Gillingham (0) 1 Kedwell 73 (pen)
Rochdale (1) 2 Tutte 15, Grant 58
Att. 5,874
Entrance: Season Ticket
Programme: £3
Mileage: 45/1,292
Match Report
How many times, over the years, have Gillingham failed to perform in such circumstances, it doesn’t matter who the manager is, what the colour of the shirts the players of the day wear, I can remember more than a few times sods law has had its day.
Rochdale were no mugs, they came into the game off successive victories on the road and, in John Coleman, they have a manager who likes to play the game in the right way, although their time-wasting tactics towards the end ruffled the feathers of a few, frustrated Gillingham supporters.
Gillingham were the architects of their own downfall. A low-key first half performance was compounded by the dismissal of Danny Jackman for a reckless challenge. Unlike the previous home game when 10 men were left to defend a goal lead, this time they were already chasing a deficit.
Rochdale had already given their hosts fair warning with Stuart Nelson making a good double save following a fifth minute free kick before they took the lead after a quarter-of-an-hour. A short corner found Andrew Tutte in an acre of space but some distance from goal but his shot either deceived Nelson with its flight or it took a deflection off Jackman to find the net in the middle of the goal.
There was a response from the home side, Matt Fish ended a good run with a shot into the Rainham End and Deon Burton volleyed over the bar at the far post following Gillingham’s long throw routine. Gillingham’s task became that much more difficult with the 33rd minute dismissal of Jackman. The tackle from my long-distance view looked slightly suspect and television pictures appear to confirm its two-footed nature.
Martin Allen responded by substituting new loan arrival Robbie Findlay for Myles Weston, a confusing substitution in my opinion and started the second half using the remainder of his replacements, Danny Kedwell and Charlie Allen replacing the massively ineffective Lewis Montrose and Burton. The changes contributed to a much-improved second half performance but committed to attack and retrieving their deficit, were always open to the counter attack led by the impressive George Donnelly.
One such counter attack on 58 minutes virtually extinguished any hopes of a Gillingham comeback. Bobby Grant was sent clear and into the box, his first shot was parried by Nelson, but only back to the striker who made no mistake with his second attempt.
In fairness to the home support, they continued to get behind their team and were rewarded on 73 minutes when referee Phillips awarded the home side a penalty. Chris Whelpdale was held at the near post and the resultant spot kick was confidently despatched by Kedwell.
Rochdale should have put the game beyond doubt with 10 minutes remaining when Donnelly faced only by Fish on a breakaway slid across the face of the goal the ball for Grant to sidefoot from about a yard, but his soft touch allowed Nelson to save at his post.
Sods law had its day and Gillingham’s best-ever start to a season is consigned to the history books. The best teams bounce straight back and the real character of this side now has the opportunity to emerge with two upcoming away games, from those we will see what kind of mental strength the manager has installed.
It was good to see nearly 6,000 inside Priestfield for the first time this season. The gate was boosted by a Friday-only offer of family tickets for £28 and a virtual buy-one-get-one-free. Perfectly admirable marketing from the club, but I would have been sorely pissed if I had been a casual supporter and had bought my tickets, unknowing of the offer, on Wednesday or Thursday.
The classic programme covers that are being replicated for this centenary season today came from the 1989-90 season.
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