Gillingham 1 Brackley Town 1

Match 39/13/1066 - Saturday, 9th November 2013 - FA Cup 1R

Gillingham (0) 1 Dack 90+6
Brackley Town (0) 1 Martin (o.g.) 67
Att. 3,004

Entrance: £15
Programme: £1.50
Mileage: 45/2,977

Match Report

The moment the fourth official raised the board showing six minutes to be added at the end of the game, I uttered the first words all afternoon that hadn’t been a grumble, “that’s a real lifeline.” And so it was, Gillingham’s threadbare hopes of staying in the FA Cup were given a breath of life by virtue of the very man that was holding up the board, the original referee, was the reason that the extra time was allocated. Mr Lee Collins retired from his role in the middle to hand over to Barry Holderness directly after Brackley Town had shocked Priestfield Stadium to its very core in the 67th minute when Joe Martin, under pressure, inadvertently diverted the ball into his own net to give the Conference North side a surprising, but well deserved lead.

The illuminated board acted like an alarm clock, awakening the hosts from their slumbers and for the first time in the game, the part-timers were put under serious pressure. The relatively small Priestfield crowd were exasperated with their own team’s woeful performance and with the time-wasting from, in particular, Brackley’s keeper, Billy Turley, but sensed their opportunity. In the very last of those minutes, Adebayo Akinfenwa sent a header across the face of goal and at the far post, his fellow substitute, Bradley Dack was on hand to sweep the ball into an unguarded net. Time still remained for Akinfenwa to prod a shot goalwards which Turley fumbled it away for a corner.

The final whistle brought a chorus of cheers and boos, either of which could have reflected the embarrassment or the avoidance of. Fair play to Brackley, from the fourth minute when a speculative lob from Steve Diggin dipped onto the bar through to those final minutes when they laid bodies on the line to protect their lead, they matched their League One opponents, but for the second week on the trot, Gillingham were truly shocking, an embarrassment that must put at least the thought in the mind of Paul Scally that Peter Taylor isn’t the man for the vacant managerial position. On that point we will see in the coming week, I still think Taylor is a shoe-in but he, himself, must wonder at the size of the task that he or anybody else faces to put this team back together again.

The first half of this First Round encounter was another horror story following last week’s terrible opening half performance against Carlisle. As with that game, Gillingham went through the entire half without troubling Turley with a single shot on target.

On the hour Turley was forced into his first meaningful save when Danny Kedwell forced the keeper to turn away a drive at the near post, but with that chance gone, Taylor chose to make a triple substitution, one of which the bizarre decision to withdraw central defender Callum Davies and to send Gills’ leading scorer back into defence to replace him. Whether this was instrumental in the Brackley goal, who knows, but a cross from the left by Glenn Walker, who had shown a decent turn of pace and purpose all afternoon, was headed goalwards at the near post by ex-Gillingham player, Gary Mulligan; in a despairing effort to stop the ball arriving at Diggin’s feet, Joe Martin turned the ball into his own net to delight the 231 visiting supporters who had been sensibly housed at the far end of the Gordon Road Stand.

The game might well have been put out of Gillingham’s reach as Stuart Nelson was forced to touch over the bar Walker’s free kick and as the minutes ticked away, Nelson fumbled a shot but recovered to save the follow-up at his post. In between, Gillingham had had a couple of scrambles in the Brackley penalty area when the non-leaguers were literally throwing their bodies in front of the ball to protect their lead.

This continued for the entire six minutes before Dack’s last gasp intervention spared Gills’ blushes.

I celebrated along with everybody else as the ball finally hit the back of the Brackley net, but when the final whistle went I could only concur with the thoughts that we had played our get out of jail card and that we barely deserved our place in the Second Round draw. Those Brackley fans must have had such mixed feelings, gutted at the final whistle, but after a quick reflection, they could only have been very proud of their team’s efforts and who could blame them if they held the opinion that they had nothing to fear in next week’s replay.

Peter Taylor’s after-match interview reflected on the poor performance but, confusingly, he praised the player’s desire and determination which, in my humble opinion was the attribute most lacking. If only that desire had been shown for the first 90 minutes rather than the six added on, then I’m certain that League One quality would have ultimately held sway. We will soon know whether Taylor has impressed on the chairman that he is the man to reinvigorate that desire because the rest of us remain to be convinced.

Gillingham Youth 1 Brentford Youth 3

Match 38/13/1065 - Tuesday, 5th November 2013 - FA Youth Cup 1R

Gillingham (0) 1 Freiter 57
Brentford (0) 3 Moore 67, 89 Senior 80
Att. 300-ish

Entrance: £4
Programme: Free
Mileage: 45/2,932

Match Report

It would be good, on occasions, to be able to look into a crystal ball and see what the future holds for our senior football clubs, the FA Youth Cup offers that opportunity and for an hour what we witnessed from the youngsters of Gillingham was pleasantly encouraging.

The FA Youth Cup 1st Round tie was played out at Priestfield Stadium to a backdrop of Guy Fawkes Night celebrations being acted out in the back gardens of the local residents. During the first half, several enormous bangs made me, and no doubt many others, jump as we attempted to focus on our own entertainment being served up. It was a bit like watching football in a war zone, I’m sure fireworks were not so loud when I was a child.

I’m not particularly well versed in the structure of Academy football, but my understanding was that the visitors, Brentford, although in the same division as Gillingham in senior football, are a step higher in the categorisation of Academies.

There were a trio of players on show that have made appearances for the first team under Martin Allen, Mahlon Romeo, Michael Freiter and Sam Muggleton have all taken their place on the bench in the last year. Muggleton came on as substitute in this game, and those that saw him on his first team appearance would remember the huge throw in that he possesses.

In a tight first half, Gillingham probably edged it in terms of the better chances. The Bees’ keeper made two good saves from Freiter and Mitchell Dickenson might well have done better when he headed over from a corner.

The second half began with another good heading opportunity from a corner, this time spurned by Josh Staunton. But the home side were not to be denied, and just short of the hour, a ball over the top allowed Freiter to get behind the Bees back line and from just inside the box and with the keeper narrowing down the angle, the Gills striker coolly lobbed him to give the hosts a fully deserved lead.

I think the Brentford side may well have been just that little bit older through the side as they responded from the set back and got stronger throughout the last half-hour. Their captain, Montell Moore, rifled in a powerful shot from 25 yards. With ten minutes remaining, a defence splitting pass sent Courtenay Senior clear to shoot past Gills’ keeper Luke Nalder and the evening was wrapped up when Moore claimed his second having been sent clear.

This was a good insight into where the club sits in terms of its young prospects and as I said it was largely encouraging. They definitely ran out of legs in the final stages and I’m making the assumption that the visitors were older and therefore stronger, but Freiter, Dickenson and Blanchard caught the eye, whilst Nalder made some good saves.

If nothing else, it was a far more enjoyable evening than Saturday afternoon had been with the seniors!

Gillingham 1 Carlisle United 0

Match 37/13/1064 - Saturday, 2nd November 2013 - League One

Gillingham (0) 1 Kedwell 63 (pen)
Carlisle United (0) 0
Att. 5,697

Entrance: Season Ticket
Programme: £3.00 (and lost!)
Mileage: 45/2,888

Match Report

An hour of pure tedium had passed when Gillingham mounted their first sustained attack on the Carlisle United goal; an Adam Barratt header was palmed away by the Cumbrian’s keeper Mark Gillespie, quickly followed by the custodian saving from underneath his crossbar. As the ball dropped to Danny Hollands, his feet were taken from under him by Danny Livesey, to send him tumbling to the deck. Danny Kedwell made it a tale of three Danny’s as his spot kick was put away in his customary fashion, a thumping drive leaving Gillespie with no chance.

A betting man at this point wouldn’t be getting odds from the bookies as to Peter Taylor’s future. Barring a disaster in next week’s FA Cup tie against Conference North club, Brackley Town, the manager’s post is all but his for the taking.

Taylor has steadied the ship, there is a hint that the style may become more attractive, but to take it forward the interim manager needs the full title confirmed. Only Mr Scally knows if there is a household name that has thrown his hat into the ring as a viable alternative but there is not so much as a whisper that anybody else’s name is in the frame.

A short burst of rainfall at the beginning of the match left certain sympathy for the 260 Carlisle fans seated in the roofless Brian Moore Stand. They didn’t deserve a soaking for their efforts of a 700 mile round trip and they, and everybody else, didn’t deserve the first half that was put in front of them. It can be easily described as . . . Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

The half-time whistle brought a chorus of boos, of which, later, Taylor admitted if he had paid, he would have booed the loudest.

The second half, from such a low baseline, was an improvement. Cody McDonald and Steven Gregory were introduced from the outset and whilst the tempo increased the level of competence failed to scale new heights. A single effort on goal from Adam Barrett was the only shot on target before the intervention of the Danny’s on 63 minutes.

The game took a strange turn at this point. From one that had barely seemed to raise the interest of the participants there were suddenly two red cards that set up a big finish. Twelve minutes remained when the referee’s attention was brought by the linesman’s flag and the visitor’s centre forward, Lee Miller, was given his marching orders for an elbow on Barrett. The personnel imbalance only lasted for three minutes before a lunging tackle by Leon Legge brought him second yellow card and his dismissal.

Kedwell slotted into the central defensive position and more than did his part in repelling the late charge from the visitors, who arguably might have deserved a point, but never stretched Stuart Nelson into any meaningful save. Kedwell, meanwhile, is flourishing under the stewardship of Taylor, a third man-of-the-match award on the spin, six goals in his last six games, the striker is one that surely will favour the appointment.

In the final moments, McDonald was sent clear and was tripped as he tried to round the keeper. The striker was too honest and attempted to stay on his feet allowing Gillespie to smother his effort, had he gone down it would almost certainly have been a second penalty.

Peter Taylor will not be a universally popular choice, some people fear a second coming will not be as successful as his first spell, but most consider the appointment is now a done deal, we just await the puff of white smoke from above the Medway Stand.

Tonbridge 3 Whitehawk 1

Match 36/13/1063 - Saturday, 26th October 2013 - Conference South

Tonbridge (2) 3 Pinney 32, Goodwin 34, Green (pen) 79
Whitehawk (0) 1 Taylor 85
Att. 376

Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £2.00
Mileage: 26/2,843

Match Report

Turning right off the drive I ruefully reflected that had I been turning left I could, and almost certainly should, have been making my way towards Chatham Town for a FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round tie. Radio Kent constantly reminded me of what I was missing on the journey over to Tonbridge, the final qualifying round is a big deal for the local non-league clubs and for Chatham this was to be their first appearance at this stage for 80 years. St Albans City would be arriving at Maidstone Road as clear favourites, as would Tonbridge had they emerged victorious from the previous round. But, it was not to be, so a Conference South fixture against Whitehawk was the consolation prize.

In search of new firepower, Tommy Warrilow drafted in, on a month’s loan, a young striker from the Development Squad at Brighton and Hove Albion, Shamir Goodwin. The youngster was paired with Nathaniel Pinney as Warrilow sought to end a run of five League games without a win.

On a day when a stiff wind was always going to make playing conditions difficult, Tonbridge opened well with some crisp, on the floor, passing. Goodwin immediately impressed with his direct running at defenders and Pinney brought an early save out of Chris Winterton.

Whitehawk, playing with the benefit of the wind behind them, had very little to offer in the first half in which they over hit passes and the odd shot from distance that didn’t trouble Clark Masters in the Tonbridge goal.

In the Whitehawk ranks, managed by ex-Gill Darren Freeman, was another ex-Priestfield favourite, Matty Lawrence, whose Shaggy-look has been replaced with a slightly shorter version, but despite his 39 years, looked comfortable at this level of the game.

Tonbridge opened the scoring after 32 minutes with a goal of pure simplicity. Nathan Green was released down the right wing from where he delivered a perfect cross to the near post for Pinney to plant a firm header into the roof of the net.

Within a couple of minutes the new strike pairing were both on the score sheet. Goodwin cut in from the right and thundered in a shot off the underside of the crossbar.

The second half became increasingly scrappy as the wind intensified. Whitehawk offered a little more, but their shooting was wayward and from distance. The game was ended as a contest on 79 minutes in a bitter-sweet moment for Jon Heath. Goodwin initially brought a good parrying save from Winterton, who made another good stop from the follow-up shot by Pinney. The whistle blew as Heath crashed in the second rebound only to find that the referee had awarded a penalty for a trip on Pinney as he made his attempt on goal, had it stood it would have been Heath’s first goal for the club. Green successfully buried the spot kick to seal the points.

Whitehawk managed a consolation goal five minutes from time through ex-Angel Lewis Taylor and added a little more pressure in the remaining time, but the home side eased through for a very welcome victory.

Meanwhile, down at Maidstone Road, St Albans City beat their hosts Chatham Town to enter tomorrow’s First Round Draw. What’s the odds they come out of the hat with Gillingham?

Gillingham 2 Notts County 1

Match 35/13/1062 - Tuesday, 22nd October 2013 - League One

Gillingham (2) 2 Whelpdale 24, Kedwell 29
Notts County (1) 1 McGregor 80
Att. 5,161

Entrance: Season Ticket
Programme: £3.00
Mileage: 45/2,817

Match Report

“There were some good bits and some disappointing bits,” so said Peter Taylor in his first post-match press conference after the defeat against Preston North End. Wind-on three days and he could probably have repeated the same words despite this time gaining three valuable points against fellow strugglers Notts County.

After a turgid opening 20 minutes or so, Gillingham found themselves two goals to the good within the space of five minutes. One of my mentioned good bits from the Preston game was Stuart Nelson's distribution from his hands and with 24 minutes played he threw the ball towards Myles Weston on the half-way line. The throw was well directed but, unfortunately, it looked headed for a County defender, however, a slip allowed Weston to surge forward and cross to Chris Whelpdale who brought the ball under control off his chest and fire in a shot from the edge of the box.

Whelpdale then turned provider as a long kick out was headed on by the midfielder to Danny Kedwell who brushed aside the attention of his marker to smash a rising shot past goalkeeper, Bartosz Bialkowski.

Notts County were a side small in stature but also very talented and in Jamal Campbell-Ryce they had a lively winger with more than a few tricks in his repertoire and an on-loan Celtic striker, Callum McGregor that had already presented Gillingham with a problem or two. Within a couple of minutes of Kedwell's goal, Campbell-Ryce served notice that the Nottingham side were not out of this match when he cut inside and thumped a shot against the host's crossbar.

The early period of the second belonged to Gillingham and County were well served by Bialkowski who made saves from Lee and a flying save from Whelpdale as the home side sought the killer third goal.

On 66 minutes, Notts County manager, Chris Kiwomya made the strange substitution removing Campbell-Ryce from the action. A ripple of applause from the home support grew into a full ovation and the diminuntive appeared almost a little embarrassed as he acknowledged the reception. Kiwomya was not afforded the same sympathy as the Rainham End launched into a chorus of "You Don't Know What You're Doing!"

McGregor, meanwhile stayed as the centre of the action and with ten minutes remaining he set off on a run from just inside his own half and from 25 yards lashed a shot beyond the dive of Nelson who could do nothing but admire the finish.

This led to a nervy final ten minutes plus the time added on in which County searched for an equaliser. Gillingham were guilty of some time wasting in their quest to run down the clock and when the ball disappeared down the player's tunnel it was left to Danny Haynes to retrieve the ball and bring it back to the six yard box for Nelson to take the goal kick.

The good bits were a return to form from Whelpdale, a second successive man of the match performance from Kedwell and some green shoots that the Taylor style is going to be easier on the eye given time. It was disappointing that Gillingham were scratching around at the finish making hard work of what could have been a comfortable night, but, whoever is the manager, when have they ever made it easy on themselves?

Gillingham 1 Preston North End 2

Match 34/13/1061 - Saturday, 19th October 2013 - League One

Gillingham (0) 1 Kedwell 75
Preston North End (0) 2 Keane 47, Brownhill 52
Att. 7,054

Entrance: Season Ticket
Programme: £3.00
Mileage: 45/2,772

Match Report

Six days have elapsed since I received a text carrying the news that Martin Allen had been sacked, I replied with an expletive and then started to consider the rights and wrongs of the move. In that time, thousands of tweets have been expended on the subject, the vast majority of which portrayed bitter disappointment at Allen's dismissal.

I was undoubtedly shocked by the timing of the dismissal, but wasn't, and shouldn't have been, surprised by the announcement. Rumours had begun to circulate amongst supporters at Crawley in September. I emphasise the word RUMOUR. The word was that all was not well behind the scenes and that the manager and the chairman had fallen out. Mr Scally in subsequent interviews has stated that the dressing room wasn’t good but no made word of any disagreement between the two of them.

The bizarre transfer-listing of four players and then their removal from the list was another twist that just gave further legs to the rumour mill. And the interviews, oh dear those bloody interviews. Twelve months ago we were chortling behind our hands at some of his statements, they were seen as a breath of fresh air in some ways, at the end I know that I’m not alone in finding each one rather embarrassing and cringeworthy.

Peter Taylor had been seen at Gillingham games and once again, the rumour was that he was the man in waiting for the job. All rumours, but so much of it has transpired.

So shocked, but not surprised. Personally, I felt that any manager that had earned his club a promotion deserved a lot more time at the start of a new season at a higher level than Allen was given. It was a bad start, but like the vast majority of Twitter users posting on the subject, I think he probably would have turned it around. But for all that, there is one abiding reason why I’m not sad that Martin Allen has left the club, I didn’t like his style of football and memories of Peter Taylor’s spell 13 years ago give me hope that there will be a change for the better in terms of style.

Rome wasn’t built in a day though, so it was always going to be too much to ask that three training sessions and there would be a bright new dawn. There were a few encouraging signs, Stuart Nelson rolled the ball out to a full back more times in the course of one half than he has for the rest of the season and although the midfield continued to struggle, they at least tried to play the ball on the ground.

Taylor might well have wished for a slightly easier re-introduction than Preston North End. In Kevin Davies and Stuart Beavon they have an experienced, robust strike force that cause problems for defenders up and down the country. Davies ruffles feathers, angers opposing supporters with the odd flailing arm, but how you would want him in your team, while Beavon, brought into league football by Taylor at Wycombe, is quality.

Most of the chances in the first half fell to Preston, the best of which saw tricky winger, Chris Humphrey bring out a decent parrying save from Nelson.

Having done well to get to the break all-square, some dozy defending quickly undid the hard work at the start of the second half. A throw-in sent Keith Keane clear, unchallenged and his shot from the right hand side of the box found the far corner of the net.

Before Gillingham could clear the heads they found themselves two down. A swift counter-attack ended with Beavon squaring the ball to Josh Brownhill who had the easiest of finishes.

Gillingham responded with substitutions, Myles Weston and Antonio German being introduced and with 15 minutes remaining they gave themselves the opportunity of a grandstand finish. A Chris Whelpdale free kick was met by the head of Danny Kedwell, who steered it into the far corner.

Unfortunately, Preston were pretty adept at winding down the clock and they comfortably saw the game out despite the hosts’ best efforts.

This is the dawn of another new era, we’ve had far too many new dawns over the last eight years and although Taylor is introduced as the interim manager, it’s not a brain surgeon’s guess that he has the job to lose. The club needs stability and Taylor is a safe pair of hands that can offer a little bit of the style that is felt lacking. It might even be a bit dull without the Mad Dog!

England 2 Poland 0

Match 33/13/1060 - Tuesday, 15th October 2013 - World Cup Qualifying

England (1) 2 Rooney 41, Gerrard 88
Poland (0) 0
Att. 85,186

Entrance: £30
Programme: £6.00
Mileage: 160/2,727

Match Report

There is something unbecoming of a 62 year old man turning on the exit stairs to take one last look at the England team taking the acclaim of their supporters and bellowing "We Love Yer, Woy". But such was the unbridled joy, or was it sheer relief, following Steven Gerrard's 88th minute clincher of a place in next year's Brazilian World Cup Finals, that any slight political incorrectness was going to be washed away in the tide of emotion.

What a night, one of those that Wembley has seen all too few of since its reopening, one that was given a massive contribution by the amazing Polish support that in turn brought out the best from their English counterparts. Poland arrived for the final game of their disappointing campaign with nothing to lose and a freedom to express themselves and any team with Robert Lewandowski in its ranks are to be respected.

The no-hopers of San Marino left England with clarity of mind; only a win would see them avoid the perils of the play-offs where the likes of France and Portugal laid in wait.

The colour and vibrancy of the Polish support surfaced with the singing (or whistling at) of the national anthems. Vivid red flares were burning bright as the visiting anthem was played, how they manage to smuggle these things past security beats me.

England carried the momentum from their Friday victory over Montenegro with them in the opening half, the hand brake removed they were asked to go for broke and the three pronged attack alongside Andros Townsend who continued his sparkling arrival on the international scene. Poland’s failing in this campaign has centred on their failure to defend but on this occasion, subjected to intense pressure from their hosts, they threw bodies in front of everything England could muster and when clear shooting opportunities presented themselves, England found Arsenal’s Wojciech Szczesny in top form.

Although Poland, aware of threat that Townsend had presented, doubled up with defenders facing him, the winger brought the first save from Szczesny who could only parry his shot into the path of Danny Welbck, but the striker failed to get a good contact on the return. Townsend cracked a shot against the crossbar, Daniel Sturridge just failed to get the ball out from under his feet and Welbeck also stumbled as he went through one on one with the Polish keeper. But all the while this was happening Poland still carried a significant threat on the counter-attack. Direct from an England corner, a frighteningly quick move ended with Lewandowski clear on the right hand side of the box, as Joe Hart narrowed the angle, the Borussia Dortmund striker steered his shot wide of the far wide. It was a heart-stopping moment; Lewandowski doesn’t normally miss from close range.

If England can afford to lose one of their first choice players it is Ashley Cole because there is a wafer thin difference in quality between him and his deputy, Leighton Baines. After 41 quite thrilling, but nerve wracking minutes, Baines crossed perfectly from the left and Rooney rose the highest to plant a firm header into the right hand corner of the net. Rooney’s protective headband had fallen from his head moments earlier and Szczesny was left to do the polite thing and return it to the goalscorer.

The second half progressed in much the same vein. England continued to press on but Poland were striking fear into the England support whenever they counter-attacked. It was never going to be a night for breathing easily and when Lewandowski broke free again, the onrushing Hart managed to get a touch on the striker’s clipped shot before it was cleared to safety, breath was being held once again.

Two minutes remained when Wembley was finally offered the opportunity to indulge in a bit of pre-Rio carnival atmosphere. James Milner, on as a substitute to bolster the midfield, knocked the ball forward to Steven Gerrard, who rode the challenge Kamil Glik to prod the ball past Szczesny to set up the joyous celebrations.

In a campaign that, at times had been torturous, with Hodgson’s cautious approach bringing much press criticism, the manager went bold and over two memorable Wembley occasions, England produced their two best performances. Whether England can continue to play in this fashion come the Finals is another question, would they be able to attack Germany, for instance, in the same manner, I would like to think that Hodgson would see it as a situation in which they had nothing to lose in approaching the game with the same attitude.

For the next six months, Hodgson must watch on, helplessly, as his players are at the mercy of their Premiership managers. How much game are his young players going to get is going to be crucial in the run up to Brazil almost as much as the fear that a major injury, that always seems to happen, is going to be inflicted on one of his key players.

But for now, it is time to celebrate, however unbecoming it might be for the older man.