Gillingham 2 Doncaster Rovers 2

Match 109/23/2232 - Saturday, 27th April 2024 - League One

Gillingham (0) 2 Dieng 57 Anderson (o.g.) 62
Doncaster Rovers (2) 2 Ironside 30 Molyneux 37
Attendance: 8,723
Admission: £19
Mileage: 38/7,699

A 55th minute sending off of Doncaster’s goalkeeper Timothee Lo-Tutala eased Gillingham into a recovery that looked unlikely after a first half in which they were outplayed by their playoff seeking opponents.

Gillingham own playoff hopes finally disappeared last weekend, although it has been in the pending tray for some while.

An impressive crowd of over 8,700, boosted with a sell out away allocation of 1,700 who were in the best of spirits as their side dominated the first half and scoring twice. The first came after the half hour when Owen Bailey’s right-sided cross was met with a diving header at the far post from Joe Ironside. Seven minutes later, a short corner routine allowed Luke Molyneux too much time to pick his spot in the top corner.

Gillingham’s were literally handed their way back into the game when a long punt forward from goalkeeper Jake Turner saw Jamie Sterry misplace a header that was going past the advancing Lo-Tutala until the goalkeeper’s instinctive hand ball that saw him shown a red card.

Tim Dieng fired home the resultant free kick past the substitute goalkeeper and when Conor Masterson headed a left sided corner back across the face of goal from the far post, Tom Anderson turned the ball into his own net to set up a big finish for the home side that produced a goal line clearance but it was the Rovers’ fans that we’re celebrating with their point being enough.

Update: On Monday, Stephen Clemence was sacked as Head Coach of Gillingham.

Gillingham 2 Swindon Town 2

Match 80/23/2203 - Tuesday, 13th February 2024 - League Two

Gillingham (0) 2 Hawkins 69 Mahoney 76 (pen)
Swindon Town (1) 2 McGurk 24 McKirdy 90+5
Attendance: 6,090
Admission: £19 Senior
Mileage: 44/5,795

The intense rivalry between Gillingham and Swindon Town of 1979 is now in the past. It is only in the minds of silly old farts such as myself that actually believes there was such a thing, and to be honest, I no longer believe it either.

Those of us of that vintage will remember the tales of Danny Westwood’s unjust red card and the subsequent “assault” on the referee from an old boy with a walking stick; of the tunnel fracas that landed Ken Price and Dean White in Swindon Magistrates Court and the song that said it was “because of Ray McHale”.

Swindon brought 264 supporters, no mean feat on a wet Tuesday evening, but, back in 1979, hundreds would disembark from Gillingham Railway Station to be escorted by the local constabulary to Priestfield with the same for Gillingham supporters at the reverse fixture.

For an hour this game had all the hallmarks of a run-of-the-mill League Two fixture matching the dismal weather as the rain swirled in the floodlights but it exploded into an exciting last half-hour.

Swindon, starting the game in the lower reaches of the division, were efficient and more threatening than their hosts and, despite Gillingham having the ball in the net for a disallowed goal from Conor Masterson, it was no surprise when they went ahead on 24 minutes through Sean McGurk. The ball was lost on the halfway line as Ethan Coleman turned into trouble and a single through ball saw McGurk make his space as the Gills defenders back pedalled to drive his shot past Jake Turner.

Swindon could have feasibly tied the game up in the first half as it took a heroic, last ditch tackle from Shad Ogie, who was injured and unable to continue in the second half, to deny Paul Glatzel, who had rounded Turner.

Gillingham needed an injection of something in the second period and it came in the shape of Watford loanee, Colombian Jorge Hurtado, whose direct running had the fans off their seats and gave the visitors a new problem, to which they had no answer.

Both sides missed huge chances around the hour with Masterson putting a free header against the underside bar from close range, provoking discussion as to whether it had crossed the line and, at the other end, Glatzel was denied by a goal line clearance from Remeao Hutton.

Gillingham were on level terms on 69 minutes when Oliver Hawkins headed against a post, but as the rebound drifted along the byeline, it was retrieved by Max Clark who stood up a cross to which Hawkins dare not miss.

15 minutes remained when Gillingham once again needed a goal line intervention, this time from Max Ehmer, before Hurtado surged from midfield, riding tackles of questionable quality, before being unceremoniously dumped by Frazer Blake-Tracey in the box allowing Connor Mahoney to cooly convert from the spot.

Masterson once more had the ball in the net to be denied by an offside flag but, in the fifth of six added minutes, Swindon’s Harry McKirdy cut in from the left to bury a low shot into the bottom corner to give the Wiltshire side, on the basis of the whole 90 minutes, a deserved point.

Gillingham 1 Sutton United 0

Match 65/23/2188 - Friday, 29th December 2023 - League One

Gillingham (0) 1 Malone 72
Sutton United (0) 0
Attendance: 6,344
Admission: £19 Senior
Mileage: 38/4,692

It seems a strange time to be a Gillingham supporter. Gone is the toxic atmosphere of the end of the Scally era but is the honeymoon bliss of the Galinson era drawing to a close?

Since my last visit to Priestfield, Neil Harris has been sacked and, in his place, is Stephen Clemence. Among the reasons given for the departure of Harris was the style, or lack of it, of football. It wasn’t a great watch but it is any better now? Well, Clemence needs far more time but, on this showing, my thoughts and some of the discontent around me in the Gordon Road Stand appeared to be of the same, no it is not, quite frankly it was certainly worse than the last time I viewed.

This should have been a stroll for the Gills. Their visitors, Sutton United, languished in 23rd place in League and after 25 minutes were reduced to 10 men following a reckless challenge from Harry Smith.

The first half was as dull as dish water and while Gillingham amassed 24 efforts on goal, only four were on target and it took a terrific strike from Scott Malone to seal the points with 72 minutes on the clock.

I personally took issue with Clemence’s assertion that his team was fantastic. Yes, the superlative can be used in terms of the result, but in terms of the performance it is not a word I would have chosen.

But Gillingham remain on the edge of the play-off places and Clemence can take his time to implement the style that he wants all the while he is getting results.

Gillingham 1 AFC Wimbledon 0

Match 56/23/2179 - Tuesday, 28th November 2023 - League Two

Gillingham (0) 1 Masterson 107
AFC Wimbledon (0) 0
Attendance: 5,747
Admission: £19 Senior
Mileage: 44/3,904
Weather: 2degC, full winter gear

When the loudest cheer of the night, at that point, is reserved for a floodlight failure, nobody needs me to describe the fare that is being served up.

For 65 minutes this was easily the worst game of football I’ve been unfortunate enough to watch this season. It was utter dross and whilst the atmosphere around me was nothing like the time pre-Galinson, the natives were pretty restless.

For Stephen Clemence, just 28 days into the job, the honeymoon period seems over and he was facing the full wrath of those in the Gordon Road Stand as his set-up with Tom Nichols as a lone striker was perceived as negative. I think I can understand that after a weekend defeat, conceding three goals at relegation threatened Tranmere Rovers, he needed to shore up the defence but one striker at home, and not the biggest of targets, did seem a touch negative.

The first half was only memorable as a reminder that we are definitely in the two pairs of socks season as the toes slowly numbed with little else to attract my attention.

Twenty mind-numbing minutes passed in the second half before the lights went out almost as a mercy to the spectators. They were off for nearly 25 minutes before the players returned with a little more energy.

Gillingham forged a couple of opportunities but the big chances fell to AFC Wimbledon with leading goalscorer Ali Al-Hamadi guilty of wasting three big chances.

With officially 107 minutes on the clock, but still with eight minutes remaining, Gillingham won a free kick on the left, 20 yards from goal. This was sent to the back post from where Macauley Bonne headed forward to be turned in by defender Connor Masterson.

The noise to greet the goal finally eclipsed the floodlight failure in terms of volume and again at the final whistle as the home side saw out the remaining minutes despite a final period of pressure from the visitors.



It wasn’t good, far from easy on eye, but three points takes the Gills back into the play-off places.

Gillingham 1 Mansfield Town 1

Match 35/23/2158 - Saturday, 30th September 2023 - League Two

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.

Gillingham 3 Southampton 1

Match 14/23/2137 - Tuesday, 8th August 2023 - Carabao Cup First Round

Gillingham (1) 3 Nadesan 12 McKenzie 51,66
Southampton (0) 1 Alcaraz 90
Attendance: 7,775

Admission: £14 Senior
Programme: £3
Mileage: 48/600
Weather: 17degC., Light rain late in game

It wasn’t only the new LED boards that lit up Priestfield as Gillingham turned in a sparkling performance on the pitch to dump last season’s League Cup semi-finalists, Southampton, out of the competition in the opening round.

Southampton, who showed the customary disrespect to the competition, making 11 changes from the side that won their opening Championship game at Sheffield Wednesday, supposedly enjoyed 78% of possession, but in truth, were second best for all bar the last 10 minutes.

Priestfield is no longer the dreadful experience that I walked away from in 2018. Gone is the toxic atmosphere, open are food outlets and the LED’s might appear a cosmetic exercise but I’m sure they will be a commercial asset in quick time.

From the outset, Neil Harris’ side’s press allowed their illustrious guest no time on the ball and it was no surprise when, after 12 minutes, Dom Jeffries broke clear down the left before delivering an inch perfect low cross to the far post for Ashley Nadesan to convert.

Whilst Southampton struck the bar, Gills should have gone into the break with a greater advantage as Shad Ogie steered a header wide and they also saw a goal disallowed in time added.

If Saints manager Russell Martin expected a response from his side he didn’t get it and on 51 minutes Gillingham doubled their advantage as the visitors failed for the umpteenth time to deal with a corner ending with Robbie McKenzie touching home.

Another corner on 66 minutes hopelessly dealt with only cleared to the edge of the box where McKenzie drove low through the crowded penalty area past a helpless Alex McCarthy.

Southampton rallied late on to score a consolation through Carlos Alcaraz, fresh from his Wimbledon triumph.

Gillingham is a happy place once more, too late for me, now heavily invested at Tonbridge, but I’m so pleased for my many friends at the club that have stuck by them after a torrid four or five years.