentford are no Norwich, Leeds, Charlton or Southampton, all of whom will be faced in the coming weeks and in the wake of this debacle the outcomes do not bearing thinking about unless you have spent your £45 wisely.

Brentford 1 Gillingham 1

Match 54/08/738 - Saturday, 27th March 2009 - League Two

Brentford (1) 1 Hunt 41
Gillingham (0) 1 Jackson 58 (pen)
Att. 7,908

Entrance: £20
Programme: £2.50
Mileage: 80/7,125

Match Report

Gillingham took a well-earned point from their visit to league leaders Brentford, but there can be plenty of argument to say they deserved a lot more.

Manager Mark Stimson resisted any thoughts of change following last week’s reversal at lowly Grimsby and started with the same side, leaving new signing Josh Wright on the bench.

A near 8,000 crowd was healthily bolstered by a huge 1,800 strong contingent from Kent, thought to be the largest away following for the club since the Championship denouement at Nottingham Forest.

The first half was a pretty cagey affair with neither side creating too much in the way of good chances. Gillingham whistled a sigh of relief as a header from Sam Wood went wide and at the other end Andy Barcham, who was a constant thorn in the Bees’ side, wriggled free and perhaps chose the wrong option when he elected to slide the ball across the goal rather than shoot, Ben Hamer collected comfortably.

Two contentious decisions in the space of 60 seconds with both going against the Gills resulted in the visitors going back to the dressing room with a goal deficit. Five minutes before the break Brentford were awarded a free kick on the edge of the box for an offence that it appears nobody bar referee Graham saw. Admittedly most eyes followed the ball, but whatever Southall did, it seemed pretty innocuous. Credit though must be given to David Hunt who curled the free kick into the top right corner, leaving Simon Royce a spectator.

Within 60 seconds of the restart Gillingham appeared to have levelled the scores, but while the away support celebrated, the referee once again saw something that was hard to understand. A through ball to Simeon Jackson saw him beat off the challenge of the central defender to fire past Hamer, but the referee chalked it off for what, Jackson out-muscling a six foot defender? Give us a break. The whistle sounded for half-time, leaving the Gillingham faithful more than a little frustrated by the late turn of events. The half time break kicked up a bit of a storm as a heavy hailstorm engulfed Griffin Park; thankfully it passed as quickly as it appeared.

From the outset of the second half it was the visitors that were kicking up a storm as they tore into the hosts with a renewed vigour. Barcham now had Brentford’s right hand side on toast as he had far too much pace and ability for Karleigh Osborne. An early foray led to a corner that produced a chance for McCammon and on 58 minutes another Barcham run ended with the hapless Osborne tripping the winger for a stick-on penalty. Jackson scored from the spot for his 17th of the season to level the game, which was no more than Gillingham deserved.

The second half became pretty much a procession from that point with Simon Royce virtually relegated to the role of bystander. But although they enjoyed the majority of the possession, very little in the way of clear chances fell to Gillingham and we had to be thankful that Charlie Macdonald pulled a chance wide and a last kick thunderbolt from Sam Wood narrowly cleared the bar.

One of those games when most of the travelling army would have taken a point on the way in, so let’s not be too churlish on the way out. We can delight in what was an impressive performance. The back line to a man was very good, John Nutter played one of his best games for the club and Simon King was, well, Simon King, ably assisted by Mark Bentley. Up front, Simeon Jackson looked much more like the early season version and seems to be benefiting from his little and large partnership with McCammon who had another good game and I would think Kayleigh Osborne must be spending tonight trying to untangle the knots that Andy Barcham tied him up with.

Griffin Park is a bit of a favourite although with every visit we seem to change ends! This season we were back behind the Brook Road goal with the seating above the terraced area. Since we were last there, the open terrace at the other end has been covered and is now offered to the home support. The seats are very cramped for anybody over 5’6” and viewing of the bye-line is quite difficult. But Brentford have always had the reputation for being one of the league’s most friendly clubs and I must give a mention to the young lad selling the programmes to the visiting supporters, who with every sale offered a welcoming “enjoy the game”. Enjoy the game we did, a good point earned from a good game.