Gillingham (3) 4 Kedwell 5 (pen), 15 Lee 44, Whelpdale 82
Bristol Rovers (0) 0
Att. 4,768
Entrance: Season Ticket
Programme: £3
Mileage: 45/1,103
Match Report
Another common thought has been that there is still plenty to come from this Gillingham side and, once again, despite the mauling of the opposition, the home side had a long period in the second half when, with the foot off the pedal, they became a bit complacent and sloppy. But, three goals to the good, it was affordable, if not to the manager who had taken note.
On the quarter hour, Kedwell doubled both his and his sides tally as he backed headed Charlie Lee’s long throw at the near post. Desperate attempts to clear the ball from the line were made by Adam Virgo, but he could only help it into the net. A striker in a rich vein of form is going to claim the goal, his seventh of the season, making him the Football League’s leading goalscorer.
Hands were on heads the length of breadth of Priestfield when Charlie Allen missed from six yards, but those hands were clapping again when the home side added a third just before half-time. An Allen right wing corner found the diving head of Charlie Lee to add the gloss to a fine first half performance.
As said earlier, the foot noticeably came off the pedal in the second half. It was another very warm September day and three goals to the good, why not turn it into a stroll, because the manager says not, that’s why! Bristol Rovers, obviously with their own flea in the ear, made a better fight of it in the second period, but one reasonably comfortable save from Stuart Nelson was their only shot of note. Several crosses into the Gillingham box carried a threat, but the loss to injury in the first half of Matt Harrold deprived Rovers of a cutting edge.
Gillingham carved open a chance on the hour with a move of absolute quality. Substitutes Myles Weston and Ben Strevens combined with Allen to engineer a shot on goal for Weston, that he took too early and straight at Walker, but its conception had been something to savour.
Weston was a lively introduction and his pace finally counted with 10 minutes remaining. He skipped past Wayne Brown down the right wing from where his cross found the diving head of Chris Whelpdale for Gillingham’s fourth goal from close range.
Martin Allen is obviously not going to stand for complacency, so top of the table, three points clear is not going to cloud this manager’s thinking. David Wright has been brought into the squad on a month’s loan from Crystal Palace, another vastly experienced player in the spine of the side, in front of the hugely impressive Adam Barrett, in the centre of defence. Wright was the only change to the side that won at Barnet, previously five or six changes have become the pattern, so perhaps the manager is close to knowing what his first choice eleven might be, subject to availability. But one thing is for sure, if there is a first eleven, none will be resting on their laurels.
Slight disappointing was the attendance of 4,768, of which a little more than 200 had travelled from Bristol. I was hoping that the early season success might have seen the crowd number creep above the 5,000-mark, but perhaps with another home game on Tuesday, people are unable to afford two games in the present economic climate.
The classic programme covers that are being replicated for this centenary season today came from the 1995-96 season.
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