Northampton Town 2 Gillingham 1

Match 28/10/846 - Saturday, 30 October 2010 - League Two

Northampton Town (2) 2 Beckwith 21, McKenzie 40 (pen)
Gillingham (1) 1 McDonald 7
Att. 4,573

Entrance: £19
Programme: £3
Mileage: 400/4,797

Match Report

Nearly 900 Gillingham fans made the two hour journey north to witness the big opportunity to rid ourselves of the worst away record in the Football League. One day this wretched run will come to an end and Northampton, on a run of six straight defeats, were visualised as prime candidates to get the damn monkey off our back.

Within five minutes the visiting fans were celebrating. Cody McDonald had a credible shout for a penalty refused and when he got weaved his way past Dean Beckwith a second time, the Cobblers central defender brought him down on the edge of the box. The resultant free-kick produced a perfect training ground set piece, John Nutter squaring the ball to Chris Palmer who rifled an unstoppable shot into the bottom corner. It was a wonderful start and for 15 minutes Gillingham completely dominated proceedings as the home side struggled to come to terms with their pace and movement.

What happened next was inexplicable; I certainly fail to understand quite what changed. Did Gillingham suffer stage fright, a fear of winning or did Northampton just take advantage of the fragility of the visitors back line that, on the day, defended poorly as a unit.

Matt Lawrence put in his worst performance since joining the club, which unsettled Tony Sinclair, or was it the other way round. Either way as a central unit they did not function. Barry Fuller was constantly caught in positions he shouldn’t be and John Nutter’s distribution was awful.

Northampton’s equaliser arrived on 21 minutes but it had been coming for some minutes earlier. The home side had a series of corners from which Gillingham avoiding conceding by the skin of their teeth. Another corner was sent to the far post where ex-Gillingham defender Beckwith rose above Lawrence to head past Alan Julian.

Leon McKenzie enjoyed a spell following the goal in which he tormented the Gillingham defence, Lawrence in particular, and saw three efforts in quick time either high or wide. Five minutes before the break the home side were awarded a dubious penalty. Lawrence and Beckwith appeared from my long distance view to be wrestling each other as they contested a cross, but the referee felt Lawrence was the offender and from the spot McKenzie coolly converted.

The second half saw Gillingham hold a lot of the possession and as such it could be argued that an equaliser might have been deserved, but the truth is that they hardly tested Northampton keeper, Chris Dunn. Upfront, McDonald had a lively opening but in the following 75 minutes suffered from poor service, while Adebayo Akinfenwa had a nightmare return to his old club. His first touch was heavy throughout and whilst claims had been made in the match programme that “on his day, he can be unplayable”, Beckwith and Hinton kept him quiet with relative ease.

Danny Spiller and Dennis Oli injected some life into the performance on their introduction and Akinfenwa and McDonald combined to force a save from Dunn. Gillingham huffed and puffed their way through the final 15 minutes exerting some pressure but Dunn was only asked to make comfortable saves.

The day had started out with great optimism and the opening blitz from Gillingham added to the sense of expectation but once again we fell short, in truth, a long way short. Somewhere, someday this away run will be broken but right now I cannot see where it might end. Will it end at Stimson’s Barnet, I wouldn’t bet on it, he is going to have his players right up for that one and today was just another example of when a side exerts pressure on Gillingham away from home, they just don’t cope. Oxford come before Barnet, well you never know . . . what I do know, is that, today, 881 Gillingham supporters deserved a lot better.

It has been a while since I visited Sixfields, an out-of-town stadium on a retail estate that has the architectural soul of a B&Q. Over the years the maroon seats have become sun bleached detracting further its visual effect and even the toilets have a care-worn look, but £1.80 for a cup of tea; that really is taking the piss.

Sutton United 2 Tonbridge 2

Match 27/10/845 - Tuesday, 26 October 2010 - Ryman Premier

Sutton United (2) 2 Jolly 35, Murray 45
Tonbridge (1) 2 England 43 Collin 85 (pen)
Att. 561

Entrance: £10
Programme: £2
Mileage: 94/4,397
New Ground: 239

Match Report

A wet evening and a trip round the M25 at the back end of rush hour was hardly appealing. But I had a gut feeling that Tonbridge’s visit to Sutton United was going to be worth the effort and sometimes effort is rewarded accordingly.

What I witnessed was a game that was later described as “a great advert for non-league football” by Sutton manager, Paul Doswell as Tonbridge twice came from behind to gain a well-deserved share of the spoils.

The first half hour was largely dominated by the hosts with Lee Worgan forced to make a couple of saves from the ever-dangerous Richard Jolly. After this initial period the Angels started to find their feet and brought the Sutton keeper, Kevin Scriven, into the action with a good save from Frannie Collin.

At the time of Sutton’s opening goal, the visitors had ridden the early storm and were beginning to get on top. In the 35th minute, a pass from Andy Forbes found Jolly in a shooting position and the ace marksman doesn’t miss very often when one on one with the keeper.

Two minutes from the break, Tonbridge capitalised on a poor defensive clearance. Claude Seanla fired in a pass across the face of the goal, Collin stepped over and Jamie England fired home to the delight of a sizeable visiting contingent behind the goal.

As the clock ticked down to the 45, Worgan was once again forced to make a good save from Jolly, before not dealing as well with a Orilonishe free kick that slipped from his grasp allowing Karl Murray to lift the rebound into the roof of the net for a half time lead that Sutton just about deserved.

If the first half produced a game in which neither side totally dominated, the second was largely one-way traffic as Tonbridge searched for an equaliser.

Scriven was proving the rock on which Tonbridge’s efforts were foundering as really good saves from Danny Walder and England denied the visitors, likewise a strong penalty appeal that fell on deaf ears from the referee.

As time ebbed away and with Scriven now seeming almost unbeatable, the referee offered the Angels a deserved life line awarding them a penalty for an offence that nobody from the touchline saw. Collin coolly sent the keeper the wrong way to level the game.

Lee Browning had two attempts to steal all three points at the death, a surging run was ended when he lost his footing and a blistering shot that was narrowly wide before the referee brought the curtain down on a very enjoyable evening’s entertainment.

This was my first visit to Gander Green Lane which has all the attributes of an erstwhile Conference club with covered stands on three sides. It may no longer be considered fit for purpose in the higher reaches of the football pyramid but remains a decent stadium at Ryman Premier level.

The rain had cleared as the evening wore on and, of course, the M25 is a different beast three hours later than the outward journey, allowing a gentle ride home with time to reflect that the effort had been more than worthwhile.

Gillingham 1 Torquay United 1

Match 26/10/844 - Saturday, 23 October 2010 - League Two

Gillingham (0) 1 McDonald 80
Torquay United (0) 1 Nicholson 90+5
Att. 5,345

Entrance: Season Ticket
Programme: £3
Mileage: 45/4,303

Match Report

Back in 1998, The Mavericks had a single “Dance The Night Away” that reached Number 4 in the UK charts. It wasn’t a ground breaking song that people will remember what they were doing with their lives at that particular period, but I recall it as a song that I considered lucky. If I heard it played on the radio on the way to a Gillingham game, I would sing along almost safe in the knowledge that the Gills were about to win the match, and invariably they did.

Radio Kent played the song as their opening track to their Saturday Sport programme and I thought that’s it, thank you Matt Davison, job done. When Alan Julian touched a kiss to the bar and then a post in gratitude that the woodwork had come to his rescue my faith in the old song remained firm. But Julian’s luck was about to run out. In the fifth minute of time added on, three minutes that were extended by the sending off of Torquay’s Lee Mansell, a free kick on the edge of the box was driven through the wall by Kevin Nicholson. Julian allowed the shot to squirm from his grasp and agonisingly the ball crossed the line.

It was a poor piece of goalkeeping but it was hard on Julian who otherwise had a good game. A decent stop and a very good reaction save in a matter of seconds after five minutes denied the visitors an early lead and his handling and judgement had been sound for the entire match.

At the other end, Torquay’s 6’5” custodian Scott Bevan spent his afternoon cherry picking as cross after cross fell invitingly into his safe hands. Chris Palmer had a reasonable game, but just how many of his crosses saw Bevan put his hands above his head and watch the ball drop into them.

Cody McDonald returned to the starting line-up with Mark Bentley dropping down to the bench and it was his 30th minute effort that was turned away by Bevan that produced the best chance of the half for the home side.

Alan Julian’s first kiss to his woodwork came within the first minute of the second half following Chris Zebroski's acrobatic effort that rebounded off the bar with the keeper beaten and when Barry Fuller was forced to clear from in front of the goal line the home side had endured an uncomfortable opening five minutes much like the beginning of the first half.

Danny Spiller came on as substitute for Kevin Maher and he was instrumental as Gillingham ratcheted up the pressure on Torquay. He had a wayward shot and from his cross in the 80th minute Akinfenwa struck a bar with a header. Not to be denied, Spiller’s next cross found McDonald who scissor-kicked a volley from around the penalty spot. It was a true striker’s goal, he had a marker within a yard, but that space was enough.

Torquay rather lost their discipline as four players were yellow-carded within the space of five or six minutes. But with a couple of minutes remaining, Julian was kissing woodwork again as Billy Kee touched a cross onto the inside of a post and as the ball looked to be rebounding over the line, Julian hooked it to safety.

Into injury time and the referee decided that Mansell had dived in the pursuit of a penalty and his yellow became a red. The time added on for the dismissal was ultimately crucial as Matt Lawrence gave away a free kick on the edge of the box and Nicholson’s strike embarrassed Julian.

It was a sickener for Gillingham, unfortunately for Andy Hessenthaler it had been sickening from half time as he was absent from the bench for the entire second half with an illness bug.

The next time I hear the Mavericks, I won’t feel any less confident, it’s served me well in the past and anyway it’s a good tune to sing along to at the traffic lights.

Port Vale 0 Gillingham 0

Match 25/10/843 - Saturday, 16 October 2010 - League Two

Port Vale (0) 0
Gillingham (0) 0
Att. 6,420

Entrance: £19
Programme: £2.50
Mileage: 548/4,258

Match Report

Solid at last! No, I’m not talking about a British athlete home from Delhi, but something far more unlikely, a Gillingham away performance.

Shorn of his main strike force for a visit to Vale Park, home of the League leaders Port Vale, manager Andy Hessenthaler needed a brand new masterplan to extract anything from the game. Surprisingly he chose to start with Dennis Oli as a lone striker with Curtis Weston tucked in behind.

It was not too far removed from the controversial 4-6-0 formation employed by Scotland in Prague, but Oli chased balls into the channels and posed enough of a threat to ensure that the hosts could not take any liberties with their own defensive set up. Weston also seemed to revel in his new role and looked more like his old self.

Though it was defensive in its make-up Gillingham were more of an attacking threat than their hosts and when a Mark Bentley effort on 68 minutes struck a post, a goal would have been no more than the visitors deserved. At the back, Matt Lawrence commanded, Barry Fuller was back to his belligerent best and Kevin Maher tidied up in front of the back four as Gillingham restricted Port Vale to a couple of late chances and a blistering shot from Gary Roberts that was only marginally wide.

As a group the perception must have been that Gillingham would be under pressure from the first whistle and when the whistle blew for half time, no only had they survived without a major scare, but also taken the game to Port Vale, there was a great deal of satisfaction In the goalless scoreline.

The best of the chances were fashioned by the Gills, Oli shot over, by a distance, after 10 minutes and in the 38th minute, Gareth Owen produced a fabulous block to deny Chris Palmer.

As the second half progressed neither keeper was being forced into making world class saves but Gillingham continued to make the half chances. Weston shot straight at Stuart Tomlinson, and on a couple of occasions, centre back Tony Sinclair just failed to get on the end of crosses. 6-4-0 formation and it is a centre back that is getting into the box, way to go I say!

The moment when Gillingham fans thought the away drought was about to end came when Mark Bentley cut in from the right, curled a shot past Tomlinson, but to the despair of those faithful fans, the ball struck a post and was cleared to safety.

It would have been a complete injustice two minutes later had Alan Julian not made a double save to thwart Marc Richards.

The Gillingham contingent rose in appreciation of the hard work that had been put in by Dennis Oli and Curtis Weston on their substitution with 10 minutes remaining. In truth, Oli looked as though he running on empty for a good 10 minutes previous, but it was a splendid effort.

One final chance to end the dismal away day blues fell to Bentley, but his header was straight at the keeper. Gillingham fans, nearly 300 in total, saluted their side at the final whistle for a point well earned, but I wonder, in their cars, on their coaches, after 20 minutes or so of reflection they would have thought to themselves, tonight we should be going home with the damn monkey off our back.

I like Vale Park, it has a proper football ground feel about it. There are a few pillars that can impede the eyeline, but when the away support only fills a couple of blocks they are not a problem.

Four years ago when I last visited the Lorne Street Stand was uncompleted and it still is. For those of a certain vintage and can remember the detective show, Petrocelli, who in between solving murder cases was building his own home. Sadly, because he had a new case every week, the house never got finished. Perhaps a Burslem detective is being employed to build the stand.

The acoustics under the Sneyd Stand roof gave a great help to the Gillingham choir and 288 sounded like many more and, the odd expletive apart, were absolutely fantastic in their support.

A special mention to the May Street chippy who served up, in my opinion, the best fish and chips of the season so far, to round off a very satisfying day.

The Petrocelli Stand!

England 0 Montenegro 0

Match 24/10/842 - Tuesday, 12 October 2010 -
European Championship Qualifying Group G

England (0) 0
Montenegro (0) 0
Att. 73,451

Entrance: £45
Programme: £6
Mileage: 100/3,710

Match Report

When a 20 yard volley from Milan Jovanovic crashed back off the bar with seven minutes remaining, England got the only piece of luck they deserved from this turgid encounter with a defensively solid Montenegro.

Both sides carried 100% records coming into the fixture and with the Balkan side having not conceded a goal in their three previous qualifiers it was obvious where their strengths were going to lie.

They lined up with a system that was not far removed from the controversial 4-6-0 formation that Scotland had employed in Prague at the weekend. Montenegro had a token forward who played barely five yards in front of the heavily congested midfield.

The first half was almost as bad as it gets. Wembley fell asleep as England played with a tempo that would have made Ann Widdecombe’s salsa seem positively disco.

Steven Gerrard probed away with long raking passes but the emphasis was too much towards the head of Peter Crouch and when after 16 minutes a golden chance arrived for the lanky striker his free header cleared the bar. This ultimately was a key moment in the game, an early goal would inevitably have brought the Montenegrans out of their bunker.

The second half started with a 12 minute period in which the referee brandished six yellow cards. In a rare Montenegro counter-attack, Wayne Rooney took a card for the team for a professional foul and bitter memories of a diving Ashley Young depriving Gillingham of a replay at Villa Park were resurrected as he threw himself to the ground in search of a penalty, for which he was rightly carded.

Kevin Davies came on in the 70th minute to become England’s oldest debutant, at 33, for 60 years and he immediately injected a bit of life into the proceedings, albeit that he, in turn, also received a yellow card, supposedly for leading with a elbow. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I thought that type of offence was an instant red card.

The second key moment of the match came on 77 minutes when Jovanovic clearly handled the ball in the penalty area. In a later interview, Rio Ferdinand said that he might as well have caught it, stuck it up his jumper and run with it . . . well put Rio!

So having got away with the handball there was more than a little justice when Jovanovic’s shot rebounded from the woodwork with Joe Hart well beaten.

Montenegro celebrated their “victory” and their resilience was too be admired but their defensive nature and England’s lack of any guile to break them down made for a frustrating, and for long periods, boring evening.

Gillingham 2 Stockport County 1

Match 23/10/841 - Saturday, 9th October 2010 - League Two

Gillingham (2) 2 McDonald 2, J Payne 38
Stockport County (0) 1 Pulis 81
Att. 4,755

Entrance: Season Ticket
Programme: £3
Mileage: 45/3,610

Match Report

One of the most common excuses for poor form and lack of consistency are injuries. Andy Hessenthaler has commented, but not used it as an excuse for Gillingham’s indifferent start to the season. Fact is, Gillingham have had no luck with injuries in this early part of the season and today’s game against Stockport County was a perfect indication of the problems they have faced.

Following last week’s drubbing at the hands of Accrington Stanley, Danny Spiller was added to the list and Adebayo Akinfenwa and Curtis Weston were expected to sit out the game but passed fitness tests only to fail to make the full 90 minutes.

The indication of the disruption was the difference in the halves. In the first half Gillingham played some of the best football we have seen this season, they passed the ball well and scored two goals leaving them in complete control of the game. But the second half saw the departure of Akinfenwa, who pulled up presumably as a result of the groin strain he brought into the game and Weston, who has been the victim of flu as well as a thigh injury. Matt Lawrence was forced from the field for a 10 minute period to have a head wound stitched and the enforced changes produced a disjointed performance that had them hanging on desperately at the finish to claim the points.

Lance Cronin made way in goal for the returning Alan Julian, illness accounted for Josh Gowling’s absence from the bench, but after last week’s debacle he would surely have been dropped in favour of Tony Sinclair. Mark Bentley was suspended and replaced by Kevin Maher and John Nutter made a welcome return to left back allowing Chris Palmer to move forward into left midfield.

Gillingham started with a fluency that belied that performance at Accrington. In the opening seconds Cody McDonald, sent through by his partner Akinfenwa, was hacked down by Danny Swailes, who took a yellow card for the team. Palmer’s free kick was deflected over the bar but from the resultant corner McDonald got between two defenders to score with a firm header that went in off the post.

Palmer was showing the value of being played in midfield rather than at full back where he is a liability. His corner in the 22nd minute was met by Akinfenwa, whose header was cleared from the line by David Poole. But Palmer was not to be denied, another superb cross found McDonald in front of goal, the striker knocked the ball forward only for Matt Glennon to parry the ball into the path of Jack Payne who swept the ball home from close range for his first senior goal for the club.

The first substitution of the match was referee Graham Horwood who limped out of the action with a calf strain. His replacement took a farsical length of time and eventually a half time call for a qualified referee to take on the role as fourth official was answered by Gills kit man, Malcolm Stedman. The newly promoted referee’s first action involved the booking of Anthony Pulis, son of the ex-Gillingham manager, Tony for a agricultural sything tackle on Akinfenwa.

Gillingham’s second half problems started in the 52nd minute when Akinfenwa limped out of the action with a recurrence of his groin injury. Within a couple of minutes, Matt Lawrence sustained a head injury forcing him to the dressing room for stitches. Hessenthaler decided to play on with 10 men whilst the central defender was patched up. It was 12 minutes before Lawrence returned, head bandaged in true Terry Butcher fashion.

Stockport took advantage of the disruption to the home side’s ranks and exerted ever more pressure on a defence that had never looked completely assured. A mistake from Lawrence allowed George Donnelly a chance that was well saved by Julian, but with nine minutes remaining the striker set up Pulis to score and herald a nervy finale. The Gills kit man rebuffed calls for one minute to be shown on the board and a justified five minutes were added and that became six, but the home side survived without Julian being seriously tested in the remaining time.

The result puts Accrington and Bury behind us, but they are never going to be truly in the past until that away hoodoo is put to rest. Port Vale, top of the table, next week . . . a touch of Murphy's law perhaps?

Accrington Stanley 7 Gillingham 4

Match 22/10/840 - Saturday, 2nd October 2010 - League Two

Accrington Stanley (3) 7 McConvillle 13, Parkinson 34, Barnett 43, Edwards 58,62 (pens), Gornell 73, Ryan 90
Gillingham (2) 4 Bentley 29,31, McDonald 55, Akinfenwa 79 (pen)
Att. 1,923

Entrance: £13
Programme: £3
Mileage: 592/3,565

Match Report

Read the scoreline above and you might think that I've been watching a game at Under-8's level. I wasn't, but the defending on both sides, but Gillingham in particular, was more appropriate to that age group. It's a funny old game . . . No, this was just plain crazy.

BBC Radio reported that there were only 13 shots on target in the whole game and 11 of them were goals, I presume they are correct and it only serves to illustrate the dire nature of the defending from both sides. Our own after match inquest certainly pointed figures at Josh Gowling, who is going to rival Brendan Plaice as one of the poorest centre backs to wear a Gillingham shirt and Chris Palmer, who is just not a full back and should never be picked in that position again. But television viewing has added Lance Cronin into the dock as three of the goals looked “saveable”.

An unwanted record equalling 28 league games away from home without a win, 32 in total is the sorry statistic that follows this latest embarrassing episode and to think that I left home with a certain confidence that was founded on absolutely nothing but gut feeling, but when Mark Bentley scored his second goal in a couple of minutes my belief that the drought was over was absolute.

But such was performance of Gillingham’s rear guard that at the time of Cody McDonald’s excellent equalising goal at 3-3, I had none of the sense that we were about to go on to win this match. Referring back to the Bury game, somebody behind me said he could see this game ending 5-4 again, my reply was that 10-9 was just as likely.

Bentley had returned to the side in place of Bruce Inkango in Andy Hessenthaler’s only change from the side that had gained a point from the uninspiring draw against Southend.

The visitors started brightly enough, a Spiller free kick was just over and, in a foretaste of the goalkeeping that was to follow, Ian Dunbavin directed the resultant goal kick straight to Adebayo Akinfenwa who was not quick enough to capitalise on error.

Accrington took the lead on 13 minutes when Terry Gornell was allowed to run into space and feed Sean McConville to steer the ball into the bottom right had corner.

Gillingham recovered from the set back with McDonald and Bentley going close before the latter headed on a long throw from Jack Payne to level the scores after 29 minutes.

Two minutes later, Akinfenwa set up Bentley to firmly shoot past Dunbavin to set up my moment of belief. Shame that it was to last only three minutes as Andy Parkinson was allowed to cut in from the right wing to drill a shot across Cronin and into the far corner.

Charlie Barnett showed the type of footwork that is required to win a round of Strictly Come Dancing as the leaden footed Gillingham defence allowed him to waltz into a shooting position and coolly curl a shot into the far corner to give Stanley a half time advantage.

Cody McDonald showed that would be no slouch on the dance floor with a wonderful individual goal to gain the visitors parity after 55 minutes only for referee Iain Williamson to take centre stage and two penalty decisions in the space of a couple of minutes put the game out of the visitors reach. Williamson harshly adjudged that Bentley had pushed Andy Proctor for the first and that Gowling had tripped Gornell for the second. Phil Edwards converted both to give the home side breathing space for the first time.

The game was over as a contest on 73 minutes when Gornell was given the freedom of the right side of the penalty area to stroke the ball past Cronin. There was still plenty of time for the comical defending to continue as crazy keeping from Dunbavin ended with the keeper hauling McDonald to the ground after dropping the ball at the striker’s feet. Akinfenwa calmly struck home the resulting penalty, 6-4 if you are keeping count.

The game descended from comedy to farce in the closing minutes when an otherwise impressive Jim Ryan kicked out at Danny Spiller to spark a brawl with the benches and both teams wading in. Stanley’s assistant manager Jimmy Bell was clearly seen to throw a punch and was sent to the stand, sitting himself no more than five yards from his touchline position. Mark Bentley lifted his hands, but didn’t appear to make much contact to receive a second yellow.

That was enough for this reporter and an early getaway to avoid the traffic generated by a crowd of less than 2,000 was deemed preferable to the final embarrassment of a seventh goal that we heard from the road outside.

Although the penalties were the defining moments of the game, Gillingham cannot hide behind the poor officiating as their dreadful defending was the main contributor to this humiliation.

Since my first visit to the Crown Ground two years ago, very little has changed. The toilets are still a disgrace, but for a club that has a small support their choir behind the goal is one of the best. I’ve never heard Twist and Shout sang before and have no idea what it has to do with football, but it was very well done!

Health and Safety also had its moment as the legendary Binman’s flag was confiscated because it did not carry a Fire Certificate! Crazy? Not half as mad as the football.

Gillingham 0 Southend United 0

Match 21/10/839 - Tuesday, 28th September 2010 - League Two

Gillingham (0) 0
Southend United (0) 0
Att. 4,925

Entrance: Season Ticket
Programme: £3
Mileage: 45/2,973

Match Report

Even a rubbish game deserves a mention . . .

Gillingham 1 Burton Albion 0

Match 20/10/838 - Saturday, 25th September 2010 - League Two

Gillingham (0) 1 McDonald 50
Burton Albion (0) 0
Att. 4,823

Entrance: Season Ticket
Programme: £3
Mileage: 45/2,928

Match Report

One of football’s oldest clichés . . . a game of two halves. Burton ran Gillingham ragged in the first 45 minutes and then they virtually disappeared.

From the very first minute when a Saun Harrad free kick clipped the bar through to the half time whistle, Burton dominated the game and could easily have gone into the break with a three goal advantage.

Harrad and Jacques Maghoma were a particular thorn in the side of a defence that had leaked five goals in the previous game at Bury when Lance Cronin in the Gillingham goal took the blame for the fifth and winning goal. But today, Cronin stood firm and made good saves from Russell Penn and Maghoma before superbly touching over a chip from Harrad that had goal written all over it.

Cronin had Jack Payne to thank when Richard Walker headed a corner goalwards only for the youngster to clear from the line. As half time approached, Gillingham perhaps signalled the turnaround that was about to happen when Cody McDonald smacked a header against the bar following a Chris Palmer corner.

It was the same duo that combined to give Gillingham the lead early in the second half. A Palmer free kick was headed in by McDonald for his first goal for the club. The game had now turned and the home side were in the ascendancy. Danny Spiller and McDonald (twice) brought saves from the Brewers’ keeper, Adam Legzdins while Cronin suffered one heart stopping moment when he misjudged the bounce of the ball whilst out of his area, only to be bailed out by Matt Lawrence.

The game had its sub-plot within the contest as two heavyweights, in the blue corner, Adebayo Akinfenwa and in the yellow corner, Darren Moore came head to head. It was an even contest that flared up in the final minutes with Moore receiving a yellow card, as much for frustration as anything else.

The referee’s whistle brought the game to end with Gillingham’s recovery complete. They had recovered from a first half pasting in which the game could have been put beyond them and also from the defensive nightmare that had been Gigg Lane.

Home victories alone didn’t save Gillingham last season and the longer the away drought goes on, the less chance they can make a success of this term.

Tonbridge 0 Cray Wanderers 4

Match 19/10/837 - Tuesday, 21st September 2010 - Ryman Premier

Tonbridge (0) 0
Cray Wanderers (0) 4 Hamici 58,82,85 Gibbs 64
Att. 328

Entrance: £10
Programme: £2
Mileage: 26/2,883

Match Report

All superstitions regarding the scarves are off after this humiliating defeat for Tonbridge.

It was a Frenchman, Laurent Hamici, who did the damage with a second half hat trick and a performance that could only leave those watching in disbelef as to why he is playing his football at this level.

The first half gave very little indication of the carnage that was going to follow in the second period. Tonbridge were mostly the dominant side and a series of chances fell to Frannie Collin, who on the night had failed to bring his shooting boots to the table.

Hamici gave fair warning to the Angels defence when Lee Worgan saved early in the second half before he opened the scoring in the 58th minute with a drive from inside the penalty area beating the keeper.

Hamici turned provider for Gibbs to slide into a empty net after 65 minutes before the favour was returned when Hamici headed home a Gibbs cross with eight minutes remaining.

Hamici and Gibbs combined once again three minutes later with the Frenchman ending up smashing a shot past the helpless Tonbridge keeper.

The early season optimism has now completely evaporated and Tommy Warrilow will be needing to search for some fresh blood to revitalise a side that lacked any sort of fight in the second half.

Tunbridge Wells 6 East Preston 2

Match 18/10/836 - Saturday, 18th September 2010 - FA Vase 2Q

Tunbridge Wells (3) 6 Flisher 14,20,49 Mooney 19 Philbeam 72,77
East Preston (1) 2
Att. 103

Entrance: £6
Programme: £1.50
Mileage: 26/2,857

Match Report

My neice's engagement party in the evening at Tonbridge Football Club allowed me the opportunity of one of my rare visits to Tunbridge Wells for their FA Vase Qualifying Round tie against Sussex County League Division Two side East Preston, who despite being soundly beaten gave a spirited performance.

Tunbridge Wells could easily have run up a cricket score as they were three goals to the good within the first 20 minutes. Alex Flisher, a loanee from Maidstone United, was too hot to handle for the villagers from outside Worthing. But credit to East Preston, they steadied the ship and managed to pull a goal back before the break.

Flisher completed his hat trick soon after the restart before Jon Philbeam rounded off the afternoon with a couple of goals to see the Wells ease comfortably into the next round.

Gillingham 2 Shrewsbury Town 0

Match 17/10/835 - Saturday, 11th September 2010 - League Two

Gillingham (0) 2 Palmer 12, 59 (pen)
Shrewsbury Town (0) 0
Att. 4,815

Entrance: Season Ticket
Programme: £3
Mileage: 45/2,831

Match Report

Isn't it just sods law that after leaking five goals at Bury last week and with the League leaders, Shrewsbury visiting, Gillingham not only win for the first time this season but also collect a clean sheet in the process.

And, on the superstition front, a scarf was already surplus to requirements given the warmth of the day and following last week's success for Tonbridge, the blue and black was destined to stay in the car . . . and once again it worked!

The casualty from the Bury defeat was Josh Gowling, with Matt Lawrence moving into the centre of the defence and Cody McDonald in for his home debut.

Gillingham got off to a brisk start and a couple of chances went begging before Chris Palmer had two stabs at goal following a Jack Payne long throw, the second finding its way past Chris Neal.

The home side went onto dominate the first half, Neal made a fine save from a Danny Spiller chip and McDonald had a good claim to a penalty award when he was hauled down by Shane Cansdell-Sheriff.

A less obvious appeal for a penalty was given after five minutes of the second half when Matt Sadler handled a Barry Fuller cross. Adebayo Akinfenwa stepped up to take the penalty when, perhaps, the likes of Chris Palmer might have been the more obvious choice. Akinfenwa's spot kick was weak and Neal saved and gathered his own parry.

On the hour Gillingham were awarded a second penalty when Spiller was brought down by Craig Disley. This time Palmer did step up and sent the Shrews keeper the wrong way to double their advantage.

For league leaders, Shrewsbury must have been a big disappointment to their fans on the day and only a late efforts from Mark Wright and Steve Leslie stretching keeper Lance Cronin, one of the villains in the nightmare at Gigg Lane.

Priestfield breathed just a little easier as the final whistle brought a victory for the first time in eight games including two Cup exits.