Gillingham 3 Bristol Rovers 2

Match 25/07/642 - Saturday, 27th October 2007 - League One

Gillingham (1) 3 Brown 20 Graham 85 Dickson 89
Bristol Rovers (1) 2 Lambert 27 Piper 46
Att. 5,333

Season ticket
Programme: £3
Mileage: 45/1,774

Match Report
Somebody famous once coined the phrase “it’s a funny old game” and how right Greavesie was. At about 75 minutes and 2-1 down, Priestfield was turning on their own team. Misplaced passes were being greeted with boos and derision, but at least this showed a bit of passion and interest, unlike the first half that had been met with total apathy from both teams and supporters alike. Two goals in the last five minutes won it for Gillingham and the previous 85 minutes were forgotten as the home side were cheered from the pitch, short-term memory loss for a percentage of those in attendance.

The management state of limbo continues and now runs into its third month. How can it take so long to appoint a manager? When Ronnie Jepson resigned eight weeks ago, I wrote that if Paul Scally jumped in quickly then the appointment would probably be from within and that would show a lack of ambition, well nobody can accuse Mr Scally of an impulsive decision. Gossip has seen names brought to the fore, but the silence from the club has been deafening. Whilst we have been deliberating, Millwall, Leicester, Lincoln, Port Vale and Chelsea(!) have all parted company with their managers and are now competing with Gillingham for the services of the “right man”. Strangely enough all of the names are still available. Mark Stimson appeared to be a racing certainty when he resigned from Stevenage, whose chairman went on to make acrimonious comments directed at Gillingham. But that was a fortnight ago, and he now seems to be making overtures to Lincoln City. Peter Taylor also departed Crystal Palace at an opportune time, but stronger money is that he will turn up at Stevenage. Steve McMahon’s name rose to the top on the back of a Scally comment about the candidate being abroad and just as quickly sunk to the bottom. Martin Allen hasn’t accepted anywhere yet, similarly Brian Little.

All this is completely unsatisfactory and you have to feel for Iffy Onuora. He now manfully soldiers on, having lost his first lieutenant Mick Docherty following the Swindon debacle. He says all the right things, going about his everyday business until such times that he is told he is no longer needed at the helm.He has maintained the home form, the unbeaten run now extending to eight games, but results on the road show no signs of improvement.

In truth, the general negativity at Priestfield is not driven by results alone, as said Gillingham’s home form, where the vast majority watch, is good. People have grown tired of logging into, by any means of communication on a daily basis, just to hear that there is no news. If we cannot get our man, whoever it is and for whatever reason, then Iffy should be given the job for the rest of the season and end the uncertainty.

Away from Priestfield was the bitter disappointment that Tonbridge had fallen at the last qualifying hurdle with a 3-1 defeat at Ware. Hopes had been high that a 35 year wait for a FA Cup First Round entry would be brought to an end at their Division One North opponents, but sadly they were well beaten.