Gillingham (0) 2 Barcham 71, Mills 73
Chester City (0) 0
Att. 4,852
Entrance: Season Ticket
Programme: £3
Mileage: 45/2,656
Match Report
Goals win matches and goals also change the perception of the game you have watched. For 70 minutes this game was total dross. Two sides as bad as each other, neither able to pass to a team mate. On the hour, Albert Jarrett entered the fray as a substitute for Adam Miller, whose departure was rather unkindly jeered, he was no worse than anybody else. Jarrett has failed to sparkle since his exciting performances for the Reserves earned him a short term contract that has recently been renewed for another month. So there was little expectation of a turn for the better.
Jarrett, whose first touch had brought a booking for James Vaughan, turned in a cross in the 71st minute that was headed goalwards by Garry Richards. This effort was headed off the line and back to Jarrett whose second cross was eventually touched in by Andy Barcham. Two minutes later and a John Nutter corner was met firmly by Leigh Mills and from a position of frustration all was right with the world.
Simon Royce made a couple of good saves and Jarrett wasted a one-on-one chance to embellish a much improved substitute appearance before the final whistle.
Gillingham’s formidable home form, five wins and a draw from their last six, leaves them on the cusp of a play-off spot, but this disguises the quality of some of the performances. The first half had been a thoroughly depressing affair. Perhaps Chester can be forgiven for having a lack of confidence following a six goal hammering by Rochdale during the week, but they were the team that created the best of the chances that brought some smart saves from Royce.
The effort put in by both sides cannot be faulted but the quality of this Division is at times desperate. At the season’s start I had felt that we would not see an appreciable difference between Divisions One and Two, how wrong I am. The ball seems to be endlessly in the air and nobody appears to want the ball longer than five seconds. As long as the work rate is matched, any side with a little bit of quality can win this Division.
Simeon Jackson was unfit for a second game, Barry Fuller and Mark Bentley were serving suspensions and Andrew Crofts, who was transfer listed during the week could not even make the bench, from where Jack Payne, 16 years of age, made a two minute appearance.
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