Gillingham (0) 1 Weston 60 (pen)
Oldham Athletic (0) 0
Att. 4,787
Entrance: Season Ticket
Programme: £3
Mileage: 45/3,761
Match Report
It was the weather conditions that prevailed at Priestfield this afternoon. Gale force winds delayed the start of the match as the fire brigade tackled a Gordon Road roof top advertising hoarding that had worked itself loose and the game itself turned into a scrappy affair as neither side completely mastered the conditions.Ultimately, Gillingham were reasonably good value for the single goal victory achieved by virtue of a Curtis Weston penalty after Febian Brandy was bundled to the ground by our old adversary Shaun Gregan.
Gregan was one of six Oldham players booked as the Lancastrians adopted a physical approach to the game.
Simeon Jackson was away on international duty and Barry Fuller suspended, so John Nutter and Kevin Maher returned to the starting line-up with Weston taking the dual striking role with Brandy.
The worst of the conditions were endured during the first half and you had to have a little bit of sympathy for the 135 travelling supporters buffeted by the wind and rain in the open Brian Moore Stand. They had very little to cheer as their side appeared to be satisfied with containing the home side, offering very little in the way of an attacking threat.
Curtis Weston went the closest in a difficult first half when he curled a shot onto the top of the bar after being well served by a bit of Brandy trickery. The Latics ended the half a little more encouragingly as the made a couple of half chances but Chris Taylor found himself the first one into the referee’s book with a display of childish petulance when Mark Bentley stood in front of him in the wall for a Gillingham free kick. All the toys were thrown out of Taylor’s pram as he behaved like a kid in the checkout queue at Tesco’s deprived of chocolate.
On the hour, Brandy wriggled his way into the box and was upended by the sizeable figure of Shaun Gregan whose shorts these days are the size of a small marquee. Gillingham’s loan signing was booed from that point by the visiting support suggesting that they, at least, thought his tumble was a tad theatrical. With Jackson away, Weston took on the responsibility to fire the home side in front from the spot.
Andy Barcham took full advantage of a loose pass, but from 20 yards his shot crashed against the bar. By now Oldham’s physical approached had turned into rough house tactics as the bookings mounted. Reuban Hazell became the last of the six as he cynically brought down Weston as he bore down on goal in the closing minutes.
In terms of entertainment, the weather was the winner but three more valuable home points eases the Gills into a slightly more comfortable lower mid table position.
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