Gillingham 2 Southampton 1

Match 62/09/814 - Saturday, 1st May 2010 - League One

Gillingham (1) 2 Howe 19, Gowling 50
Southampton (0) 1 Connelly 66
Att. 9,504

Entrance: Season Ticket
Programme: £3
Mileage: 45/7,365

Match Report

As a child (I can remember that far back!) my Mum used to warn me: “Don’t wish your life away”. I was always guilty of impatience when it came to the future and, especially with football, the next game could not come quickly enough. 50 years on, and if I could wish the next week away, I would. I just want this mental torture concluded.

As I locked my front door this afternoon I had no expectation that the relegation issue would be settled this afternoon, principally because I didn’t anticipate Gillingham beating Southampton, what I did expect was Millwall to emerge victorious at Tranmere. Regrettably, the agony goes on as our South London friends did us no favours, and shot themselves in the foot, with a disappointing 2-0 loss.

Next Saturday a couple of thousand Gillingham fans should descend on Wycombe’s Adams Park seeking the single point that would ensure safety. An escape from relegation that would have been built on the potentially amazing statistics of not a single win away from home in the entire season and 44 of their 51 points won at Priestfield Stadium, where not a single club from the top nine in the Division has left Kent with three points.

It will be one of those final days when in the past the game would have been watched with a transistor radio to one ear but, in present time, internet connections on mobile phones will relay every last twist and turn, stretching the nerve ends to the very limit.

On the positive side, what we have a kick off time is enough, it’s ours to lose, on the negative, simply, we are not at Priestfield. The fact that Wycombe Wanderers were relegated today at Leyton Orient counts for very little in my eyes, they will want to finish the season on a high in front of their own fans.

Tranmere will be expected to win at bottom club Stockport County, whilst Exeter City finish at home to play-off bound Huddersfield Town and Hartlepool, who should enter the equation on Tuesday with a three point deduction for fielding an ineligible player, finish their season at Brentford. A loss for Gillingham would leave Tranmere and Exeter both requiring wins and Hartlepool a draw.

Simeon Jackson was recalled to the starting line-up in favour of Danny Jackman and Southampton, with nothing left to play for, rested top scorer Ricky Lambert to the bench.

A full house at Priestfield created an electric atmosphere that was at full cry when Andy Barcham went down in the box, but the penalty appeals were waved away. Early efforts on goal from David Connelly and Lee Barnard warned the home fans that there was still an attacking potency despite the absence of Lambert.

Gillingham went ahead in the 19th minute when a through ball from Mark Bentley left Jackson goal side of Southampton’s Jose Forte. Kelvin Davis raced to meet the forward but his attempted clearance cannoned off Jackson and the rebound fell into the path of Rene Howe who fired into the unattended goal with a calm finish. The deafening roar that greeted the goal was reason enough for Gillingham’s impressive home record this season.

The beginning of the second half signalled the introduction of Lambert and the task facing the Gillingham back line seemed destined to get even harder. But within five minutes the home side doubled their advantage with a header from Josh Gowling that nestled into the bottom corner to the delight of the Rainham End. An Adam Miller corner was headed onto a post by Simeon Jackson and bundled clear as far as Curtis Weston whose cross was met by Gowling who scored from close range.

Two further chances fell to Simeon Jackson, the second of which was cleared off the line, which could have settled the contest but on 65 minutes midfield indecision allowed Connelly a loose ball to fire home from 20 yards.

Southampton sensed Gillingham’s nervousness and went in search of an equaliser. Lambert had an effort tipped over by Alan Julian and Connelly should have done better when he steered the ball into the welcoming arms of the keeper in the excessively generous four minutes of stoppage time.

Appeals to supporters to stay off the pitch at the finish were ignored by a few that perhaps failed maths at school and thought the three points were enough, or maybe they didn’t have the benefit of the old fashioned transistor that would have confirmed the bad news from Tranmere.

Seven more days and I recall another comment my Mum used to make “that good things come to those that wait.” She’s looking down from above now but still offering wise words.