Darlington (0) 1 Purdie 78 (pen)
Gillingham (1) 2 Jackson 21, Richards 90
Att. 2,831
Entrance: £16
Programme: £2.50
Mileage: 582/1,227
New Ground No. 225
Match Report
There is something quite surreal being part of an attendance of 2,831 inside a stadium that can seat 25,000 people.Opened five years ago, The Darlington Arena has the look of a White Elephant. Stuck 2km out of town with none of the proposed developments surrounding the site having been started, it stands isolated in a rural setting.
A nice enough stadium, if rather lacking in character synonymous with most new build stadiums, despite its tender age it is already showing signs of wear and tear and a lack of upkeep. The bank of empty red seats in its North Stand are beginning to fade to pink and the toilets look in desperate need of a cleaner rather than a handful of those yellow cubes. But trying to maintain a stadium of this size on gates of less than 3,000 must be mission impossible.
Perhaps there is a lesson to be learnt by Gillingham (and our chairman) themselves as they pursue their dream of a new stadium - build one to suit your realistic needs and not a pipedream.
It’s a long, long way to Darlington, a trip made on the supporters’ coach. A 5.45 a.m. alarm call for a 7 p.m. departure from Priestfield was followed by a six-and-a-half hour journey that is not usually made easier by a Gillingham away victory, but today an 88th minute winner served up that rariest of treats.
Perhaps we were lucky, but frankly who cares?
Having seen a half-time lead erased by a penalty during a second half siege on the Gillingham posts, Gary Richards somehow squeezed a back heel over the line following a dubious corner.
The couple of hundred hardy souls that had made the long trek north celebrated the outcome with as much incredulity as joy. Gillingham away wins are so rare supporters have forgotten how to greet them.
A clinical piece of finishing from Simeon Jackson, shrugging off the attentions of the two central defenders to drill the ball home had taken the Gills to a half-time lead. An even first half had had its distractions as over-officious stewards took exception to the 30 or so chanting fans that were standing, impeding the view of nobody, after all there were 22,000 empty seats. A tap on my own shoulder caught me by surprise, I was sitting down. The steward politely asked that I put away my camera, but then helpfully informed me that if I wanted to take photos it was OK with a camera phone. Logic in that, as bizarre as a Gary Richards winner.
Darlington took the second half to their visitors and eventually their pressure produced a deserved equaliser from the spot, following a rash challenge by Curtis Weston, despite Simon Royce’s valiant effort.
As the clock ticked down Gillingham were managing to subdue their hosts and an effort just prior to his substitution from Jackson offered a glimmer of hope. A couple of substitutions that didn’t make sense at the time were then instrumental in the bizarre winning goal.
Gary Mulligan, on for Jackson, chased a ball to the bye-line and appeared to touch the ball as it rolled over the line, but the referee awarded a corner. From Nicky Southall’s corner and the ensuing scramble, Gary Richards’, of all people, back heel found the net, via the goalkeeper, the post and a few shins.
It was an equally long way home, but with the satisfaction of having seen Gillingham’s first win on the road since January. But for this particular writer that run stretches back to Good Friday, 14th April 2006 and the even more unlikely victory at Southend.
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