Gillingham (1) 4 King 6, Miller 58, Richards 78, Cumbers 88
Rotherham United (0) 0
Att. 5,304
Entrance: Season Ticket
Programme: £3
Mileage: 45/3,245
Match Report
It is one of football’s great imponderables, it drains away faster than it becomes evident, but when you have it the result can be awesome. It is called confidence.On the back of the rare luxury of two away wins on the trot with a pair of clean sheets for good measure, Gillingham took on dangerous opponents and surged into the play-off places at Fortress Priestfield.
Rotherham have made light of their points deduction and have pulled away from the relegation zone, in fact their 26 points gained would have placed them in a play-off spot had it not been for the imposed penalty.
That new found confidence was consolidated with an early goal. A looping header from Simon King crept in at the far post for his first goal for the club. But for the best part of half an hour thereafter Gillingham had to be at their best at the back as the visitors took the game to their hosts. Garry Richards did a fine job controlling one of the Division’s hotshots Reuben Reid and a great save from Simon Royce kept the Gills in front before the game’s defining moment.
From my seat in the Coffin Dodgers it was difficult to see whether the challenge on Barry Fuller was late or two footed, but the immediate reaction of the Gillingham players in confronting the perpetrator, Danny Harrison, indicated that it was probably a poor tackle. The referee, fussy throughout, produced a straight red to leave Rotherham with ten men.
Fuller was fit to continue, but the second half began without the influential Curtis Weston who was substituted by fit again Mark McCammon. On the hour Adam Miller put the big striker through on goal, his shot was parried by the keeper but Miller followed up to bundle it home.
Two-nil and with the opposition a man down, the confidence spread to the stands and the Rainham End took time out from their ongoing dispute with the stewards to chant for Mark Stimson to give them a wave. Many of them were waving their own salute at him not so long ago.
A well-placed header from Richards, having seen off the threat of Reid, put Gills on easy street and when Albert Jarrett came on for his weekly ten minute cameo, his cross ended with young Luis Cumbers having a tap in for his first goal for the club, the demolition was complete.
So confidence reigns supreme at Fortress Priestfield, six home wins in seven and an attendance that topped 5,000 for the first time in a while, albeit that Kids for a Quid probably made up the increase. Long may that confidence reign.
1 comment:
But you sitting with the coffin dodgers you do not see those pratts of stewards going in with thier fist on anyone who gets in the way
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