Leeds United (2) 4 Johnson 14, 38 Howson 46, Beckford 80
Gillingham (0) 1 Barcham 50
Att. 21,026
Entrance: £21
Programme: £3
Mileage: 491/2,964
Match Report
Sixteen months ago with the sands of Gillingham’s League One time ebbing away, Leeds fans taunted their counterparts with the song “we’ll never play you again”. Two failed play-offs and one Kent-based promotion, their words came back to haunt them as the two teams did meet again.Bright enough to realise they would have to meet us once more, they didn’t sing it yesterday, but had they, on this occasion I, for one, would guess they might well be right this time.
Gillingham became the home side’s 15th successive victim at Elland Road and they played with such aplomb it is very difficult to make a case as to why they will not be taking their place in the Championship next season without the need of the dreaded play-offs.
They have strength and movement in midfield where they won game and carried a threat from their front two. On Leeds’ debit side Gillingham created several good chances and the spurning of these at crucial times contributed to the slightly flattering scoreline.
In May 2008, a capacity crowd and an antagonistic spat between the chairmen fuelled a hostile atmosphere as both clubs were 90 minutes away from their respective fates of the season. This time around, despite the two chairman’s best efforts, there was not the same anticipation or ire towards the visitors.
After 10 minutes of little more than jousting the home side took the lead when the excellent Bradley Johnson met a Robert Snodgrass corner with a powerful header from an unmarked position. Following the goal Leeds dominated the midfield area retaining the ball for long periods of time with Johnson seemingly the centre of everything.
After 38 minutes Johnson inflicted further pain with a surging run against Gills’ skipper Barry Fuller, who failed to stop the midfielder shooting across the face of the goal. Whether the ball would have found the net if it hadn’t deflected off Simon Royce’s legs is arguable, truth is Fuller could have done better.
The first of Gillingham’s chances to put a different complexion on the match came just prior to half time. Last Saturday Curtis Weston enjoyed the finest of matches against one of his previous employers, this Saturday his mood would have been vastly different. Dennis Oli, who had made very little impact, released Weston into a clear shooting position from which the former Leeds man shot wide.
Had they gone in with the scoreline 2-1, the team talks might have been different, but whatever was said, within half a minute of the restart the game was over as a contest. Superb movement cut through Gillingham’s back line and ended with Jonathan Howson shooting into Royce’s left hand corner from just inside the box.
As a Jermaine Beckford’s drive struck the bar and Becchio shot wide in the space of a couple of minutes following the goal, the possibility of humiliation loomed large. But credit to Mark Stimson’s side who responded with a well taken goal from Andy Barcham who drove high into the net from the left hand side of the box to momentarily silence the Elland Road crowd.
A second opportunity to impose a bit of pressure on the home side passed Gillingham by when Simeon Jackson just couldn’t rise high enough to get over the ball and his header sailed over the bar. Gillingham had shown a good deal of resilience in the face of a superior side but their resistance was finally broken when a Becchio shot came off the bar for Beckford to nod home the rebound from close range. Offside? Looked it, but television will be prove one way or the other.
Gillingham were far from disgraced but the difference between the sides showed just how far they have to go to be competitive in this division and the gap will need to be closed with a fraction of the resources available to the likes of Leeds.
Elland Road is the type of ground in which we only dreamt of playing prior to our Championship days, but as a visiting supporter the viewing is particularly disappointing. Stuck in a corner, adjacent to what was known as the Lurpak Stand that towers over the rest of the stadium, with pillars obscuring the view, it is one of the poorest positions we are likely to experience this season. If those Leeds fans had sang “we’ll only play you once more”, I’m more than inclined to say “and thank goodness it’s at Priestfield” where win, lose or draw we will, at least, have a clear view of the proceedings.
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