Gillingham (1) 2 Barcham 28, 80
Barnet (2) 4 Byrne 13, McLeod 45, 50, 70 (pen)
Att. 6,170
Entrance: Season Ticket
Programme: £3
Mileage: 45/9,573
Match Report
Andy Barcham’s brace of goals on his 100th start will be a meaningless statistic in years to come as this car crash of a result left a devastating hole in Gillingham’s promotion push. The 16 game unbeaten run was unceremoniously dumped as relegation haunted Barnet turned the league table on its head, even allowing themselves the luxury of a missed penalty.Whilst Gillingham’s home form has been patchy, personally and I would think many more people, didn’t see this result, and especially this performance, coming. Andy Hessenthaler’s after-match comments might beg to differ from this opinion but my feelings are that he made a big mistake with his team selection. OK, so I’m writing with the benefit of hindsight, but his reason for leaving Kevin Maher on the bench was to save his ageing legs for Rotherham given the Easter schedule of two games in three days. One of football people’s most used clichés is that each game is taken as it comes, perhaps the Gillingham manager should have won this game first and let Rotherham take its course.
The removal of the defensive midfielder left Gillingham’s back line exposed in a manner that we have not witnessed since those early days of the season when conceding sevens and fives at the likes of Accrington Stanley.
Izale McLeod had a field day and had it not been for a decision to take the piss from the penalty spot, when an arrogant attempt to dink the goalkeeper ended with the ball sailing into the Rainham End, he would have ended the day with four goals to his credit.
Hessenthaler made the decision that he would put out a side with an attacking intention in the knowledge that to maintain any hope of automatic promotion maximum points were going to be needed from virtually all of the remaining games, certainly no points could be afforded to be dropped at home. Maher was replaced by Jack Payne and injuries to Joe Martin and Curtis Weston enforced the selection of John Nutter and Luke Rooney.
On a hot day belying its April date, Gillingham were floundering from the outset and they were behind in the 13th minute. A left wing cross was cleared only to Mark Byrne who struck sweetly into the bottom corner. At least the setback had the desired effect to inject some life into the home side. Barcham was lively and in the 29th minute he levelled the score when he pounced after Bees’ keeper Sam Walker had spilt Cody McDonald’s initial effort. Most of Gillingham’s biggest crowd of the season would have expected the hosts to go on from this point and win with ease, little did they know that a nightmare was about to unfold.
Rooney was unfortunate as a well worked free kick saw his shot rebound from a post but in stoppage time at the end of the half Gillingham’s back line went absent when a long cross to the far post was headed across the face of goal by Jude Stirling to the unmarked McLeod who headed home with ease.
If the manager had stern words at half time, they were ineffective. A cross from the right was completely missed by Josh Gowling and McLeod was able to chest the ball into the net from close range leaving the home side with a steep hill to climb. Worse was to follow
As Gillingham’s back line and defensive midfield went into complete meltdown, the visitors had further chances before Matt Lawrence, subject of a lengthy stoppage earlier following a blow to the face, brought down Mark Marshall to concede a penalty that was duly converted by McLeod, sending Julian the wrong way.
Dreamland was being entered by the jubilant, and daresay surprised, 399 Barnet fans as the nightmare continued for the remainder. Josh Gowling, who had his own horror show, wrestled Jack Midson to the ground to offer McLeod a second opportunity from the spot. A supreme display of cockiness by McLeod was justly rewarded with the reminder that he is no Messi despite the Gillingham back four doing their level best to make him appear so.
Barcham scored a consolation with ten minutes remaining; a deserved reward on his milestone appearance but it was far too little, far too late.
Players and management have a dual responsibility to themselves as much as any supporter who has paid his entrance fee. Once they cross the white line players have to show commitment and perform to the best of their ability, Andy Barcham aside, these players totally abdicated their responsibility. Likewise, the manager has to put the correct players on the pitch from the outset. Sorry Andy, but you got this one wrong.
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