Gillingham (0) 0
Wycombe Wanderers (0) 1 McClure 85
Att. 4,758
Entrance: Season Ticket
Programme: £3.00
Mileage: 45/3,718
Match Report
This was a night in which Gillingham Football Club were only suffering the embarrassment of a woeful team performance in front of the Sky televisions cameras but it turned to shame as an attention-seeking teenage prat left the Rainham End to launch himself at Wycombe Wanderers' goalkeeper Jordan Archer. Such has been the frustration of Gillingham's home form, any of the goalkeepers from Exeter, Barnet, York or Port Vale could have been accused of wasting time to preserve their lead and cause this waste-of-space to take it upon himself to make his ill-advised protest, so why this game ... answer: the presence of the cameras.The perpetrator was quickly hauled to the ground by a couple of stewards and marched away to the derision of the majority of the Priestfield crowd. A Leeds supporter that confronted and struck Chris Kirkland earlier in the season received four months imprisonment and a six year banning order, because of the age of this miscreant perhaps the court will not be as harsh, but I don't think I would be alone in hoping they are.
As said, this was the final indignity in night that will only live in the memory for all the wrong reasons. Frankly, Gillingham were awful, dross, insert whatever term you might use at a time of sheer frustration. I left with one wish: that nobody that I knew had tuned into Sky to watch and thankfully, my wish was granted.
Supporters of the club that have been frustrated by Martin Allen's team selection of two defensive midfielders in home games were once again muttering under the breath as the team was announced. The first half was one of such tedium that I can only imagine people at home reaching for their remote controls as soon as the opening bars of the EastEnders theme tune was sounding.
Just before half time, with the home side having not tested Archer, Stuart Nelson was forced to make the first of a series of saves to deny a 30 yard effort from Sam Wood. The saves that Nelson went on to make in the second half earned him the man of the match award telling you everything that you need to know about this Gillingham performance.
Perhaps, but probably not, Allen saw the error of his ways and replaced one of his defensive midfielders with new signing Anton Robinson, sadly he chose to replace the wrong one.
Nelson started to earn his corn with a save from ex-Gill, Jo Kuffour before Robinson managed to clear from his line. On the hour, Kuffour was once more in the clear, but Nelson managed to throw his body in the way of the striker's shot. Gillingham were pressing hard, creating nothing of significance and getting hit on the break time and time again.
On 70 minutes, Dean Morgan absolutely left Leon Legge for dead as he sprinted on goal but once again Nelson came to the rescue with a blocking save.
With five minutes remaining from a superb through ball by another ex-Gill Stuart Lewis, Matt McClure sprinted clear to the edge of the box from where he shot past both Nelson and the post. It was a short-lived reprieve for the home side because a minute later, Steven Gregory, who had the most awful of games, was robbed in midfield and this time McClure, racing away, made no mistake.
Adam Barrett saw a header cleared from the line by Lewis before the pitch invader brought the final shame on Gillingham Football Club. We can sympathise with the frustration he felt, but the law-abiding either booed heartily at the finish or bit their tongues, but most importantly, stayed in the stands.
The classic programme covers that are being replicated for this centenary season today came from the 1996-97 season.
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