Gillingham (1) 2 McDonald 3, Weston 83
Northampton Town (0) 0
Att. 5,600
Entrance: Season Ticket
Programme: £3.00
Mileage: 45/3,647
Match Report
Such as been the paucity of Gillingham’s home, the majority of the 5,600 in attendance at a rain lashed and windswept Priestfield would have taken a single goal win with a goal that deflected in off the considerable rear end of Adebayo Akinfenwa. As it was two goals of an equally bizarre nature won a game that was spoilt by the conditions.Bayo, who received a warm reception from his previously adoring fans, later tweeted that he felt that the Cobblers deserved to come away from the game with something and overall I’m inclined to agree with him.
Two teams positioned first and third in the League table came a distant second on the night as the conditions prevailed with neither side coming to terms with the howling wind. On a night when a goalkeeper’s kick-out either headed back towards them or sailed aimlessly over the heads of the forwards depending on the direction of the swirling wind. So, some sympathy has to be directed towards Northampton’s custodian Lee Nicholls who was deceived when a long punt forward from Matt Fish caught the wind and flew over the top of him to allow a grateful Cody McDonald a side foot into an open net to give Gillingham a third minute lead.
Clive Platt proved to be a muscular alternative leading the line for Northampton to Akinfenwa and Stuart Nelson needed to be at his very best to save his close range header on 20 minutes. Chances came and went for Platt and Ben Harding as the Gillingham back four were stretched but showed a greater resilience than of recent home performances.
A spectacular overhead kick from Deon Burton following a long throw by Charlie Lee was Gillingham’s best effort at doubling their advantage before the break.
Akinfenwa was introduced into the action just past the hour to impose on Leon Legge and Adam Barrett a heavyweight opposition the like of which they won’t encounter again this season.
Seven minutes from the end, the home side benefited once more from a strange goal that owed something to the conditions but also begged a question of the Northampton back line. A goal kick from Nelson cleared the back line to Myles Weston who was positioned a clear 15 yards or so further forward than the defenders. Did they not know you cannot be offside from a goal kick? Weston collected the ball and, despite a couple of defenders making up the ground to offer a challenge, his shot across the face of goal went in off the far post.
Conditions won the day, Gillingham won the points, ending a dismal run at Priestfield and returning to the top of the table.
The classic programme covers that are being replicated for this centenary season today came from the 1956-57 season.
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