Wolverhampton Wanderers 4 Gillingham 0

Match 13/13/1040 - Saturday, 10th August 2013 - League One

Wolverhampton Wanderers (3) 4 Griffiths 5, 68 (pen), Evans 24,
Sako 31
Gillingham (0) 0
Att. 19,102

Entrance: £22
Programme: £3
Mileage: 416/960

Match Report

We arrived in our many hundreds; we admired the majestic two-tier Stan Cullis stand that towers over the rest of the Molineux stadium, a structure that has been completed since Gillingham's last visit. We cast our eyes to our left where the Jack Harris stand appears to have a dress code, wear the old gold or don't sit here. We respectfully played our part in the tribute to a Wolves legend, David Wagstaffe, who had died in the week previous and we waited patiently while the kick off was delayed in order to ease congestion at the home turnstiles. We did all this because we were essentially tourists, mere sightseers.

Prior to kick-off, Martin Allen took the relatively unusual course of conducting the warm-up, until he brought it to a halt and we watched on as he appeared to be telling his players to just to relax on the grass and soak up the atmosphere and take in the surroundings. This is what the slog through League Two was for, in fact for the next few minutes, be a tourist.

It set the tone for an opening half hour in which Wolverhampton Wanderers demolished Gillingham. Only four minutes had elapsed, when a long cross towards the edge of the box from Sam Ricketts was collected by Leigh Griffiths. The Gillingham central defenders stood off like visitors to the National Portrait Gallery, as the striker controlled and swept the ball into the bottom corner leaving Stuart Nelson no chance.

Amine Linganzi fired a shot into the side netting after a quarter hour to briefly raise the spirits of the visiting support before the home side doubled their advantage after 24 minutes of relentless pressure. Griffiths' shot was blocked but as the ball looped up, Lee Evans took a touch before coolly lobbing the ball into the bottom corner.

Stuart Nelson had long before been the only figure standing between Gillingham and total humiliation but on the half hour he could only look on in bewilderment as a cross from Zeli Ismail across the face of goal, found a totally unmarked Bakary Sako at the far post who, from 10 yards, made no mistake.

The defending had been only marginally less comical than the red trousers of Martin Allen which brought the chant of "Santa, Santa, what's the score" from the massed ranks of the north stand.

Danny Kedwell shot narrowly over before Nelson was asked for more heroics to deny Griffiths once more.

The second half was never going to be anything other than the restoration of some pride and, perhaps getting on the score sheet for the first time this season. Kedwell's goal-bound shot brought claims for a penalty after the ball appeared to strike the hand of Evans, but these were waived aside and Chris Whelpdale, at least brought a save out of Carl Ikeme.

A hideous challenge from Leon Legge on Evans after 68 minutes allowed Griffiths to convert a spot kick for Wolves' fourth goal. Thankfully the last 20 minutes were spent watching Wolves wastefully spurn to opportunity to heap further embarrassment on Gillingham and their suffering support.

There was obviously dismay among the Gillingham faithful and with good reason. We all knew there were deficiences in midfield, but had hoped that the back line that had been so resolute last season would be strong enough for this division. On this occasion they found wanting, but it is highly unlikely they will meet such quality many times during the course of the season. Even when Wolves visit Priestfield, they are likely to be significantly weaker with the expected departure of Kevin Doyle, rumoured to be on his way to Celtic for £1.5 million and Sako, with perhaps Fulham as his destination for a fee upwards of £2 million. It is reported that Wolves need to offload both, as individually their wages are £45,000 a week; I would imagine Gillingham's entire starting eleven would be hard pressed to earn that amount collectively.

Nevertheless, regardless of the opposition we are to face with budgets that dwarf our own and magnificent stadiums that are a reminder of where these clubs were positioned in the not too distant past, we have to arrive as competitors not just sightseers.

Gillingham 0 Bristol City 2

Match 12/13/1039 - Tuesday, 6th August 2013 - Capital One Cup 1R

Gillingham (0) 0
Bristol City (1) 2 Baldock 21, Wynter 67
Att. 2,585

Entrance: £15
Programme: £2
Mileage: 45/544

Match Report

Don't panic Mr Mainwaring, exclaimed Corporal Jones when, in the much-loved 1970s sitcom Dad's Army, the aged member of the Home Guard scurried around like a headless chicken. The unnecessary and unwarranted boos that greeted the final whistle of this Capital One First Round tie suggests there are a few Corporal Jones in our midst, but two defeats at the start of the season is not the equivalent of the Germans marching through the high street of Walmington-on-Sea.

The draw had thrown together two serial failures in Round One of this competition. In the last four years, only once had either team progressed to the second round and that was last season when Gillingham won through. . . at Bristol City. Perfect symmetry seemed an almost inevitable conclusion.

A seat on the bench for Saturday's League opener assured a place in the team with the exception of the reserve goalkeeper as Martin Allen rotated his squad to give everybody available an early season run-out. The day had opened badly with the news that Matt Fish, who went down injured in just the third minute of Saturday's game had suffered a serious cruciate injury that will sideline him for a minimum of six months. In his place, Michael Harriman, a 20-year-old full back from Queen's Park Rangers was drafted in on a 28 day loan.

Bristol City won the game with a goal in each half with a degree of comfort which, at least suggested, that they would be one of the clubs in and around the play-off places at the end of the season. The Robins passed their way through a Gillingham midfield that was woefully poor and does leave something for Corporal Jones to worry about.

The visitors broke the deadlock in the 21st when the impressive Jay Emmanuel-Thomas weaved his way past Harriman to lay on a plate a close range opportunity for Sam Baldock. In fairness to Harriman, this was about the only time he was left wanting, and his speed and willingness to get forward was a welcome sight in the wake of Fish's long term absence.

Adebayo Akinfenwa should have equalised immediately but steered his header over the bar, a similar opportunity was also spurned later in the half as the Big Man made a disappointing return to competitive action at Priestfield.

Overrun in midfield, Gillingham were thankful for the reflexes of Stuart Nelson and good fortune to keep their goal intact in the early part of the second half. Jordan Wynter headed against the bar after Nelson had made a fine save when it seemed easier to score.

The ineffective partnership of Akinfenwa and Antonio German was withdrawn on the hour and replaced with Cody McDonald and Danny Kedwell and the subsequent introduction of Myles Weston sparked the home side into positive action but not before the visitors finally doubled their advantage. Emmanuel-Thomas' shot took a wicked deflection off Adam Barrett to fall kindly into the path of Wynter to fire past Nelson.

I'm not going to panic, Mr Mainwaring, but I fear there is, if not a doomsday, a serious impending scenario. The rest of August's fixtures are against teams that are expected to be among the challengers for promotion come the end of the season. It is not unreasonable to fear that we could enter September still on zero points and the opening two matches of that month are tricky away games and from there the pressure is going to really build. The difference in quality between the two divisions is significant, in fact, it appears to me to be a wider gap than when we last came up and we know that ended in tears.

This can be turned around, but not with the wafer-thin squad that we possess at this moment in time. Some quality in midfield needs to be brought in via the loan market, what we saw of Harriman leads me to believe there must be some 20-year-olds not quite cutting it in the Championship that are capable of doing a job in League One, they just have to be unearthed and we have to believe that Martin Allen and his management team are up to that particular task.

I'm hopeful that Linganzi will find his feet, pretty sure Weston, who had a good 25 minutes in this match, and Whelpdale can be influential, but honestly believe we need that one central midfielder that creates something out of nothing, because if we have somebody that can supply the bullets, surely there is a combination up front that can supply the finish.

We're all doomed! . . . far from it, Private Frazer.

Gillingham 0 Colchester United 1

Match 11/13/1038 - Saturday, 3rd August 2013 - League One

Gillingham (0) 0
Colchester United (0) 1 Bond 89
Att. 6,792

Entrance: Season Ticket
Programme: £3
Mileage: 45/499

Match Report

It’s the time of the season when football supporters embark on the game of predictions; those they make are laced with optimism, wishes and hopes. I’m no different, so these were mine and those opinions were not changed by the result of this opening game against Colchester United.

Gillingham will be fine; they won’t pull up any trees and may well have to settle for the rather sterile season of consolidation with a mid-table finish, probably lower mid-table I would guess, say 15th. I am very concerned at the thinness of the squad, the back four is exactly that, four plus one in reserve and should they suffer injuries or when the suspensions inevitably kick in then, unless this area is strengthened before the end of August, they are going to be struggling. There seems to be a similar lack of numbers in midfield and, during pre-season, this was an area in which performances have been less than impressive. There is an abundance of talent to choose from upfront, but without the service it doesn’t matter who you play.

I have a wish for the season and that is, with the higher grade, will come a better quality of football and I hope that Gillingham make their contribution towards this and not too much time is spent admiring the opposition.

Martin Allen’s first team selection of the season brought a surprise in the inclusion of transfer-listed Charlie Lee, whose departure had been expected during the summer, especially with the interest of Southend to the fore. The chosen strike pairing was Danny Kedwell and Cody McDonald.

It is to be hoped that these postings do not become a series of what-might-have-been and tales of misfortune, but on this opening day, Gillingham can justifiably look back and feel that a certain amount of injustice was administered. Throughout the game, Colchester played the more attractive football on the eye, but for the large part of the game, it was Gillingham’s more direct style that produced the actual chances.

The first misfortune to inflict the home side was the worry that I expressed at the outset, when Matt Fish went down after just three minutes and Stephen Butcher was introduced for his debut. The youngster endured some difficult moments in the first half with Freddie Sears often getting goal-side of him, but as the home side picked up the tempo in the second period his performance showed a marked improvement.

Danny Kedwell blasted a shot across the face of goal before seeing a 30 yard effort touched against the angle of bar and post by the visiting keeper, Sam Walker. The striker, celebrating his 30th birthday, was Gillingham’s foremost attacking player and his knock-down offered another opportunity which Adam Barrett lashed into the side netting. The half ended with Lee bringing the best out of Walker at the near post.

That is not to say that the visitors had not had chances of their own and Nelson was also called to action making good saves from Jabo Ibhere and Craig Eastmond.

An early second half chance fell to McDonald following an error from ex-Gillingham loanee, David Wright, but the striker delayed his shot and was stopped in his tracks by Colchester’s skipper Brian Wilson.

Gillingham made substitutions, Myles Weston and Adebayo Akinfenwa entering the fray at the expense of McDonald and Lee and the game began to open up with chances at both ends. Nelson made a good save to deny Marcus Bean and comfortably collected a header from Alex Gilbey whilst Walker saved from Amine Linganzi and was relieved to see a 20 yard drive from Joe Martin narrowly clear the crossbar.

Gillingham were denied the point they deserved when in the final minute of normal time, Chris Whelpdale was caught in possession and the resultant pass sent Drey Wright clear to cross from the left and substitute Andrew Bond scored from the centre of the goal with what might well have been his first touch of the game.

This was a performance from Gillingham that would have won nine out of ten matches in the division below last season and, bearing mind that Colchester are considered one of the favourites for relegation, that is the measure of the difference in class they face. I stand by my prediction; I saw enough this afternoon to suggest Gillingham will be okay but the lack of choice on the team sheet is something that will need to be addressed.

Woking 3 Gillingham 0

Match 10/13/1037 - Saturday, 27th July 2013 - Pre-Season Friendly

Woking (1) 3 McCallum 35, Williams (pen) 55, McNamme 90
Gillingham (0) 0
Att. 654

Entrance: £3 Senior
Programme: £2
Mileage: 129/454
New Ground: 255

Match Report

The footballing gods are telling me that it is time to bring this pre-season to an end following a day in which very little went right and Gillingham slumped to an embarrassing three goal defeat at Conference side, Woking.

A pre-travel check on the vagaries of the M25 traffic left initial doubts as to whether to make the trip at all. There had been an accident that was causing major delays, but once I realised that I was getting my clockwises confused I decided that as it was on the other side of the road I would set out. This fixture had been earmarked when the pre-season fixtures were announced. Three opportunities to visit Kingfield with Tonbridge had passed me by, as it turned out the tick in the grounds visited book was the only redeeming feature of the day.

After watching a woefully poor display from Gillingham, the homeward journey was a nightmare. The accident had not been cleared as it involved a mobile crane and delays through the incident were 90 minutes long. I attempted to circumnavigate my way around that stretch of the motorway by winding my way through south west London boroughs, but these were also snarled and by the time I arrived home I had no more than broken even on time.

The Kingfield Stadium is an everyday non-league ground as you look around three sides, one of which was not in use anyway. That is before you cast your eyes on the magnificent Leslie Gosden stand. This has to be one of the best stands in non-league football attached to a club that has never played in the Football League. The 2,000 seat structure stands alone as the only part of a four phase plan begun in 1995 to be completed.

On the field, this was one match in which my opinion has to be at odds with manager Martin Allen as he tried to draw positives from it. Even the most one-eyed of the few Gillingham fans that made the journey will be hard put to see the bright side. Cody McDonald looked quite sharp but paired with the largely ineffective Antonio German he was fighting a lone battle. The midfield, with the exception of Steven Gregory, who was half-decent, was poor and sloppy defending accounted for two of the goals.

In a competitive fixture Woking's Jack Parkinson would have seen a red card after 26 minutes as McDonald was pulled back when through on goal, lenient refereeing amounted to just a word in the ear.

The hosts took the lead after 35 minutes when Gavin McCallum shrugged off the attentions of Joe Martin to lob the advancing Stuart Nelson. At the start of the second half, a couple of efforts from Gregory and Chris Whelpdale stung the hands of goalkeeper Aaron Howe before the home side doubled their lead from the penalty spot. John Akinde, who once interested the Gills, was brought down by Leon Legge allowing Gavin Williams to convert the spot kick. It was difficult to see from the length of the pitch whether Legge got anything on the ball, but it was disputed by the defender.

Gilingham ended the game with a three-pronged attack of McDonald, Akinfenwa and Kedwell as they attempted to salvage at least a consolation goal but were stunned by either a touch of magic from Anthony McNamee or a complete fluke when his shot from wide right sailed into the top corner of Nelson's goal. Having seen McNamee terrorise defences in his time at Watford, it is something of a surprise to see him plying his trade in the Conference.

The phoney war is over; bring on the battle for points.

Tonbridge 0 Maidstone United 1

Match 09/13/1036 - Thursday, 25th July 2013 - Pre-Season Friendly

Tonbridge (0) 0
Maidstone United (0) 1 Sobers 88
Att. 354

Entrance: £4 Senior
Programme: Sold Out
Mileage: 26/325

Match Report

There is no good time, be it pre-season or a cup final, to lose to your fiercest of rivals and to lose to a highly debateable goal a couple of minutes from time was a bitter pill to take. This was the most anticipated game of my pre-season with much interest in the reception that awaited Lee Worgan and Frannie Collin, as it happened, the Tonbridge fans gave them a respectful return.

Much has been said and written, that the two of them have departed and now is the time to look forward and this is largely the reaction that was evident on Thursday evening.

An even contest, poorly refereed, was settled two minutes from time, when the ball sat on a spot seemingly waiting for a defender to clear it to safety before Jerome Sobers poked it home to delight the visiting fans positioned behind that goal. Later reviews of the video clearly show that Sobers has gone through the back of Sonny Miles as the defender, somewhat casually, considers whereabouts to launch his clearance. The ball broke to Collin whose shot was parried by Chalmers-Stevens but only into the path of Sobers. It was dreadful goal on all counts, a bad decision from the referee and poor defending from Tonbridge.

Gary Borrowdale has been drafted into the worryingly frail central defensive position and if he can regain full fitness he would form an experienced pairing with Gary Elphick.

Maidstone opened the stronger and two long throws from Alex Flisher caused real problems at the heart of the defence, one of which left Collin with a clear opportunity which he blazed over the bar and when the visitors were awarded a free kick from just outside of the box, it was feared that the result that has been cheered many times would this time be met with groans, but once again Collin's shot sailed over the bar.

Tonbridge took their time getting into their stride, but chances came and went for Mickel Suarez and Luke Blewden, who headed straight at Worgan from close range.

In the second half, Nathaniel Pinney was introduced and once more showed that he is going to be a worthy replacement for the aforementioned, albeit that his game is entirely different. He is a powerful target man that holds the ball up well and looks to be a real handful at this level.

So controversial goal or not, it is the Stones that take the local bragging rights, but it's only pre-season and the results don't matter, but I don't believe that for one minute when it comes to this particular contest.

Tunbridge Wells 1 Folkestone Invicta 4

Match 08/13/1035 - Saturday, 20th July 2013 - Pre-Season Friendly

Tunbridge Wells (1) 1 Cornell 2
Folkestone Invicta (3) 4 Beecroft 10 Lutchford 18 Hamshire 40
Dryden 50
Att. 274

Entrance: Free
Programme: None Issued
Mileage: 26/299

Match Report

Unfortunately Tunbridge Wells' traffic was behaving as it does almost any day of the week, any time of the day, slowly. Consequently the game at Culverden was 20 minutes old by the time I walked through the gate, not having to pay as free admission was the order of the day. As I reached the gate there was a cheer from the sizeable crowd inside and to my annoyance I found that it was the third goal of the game rather than the first.

Tunbridge Wells had taken an early lead four minutes into the game with a goal from Hooley Cornell, I would never have made it for that one, traffic or not, and Folkestone had responded with two goals from Jake Beecroft and Dane Lutchford.

The first thing to notice was the fine new surface at Culverden. The blaze of green leaving the mud baths of last season's Vase games against Dunston and Shildon a distant memory. Hopefully come the depths of winter, the new drainage will be keeping it in good condition.

Ultimately this game was a one-sided affair, giving the Wells a glimpse of the standard they need to attain to be competitive at Ryman League level to which they aspire. Neil Cugley produces good sides at Cheriton Road, but unfortunately a financial black cloud appears to be always around the next corner and those sides tend to get broken up.

In the present Folkestone set up, Beecroft, Jimmy Dryden and Stuart King are all players that have played at a higher level and had it not been for the heroics of Chris Oladogba, then the margin of defeat could have been much greater than the eventual 4-1 scoreline.

Gillingham 1 Millwall 3

Match 07/13/1034 - Saturday, 20th July 2013 - Pre-Season Friendly

Gillingham (0) 1 Akinfenwa 76
Millwall (3) 3 Morison 7, 19 Keogh 28
Att. Est. 2,000

Entrance: £15
Programme: £1.00
Mileage: 45/273

Match Report

The visit of Millwall, pre-season or otherwise, generally brings the inconvenience of an early kick-off but the 12.30 start at least gave me the opportunity of doing another double-header, linking in Tunbridge Wells'
3 o'clock kick off against Folkestone Invicta.

Unfortunately, the afternoon also brought the first setbacks of pre-season with both clubs beaten quite convincingly by opponents of higher standing.

Millwall enter the new season with a new manager in place for the first time since 2007 following the departure of Kenny Jackett. In his place comes Steve Lomas, who enjoyed, but nobody else did, an unproductive spell at Gillingham at the tail end of his career. If his work ethic as a manager at the Den is anything like that of a player at Priestfield then Millwall are in for a tough time. I cannot recall a player so obviously collecting one last pay day than that of Lomas.

That gripe out of the way, in actual fact if Millwall's performance at Gillingham is anything to go by, then their fans should be viewing the prospect of a very enjoyable season to come. For half-an-hour the visitors clearly portrayed the difference between the Championship and the divisions below. They literally passed their way through the Gillingham rearguard, opening up their opponents with ease.

Working where I do, deep in the heart of Millwall-land, I know a few Lions fans and Lomas' West Ham connection caused some initial consternation, but the loan of fans' favourite Steve Morison from Leeds United has bought him some goodwill and two goals in the opening 20 minutes from the striker helps the cause even at this fledgling stage of pre-season.

Morison drove a seventh minute volley past Stuart Nelson after the ball broke kindly to him and in the 19th minute from the edge of area he smacked home a low drive. Morison turned provider after 28 minutes when his left wing cross to the far post was headed home by Andy Keogh, with the home side now in somewhat disarray.

Josh Wright and Jimi Abdou had ruled the roost in midfield for the Lions and when the former was withdrawn at half-time, much to his annoyance it appeared, then the visitors were not quite so dominant in the second period. Millwall made a host of changes just after the hour which further affected their flow and Gillingham followed suit after 75 minutes when they made six change of their own, one of which, Adebayo Akinfenwa, found the net within a minute of his introduction, the big man converting a Joe Martin cross with a far post header.

Gillingham pressed to further reduce the deficit, but with a couple of minutes to go, it was time to take my leave and head for Tunbridge Wells . . .