Gillingham (1) 3 Kedwell 20, 50 Nouble 49
Burton Albion (1) 1 Kee 40
Att. 4,946
Entrance: Season Ticket
Programme: £3.00
Mileage: 45/1,291
Match Report
As I sat comfortably in my armchair, content with Gillingham’s afternoon victory against Burton Albion, I was ready for the Saturday night dose of Premiership highlights on Match of the Day. First up was Stoke City v Manchester United and this prompted me to recall previous visits to the Britannia and to their previous domicile at the Victoria Ground. As a visiting supporter, Stoke is not for the faint-hearted and when they launch into their pre-match anthem of Delilah the noise is impressive and when they get to the mocking laughter it becomes really quite sinister.My point of this diversion is that the crowd at the Britannia always appear to be at one. Stoke City have a style of play that is not pleasing on the eye, giving the advocates of the beautiful game plenty to chew on and, socially, watch an episode of Homes under the Hammer and it is likely that the wreck of a property that has just been auctioned for about ten grand would have come from a back-to-back street of the Potteries. But when Saturday comes they take their places and roar on their club and celebrate a one-all draw against the Champions as if they have won the Champions League. Now in fairness, I have never taken a seat at Stoke City among the home support, so perhaps my assertion that they are all for one, one for all is ill-founded, but, and finally we get to the point of this dialogue, they don’t seem to suffer from the moaning minnies that irritate the eardrums on a fortnightly basis at Priestfield.
Sitting in the Gordon Road Stand, affectionately known as the Coffin Dodgers, it is not solely the preserve of the Senior Citizen to become Grumpy Old Men for the duration of a football match. We have the man who will be waiting at least another 20 years before his draws his first pension payment who starts his berating of the linesman before a ball is kicked. Then there is another less than senior who appears to believe that if the home side are not a goal to the good within the first 20 minutes then Hessenthaler should start making substitutions and if he doesn’t then he should quit right that very minute. And so it goes on, I glance a look at some of these men (women are either more forgiving or a bit more savvy) and I would estimate that they have played or watched the game for about 30 years and what have they learnt, seemingly nothing. This is my experience from the GRS, but I understand that it is not a lot different wherever you take your seat at Priestfield.
Over the past couple of home games, Gillingham have given their detractors plenty of ammunition with below par performances that have ended in a chorus of boos and cat calls. Last week’s record victory at Hereford offered hope that with the four game run halted an afternoon of encouragement could be envisaged. New loan signing, Frank Nouble from West Ham, was making his home debut, giving the vast majority their first look this season at a Gillingham side playing with two recognised strikers.
Burton Albion, sitting in fourth place at kick off, started the brighter and carved out chances for Jacques Maghoma, Jimmy Phillips and Justin Richards in the first ten minute. Fortunately, none of them had their eye for goal honed and each opportunity was hopelessly wasted, but it was more than enough to get the home support a little on the edgy side.
The grumbles were replaced with cheers on 20 minutes when a beautifully delivered free kick from Danny Jackman found the head of Danny Kedwell, whose header was steered into the net for his first Gillingham goal from open play. Gillingham now entered a period of play when they were well in the ascendency with Jackman pulling most of the strings and Luke Rooney enjoying one of his livewire performances.
Burton, somewhat against the run of play, equalised in the 40th minute. A shot from Justin Richards looped up after an attempted block by Garry Richards and the lively Billy Kee was on hand to nod past Ross Flitney for half time parity.
If the half time murmurs had grown to grumbles then they were quietened by a full-on assault on the visitors’ goal in the first five minutes of the second half. Within seconds of the restart, Chris Whelpdale’s strike from the edge of the box was touched over by the keeper, Ross Atkins, and after four minutes of the half Gillingham regained their lead. Jackman was once again the instigator as his cross was headed against the bar by Garry Richards, the rebound seemed to be begged to be hit home by somebody before Nouble duly obliged to stab the ball over the line.
There was no time for the cheers to die before the Coffin Dodgers were on their feet again to celebrate a third Gillingham goal. Matt Fish, debuting in place of the injured Barry Fuller, played in Jackman, whose low cross was tucked in at the far post by Kedwell. No time for grumbling now!
Burton were now being run ragged and when Aaron Webster brought down Kedwell on the hour it earned a second booking and a walk to the tunnel. Ten minutes later Ryan Austin brought down Charlie Lee, also meriting a second booking, setting the scene for the home side to make hay while the sun shone. Unfortunately they didn’t take advantage of the situation and subsequently, despite the comfortable lead, the grumbling began once again. By the finish it would have been difficult for an alien to decipher from the crowd’s mood which side had won, which is pretty sad.
Perhaps we just haven’t the passion in Kent that they possess in Stoke-on-Trent, although away support for the Gills would suggest otherwise, but I have to accept that payment of an entrance fee is an entitlement to voice your pleasure or displeasure as that person sees fit, I just wish that sometimes it would be a tad more positive.
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