Gillingham 1 Leyton Orient 1

Match 47/09/799 - Tuesday, 23rd February 2010 - League One

Gillingham (1) 1 Dickson 8
Leyton Orient (0) 1 Mkandawire 72
Att. 4,753

Entrance: Season Ticket
Programme: £3
Mileage: 45/5,391

Match Report

For a few precious minutes, while the fog swirled around Priestfield and night had descended, there was a chink of daylight. Chris Dickson had scored his first goal since his return to the club and a second win on the bounce appeared a distinct possibility. The fog eventually cleared, night continued its passage of time and daylight disappeared.

Following Simeon Jackson’s successful introduction from the bench on Saturday, manager Mark Stimson chose to go with three strikers, a plan far removed from the single, diminutive striker that led the line two home games ago against Tranmere. An attacking line-up but one with other failings.

After the bright start and early goal, Gillingham were forced to concede ground in the middle of the pitch as their three men were simply overrun. As the pressure increased a vast area in the middle was evacuated and the strikers were forced to feed off 60 yard punts forward as the ball sailed over the heads of the midfield trio.

Eventually, despite the slightly controversial nature of the goal, Leyton Orient deservedly profited from a loose clearance by Garry Richards and Tamika Mkandawire, the best player on the pitch, rifled home from 20 yards.

Within the first couple of minutes Rene Howe was sent in on goal by Jackson and fired a shot that narrowly missed at the far post. Five minutes later Jackson raced clear down the right hand side and unleashed a powerful shot that was only parried by O’s keeper Jamie Jones and Chris Dickson was on hand to poach the goal from a couple of yards.

A little spell of confidence followed but somewhere in the mist it disappeared. As Orient took a stranglehold on the game the manager revised his tactics and introduced Dennis Oli and Andy Barcham to hopefully provide some width. But unfortunately the die was cast and the ball continued its merry aerial path largely ignoring the substitutes.

Immediately following the equaliser, Garry Richards was offered the opportunity to atone with a far post header that sadly went narrowly wide. But, by the close, the visitors appeared the more likely of the sides to find a winner and on a night when all the relegation threatened clubs, barring Brighton, below Gillingham lost then perhaps it was a point gained.

Mark Stimson now has the luxury of choice when it comes to strikers but last night proved you cannot play them all.