Gillingham 2 Rochdale 1

Match 66/08/750 - Sunday, 10th May 2009 -
League Two Play-off Semi Final 2nd Leg

Gillingham (1) 2 Jackson 13, 58 (pen)
Rochdale (1) 1 Dagnall 38
Att. 9,585

Entrance: £22
Programme: £4
Mileage: 45/8,743

Match Report

It is much easier to write this blog when matters have gone horribly wrong. The words and spaces give an opportunity to vent your spleen, to get it off the chest. Looking back at the away day postings from Shrewsbury and Exeter I used words such as spineless and embarrassing, the words came easy as anger flooded the mind. But the emotion of joy is so much harder to describe.

The two legs shredded the nerves as two teams with a fag paper between them sought to give their respective supporters a Wembley day out. It did not take a Hansen-like sage to predict that this tie could go all the way to penalties, it didn’t, but it took the nerves of steel that supporters no longer possessed for Simeon Jackson to coolly put a spot kick away to ultimately seal their place in the Final. Earlier in the day, Bury with home advantage and a goal lead from the first leg, buckled under the weight of parallel tension as they missed a regular time penalty and then a shoot out to allow Shrewsbury Town to become Gillingham’s opponents on 23 May 2009.

Four times during the second half the stadium announcer made a plea that supporters should stay off the pitch at the end of the game, words that were never going to be heeded as the emotion of joy took hold and a good natured pitch invasion took place. It is possible in the cold light of a couple of days later to have every sympathy with the travelling contingent of Rochdale supporters who took defeat in an exemplary manner. The turned up on a Sunday evening in large numbers relative to their disappointing home attendance in the first leg, they gave their side every encouragement and contributed greatly to the vibrant atmosphere of the night.

The evening began with stirring renditions of Home of the Shouting Men and The Last Waltz before the teams took the field to a crescendo of noise. Priestfield had got itself ready to rumble.

After the couple of early exchanges when the awkward Lee Thorpe was unable to direct a header on target, Gillingham took the lead after 13 minutes. A pacey run from Andy Barcham ended on the bye-line from where he slid a pass inside to Simeon Jackson who guided the ball home from close range with a smart finish. The lid came off the Rainham End as it became a sea of movement.

Another Barcham run had Rochdale defenders struggling in his wake but his failure to pick a pass rather than a shot kept the scoreline at just the single goal. This was changed within a couple of minutes as Dale brought the game back to parity. It was an unfortunate chain of events for the home side. Barry Fuller made a block but the ball rebounded to an unmarked Chris Dagnell. He steadied, cut inside John Nutter and blasted past Simon Royce for what could not be considered an undeserved equaliser.

The goal was, of course, initially greeted with silence, but within seconds Priestfield was responding with another wall of sound to drown out the celebrating visiting support.

Attacking the Rainham End, the second half was to prove there is a lucky 13. After their 13th minute first half goal, in the 13th minute of the second half a surging run from Nutter was ended with a reckless challenge by Rory McArdle. Two seconds seemed like an eternity as eyes focused on referee Michael Oliver, who seemed to consider, reconsider and then his finger pointed to the spot.

While the necessary paperwork was completed, hearts leapt to mouths, memories of Jackson’s penalty miss at Wycombe were rekindled, Bury’s heartbreak from the spot hours earlier, please Jacko please. No such worry, the little man has the bottle when it counts and calmly sends Frank Fielding the wrong way to restore the home side’s lead.

The ensuing half-an-hour might have been made a lot easier to bear had Garry Richards header been inches lower rather than smacking against the bar. Rochdale, now with nothing to lose, through caution to the wind and efforts came from Jones, McArdle and Buckley, all wide and on another day would have seemed not to too close, but in this situation the margin of difference became millimetres. One last corner and keeper Fielding joined the attack but when Simon Royce safely gathered we knew it was over and the Wembley date was ours. Mr Oliver obliged with the whistle and as the Rainham End emptied itself onto the pitch, Coffin Dodgers hugged and shook hands as their blankets tumbled to the ground. Yes, we know how to celebrate in the Gordon Road Stand!

As I said in the opening paragraph, this type of elation is the hardest to describe. I read a Chelsea fan describing winning at Anfield in the Champions League as feeling that something had just exploded inside his head, I think I know what he was trying to say. Momentarily I think there was relief that it was all over before the onset of the undiluted joy that thankfully can still be experienced by a seen-it-all fan of 50 years.

The play-offs were never invented to enjoy and Gillingham fans will testify to that almost as much as those loyal Rochdale people who suffered a second year of heartbreak. For us there is the opportunity to attempt to enjoy our day and should fate look kindly upon us there can be no better place than Wembley to exorcise the memory of 13th September 2008.