Morecambe 1 Gillingham 1

Match 12/10/830 - Saturday, 28th August 2010 - League Two

Morecambe (0) 1 Stanley 60
Gillingham (0) 1 Spiller 84
Att. 2,325

Entrance: £13
Programme: £3
Mileage: 626/1504
New Ground: 237

Match Report

Still there . . .

Sodding Monkey.

Two weeks ago at Hereford, Gillingham were denied a victory after dominating the match for the most part by a goalkeeper, Adam Bartlett, at the top of his game including an outstanding final seconds save to deny Danny Spiller.

On Saturday, Morecambe’s Paddy Roche eclipsed Bartlett’s performance with a display that begged the question, why is he playing in the lowest tier of the Football League? Roche produced save after save as the visitors strove to end their away day hoodoo including a final minute save from Andy Barcham.

Spiller grabbed an 84th minute equaliser to salvage a point from what would have been the gravest of injustices. Despite picking the ball out of the net following a Craig Stanley goal on the hour, Lance Cronin, making his League debut for the Gills, left the field with his bright yellow kit still in pristine condition having made just a single save in the duration of the match.

The longest journey of the season had been completed in a little over five hours and as we strolled past the Globe Arena, heading for the front and some welcome fish and chips, there was a brisk wind that was producing choppy waters out at sea. That wind was going to prove difficult for both sides from 3 o’clock onwards.

As well as Cronin, there was a league debut for Cody McDonald and a welcome return to fitness for skipper Barry Fuller and Jack Payne. Dropping down to the bench were Kevin Maher, John Nutter and Josh Gowling.

Within the first five minutes Roche began his single-handed campaign to thwart the visitors, turning aside a Barcham effort and comfortably collecting a shot from Spiller.

On the half hour the 200 strong Gillingham contingent held the heads in their hands as Roche palmed a Barcham shot into the path of Mark Bentley, whose goalbound shot was cleared from the line by a Morecambe defender.

Barcham was causing the Shrimper’s defence all sorts of problems and when he was played in on goal by Adebayo Akinfenwa, once again it was Roche to the home side’s rescue.

The last act of the half saw a Spiller free kick touched over by the keeper and you would have forgiven the stadium announcer if he had read the half time score as Roche 0 Gillingham 0.

Sammy McIlroy made a half time substitution that added more of a threat from the home side in the second half. Paul Mullin came on and taxed the Gillingham defence far more than they had been in the previous 45.

Gillingham continued to dominate, another opportunity for Spiller was spurned, and it came as a surprise when a cross from the left by Mark Duffy found an unmarked Craig Stanley who steered his header past a helpless Cronin to give the home side an undeserved advantage after an hour.

It was a goal that came from nothing and it took the wind from the visitors’ sails for a period afterwards before Andy Hessenthaler rejuvenated the attack bringing Luke Rooney and Mark McCammon into the action, replacing McDonald and Bentley. Cody McDonald had a quiet first appearance and was, if not 100% fit, certainly a little rusty.

Gillingham’s deserved equaliser arrived with eight minutes remaining. Barry Fuller was fouled on the edge of the box and from the resultant free kick taken by Chris Palmer, Spiller ghosted in unnoticed at the far post to direct a header into the net off the far post.

The Gillingham fans celebrated wildly, as much in relief as in jubilation; such would have been the injustice of defeat. They should have been delighting in victory in the closing stages as Danny Spiller blasted a shot over the bar from inside the box and then saw Andy Barcham’s final effort turned to safety by the duly announced man of the match, Paddy Roche.

Six points could and perhaps should have been attained in these opening two away fixtures, as it is, it is only two. The sages say that you make your own luck but on this occasion (and the one previous) it has been to Gillingham’s misfortune to find themselves thwarted by two keepers at the very top of their game.

After the visit to Edgar Street, I promised not to complain in the face of functionality. Sorry to renege but, despite having to concede that the Globe Arena is a vast improvement on the dilapidated Christie Park, this is another soulless, modern stadia with a design off the same template as Colchester and Shrewsbury.

Good progress was being made on the way home until a distressed horse in need of counselling brought both sides of the M40 to halt for an hour and a half at Banbury. See, it’s not just the club that is suffering from bad luck.

Morecambe 0 Gillingham 1

Match 38/08/722 - Saturday, 17th January 2009 - League Two

Morecambe (0) 0
Gillingham (0) 1 Weston 18
Att. 2,027

Entrance: £13
Programme: £3
Mileage: 625/4,718
New Ground: 228

Match Report

The fact that we had witnessed another Gills away win (two in a season warrants the word another) made a horrendous journey home just a shade more bearable. The weather that had deteriorated during the second half at Christie Park followed us virtually all the way home, making driving both difficult and very wearing. It is a long, long way to Morecambe anyway without the added difficulties of such poor conditions.

It would be great to report that added to the victory we had seen a sparkling performance from our favourites, but with a difficult pitch and the worsening conditions being major contributory factors, I’m unable to say it was a classic. But I can relate that it was a thoroughly deserved and workmanlike display that earned the points.

Despite the early morning rain in Kent which we quickly left behind we made good time on the journey north. As a first visit to Morecambe we had no idea of the ground’s proximity to the town and were unaware that we would reach Christie Park before we reached the sea, or Eric Morecambe’s statue both of which we would have liked to have seen. A hearty rendition of “Bring Me Sunshine” was played just prior to the teams taking the field and those of a certain age amongst us enjoyed both the singalong and, for some, the dance-along with our hands behind our head etc., those that can remember the Morecambe and Wise show will easily picture the scene!

Gillingham took the lead on 18 minutes with Curtis Weston side footing in after Gary Mulligan’s shot came back off a post. Aside from a couple of timely interventions from Simon King the visitors enjoyed a comfortable first half with the only downside being the injury and substitution of Dennis Oli, who had been a constant threat the Shrimpers. It seems to me that Oli has been a man on a mission since his return from injury and in yesterday’s cold (though not quite as arctic as recently) conditions he was a muscle pull waiting to happen with his lightning bursts of pace that was admirable but ultimately his undoing.

The second half was a lot less comfortable with the home side taking the game to their visitors in search of a goal and the added complication of the howling gale that now engulfed Christie Park. But with the exception of a couple of routine stops and one excellent save from Simon Royce, Gillingham “weathered the storm” and in the last couple of minutes had a couple of good chances to extend their lead.

This was, as they say, the type of game that Gillingham need to be picking up maximum points if they are going to make a meaningful challenge at the top end of the Division. This they duly achieved and it was the type of performance that will bring a lot of satisfaction to their management team.

Christie Park is a old fashioned ground that has had one major stand added to attain Football League status. This is has the standard Meccano look that is functional and plenty good enough for their needs. The away support were housed in an older structure that had pillars obstructing some vision, but as we had the whole of the stand to ourselves there was plenty of room to find a spot offering a good view. The main grandstand is a fine old edifice, with a couple of sheets of corrugated needed to bring it to good condition. These stands are not things of beauty but lend a character to a ground that the modern version fails to do. Opposite was an open area, its main attraction being a manually operated scoreboard. Christie Park is not an arena of great facilities, a pot holed car park, portaloos and a burger van, but it is a traditional football ground and these I value.

It took 625 miles and ten hours plus driving to complete the days’ entertainment, but as Gillingham away wins are still thin on the ground, that alone makes it worthwhile.