Gillingham (1) 1 Kedwell 38 (pen)
Southend United (0) 0
Att. 4,968
Entrance: Season Ticket
Programme: £3
Mileage: 45/1,148
Match Report
Gillingham’s supporters failed to turn out in numbers again, the improvement from Saturday’s attendance being the increased away support, but they rallied to the cause and their noise dragged their favourites over the finishing line for a memorable victory.
The first half might have been long but it was packed with incident and controversy almost from the outset. In the first minute, Charlie Lee inflicted a fair, robust challenge to introduce himself to ex-Gill Sean Clohessy, but it was the Gillingham midfielder that came off worse and needed to be substituted by Bradley Dack on five minutes.
Less than five minutes later, a long ball forward and a high bounce saw Southend’s keeper misjudge the its flight and under pressure from Burton, Smith fell awkwardly prompting the urgent call to the bench for treatment that lasted almost ten minutes before he was stretchered off.
Southend looked a side full of confidence as they pressed forward looking for the opening goal. The very wordy, Britt Assombalonga wasted a good chance when he headed over following a Kevan Hurst free kick and another ex-Gills, Gavin Tomlin, produced a smart stop by Stuart Nelson low down at his near post.
As the half entered its nine minutes of added time, Gillingham took the lead with a Danny Kedwell penalty, awarded after Dack was sent sprawling by John Spicer. From a distance, it looked a bit soft but the Gillingham fans in line with the incident were quick to their feet with their claim. Kedwell’s penalty-taking style of putting his laces through the ball brought about the emphatic result, substitute goalkeeper Daniel Bentley could have enlisted the help of his senior partner and between them they still wouldn’t have stopped it!
The half ended with the dismissal of Dack for a challenge on Mark Phillips. Referee Phil Gibbs adjudged the tackle as reckless and flourished a straight red to the teenager. It seemed a bit on the harsh side, it cannot be contested that Dack caught Phillips but his feet didn’t leave the ground in the manner that is usually associated with straight reds. Phillips meanwhile, could not continue and was substituted at half time.
The Rainham End were already rousing the rest of Priestfield as the second half onslaught of the ten men began. Burton was substituted in favour of another defender; Andy Frampton brought in to shore up the middle of the field. Tomlin had a couple attempts, reasonably comfortably saved by Nelson, to punish his previous employers and crosses rained into the box to be met by the resilient heads of Adam Barrett, Callum Davies and on regular occasions, striker Kedwell.
The intense pressure brought out the best in Priestfield and whilst Southend produced wave after wave of attacks, Nelson was not asked to make anything more than comfortable saves, each one bringing tumultuous acclaim as if they were world-class.
This was the night, more so than the regulation wins over Dagenham, Barnet and Bristol Rovers that Gillingham showed their real credentials for a tilt at promotion. In adversity against very decent opposition they stood the test and everybody inside Priestfield fully appreciated the effort that had gone into the victory. Perhaps those that are not attending matches at Gillingham at present will hear and read about the atmosphere and optimism that is being generated and the turnstiles will start clicking past the 5,000 mark. In his programme notes Mr Scally wrote that some price incentives are in the pipeline in the near future, that will certainly help.
The classic programme covers that are being replicated for this centenary season today came from the 1988-89 season.
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