Gillingham 0 Colchester United 1

Match 06/08/690 - Tuesday, 12th August 2008 - Carling Cup

Gillingham (0) 0
Colchester United (1) 1 Heath 10
Att. 2,566

Entrance: £15
Programme: £2
Mileage: 45/520

Match Report

A third successive season that a first round exit has been made from the Carling Cup as Gillingham fail to despatch a very average Colchester side.

Outside the ground, long queues had formed at the ticket office and it seems ludicrous that in a small crowd of 2,566 there are people that are forced to miss the kick off because they are stuck in a line for 25 minutes, whatever happened to cash at the turnstiles, back to basics I think.

We sat in the Rainham End for the first half, but moved to the more sedate Gordon Road stand for the second having become tired of the constant foul-mouthed abuse that was coming from some of the brain-challenged element behind the goal.

It was a good vantage point though to see stand-in keeper Alan Julian flap unconvincingly at a curled in free kick that was subsequently bundled in for ultimately the scrappy winner after 10 minutes.

After just four minutes, Mark McCammon was put through one-on-one with Colchester’s goalkeeper Dean Gerkan. This was a identical situation to Darren Anderton’s goal for Bournemouth on Saturday, Anderton had the necessary quality, McCammon didn’t, and the chance went begging.

It was particularly disappointing that Gillingham had the measure of their higher league opponents for much of the match, but the lack of a finish was the difference. Simeon Jackson was, once more, a livewire up front, and had three very good efforts all well saved by Gerkan. It says an awful lot that he was made the sponsors’ man of the match for NEARLY scoring.

A treble substitution on the hour saw a revitalisation of the effort. Adam Miller, who looks a long way off last season’s form, McCammon and Nicky Southall made way for Dennis Oli, Tyrone Berry and Saturday’s secret weapon Gary Mulligan, but there was to be no last minute heroics on this occasion.

The Carling Cup offers the chance of a pop at a Premiership club in the second round and it is frustrating that this opportunity will be denied again by a in-form opposition goalkeeper and our own failings in front of goal.